providing abstract to “URBANISATION SEMINAR SERIES: RAHUL MEHROTRA, THE FUTURE OF SOUTH ASIA: A LANDSCAPE OF PLURALISM

1. ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA AFTER 1990 by Rahul Mehrotra
HUMANITIES VI
PROVIDING ABSTRACT TO “URBANISATION SEMINAR SERIES: RAHUL MEHROTRA, THE FUTURE OF
SOUTH ASIA: A LANDSCAPE OF PLURALISM
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT
Pluralism means a system in which two or more states and their principles coexist. So
the landscape of pluralism in India is all about emerging amalgamated architecture.
Architecture that grows by the principles based not purely on indian traditions but
the determination to oppose it (after 1990).
Even before independence, the build forms in India were inspired by foreign culture
because of trade and presence of foreigner in a kingdom. But after independence
there was a sudden determination to leave a mark on world and join the race of
Modernism in order to bring back the lost dignity. So, the architecture begins to
change and capital started driving the force. India started bringing the foreign
architects into the picture and this step changed the future we were heading to.
I agree that certain experiments were necessary to start this operation, thinking big
and thinking India in global aspect, but somewhere in between we neglected the
local problems. Migrating population towards city, failing to accommodate
themselves, resides in slum today. I question, why the housing was not experimented?
Why the “impatient capital” was invested in global commercial projects rather than
solving local issues?
Talking about present, we are greedy to gain identity and in the process of achieving
that we are heading towards better future. Experiments have become our hobby and
we are trying every sort of transformation. Breaking the monotony we are following
the fundamentals of ‘open to give, open to receive’.
In an aspiration to become a global country, we are lost. Lost in the battle of
modernism vs. old identity. India itself is so rich and diverse in culture followed by
architecture, do we really need to adapt foreign tradition to win the race?
By
JAIN MAMTA