The Soral and the Grid (Page 8)

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Nestled like a pear in the shell, to the north-east of the library stands Gandhi Bhavan, a small white sanctuary-like structure surrounded by water on three sides. It is approached from the west by a causeway. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings designed by Jeanneret in India and is the focal point of the campus. Its unique shape and Colour distinguishes Gandhi Bhavan from the surrounding buildings. Like a sculpture in the round, it emits entirely different sensations from different points of view.

As the name suggests, it was established to promote Gandhian philosophy. Dr S Radhakrishnan, the then President of India, dedicated this Bhavan to the nation on December 1, 1962. On this occasion, the President said, "It is but right that the Punjab University should have thought of establishing a Gandhi Bhavan in this Centre of education where science is developing rapidly. Gandhi preached the importance of moral and spiritual values, which are essential to satisfy the needs of man. He advocated the practice of Ahimsa and stood for love and compassion amongst men. But Gandhi's nonviolence was non-violence of the brave and called for the 'highest sacrifice in the defence of truth". Jeanneret's design of this memorial is a sensitive, quintessential tribute to the father of the nation.

The Bhavan was designed to hold lectures and discussions on Mahatma Gandhi's life and works, and make relevant literature available. These functions materialised into a threewinged structure spreading out in three directions. All the three are uniformly shaped from outside. One of the wings on the right accommodates a library, an office, and a research scholar's room. The central wing contains an auditorium and the left wing has a seminar room. A mural painting by satish Gujral greets the visitor as soon as one enters the building. It expresses the awakening of the Indian masses and their advancement towards nationhood. The interior of the building receives natural light through skylights. The windows are few and so tiny that they seem hardly more than slits or pinpricks in the walls. The pointed and rounded shapes of the building symbolise the Gandhian ideals. The pointed forms suggest the sharp edge of truth and the rounded ones indicate harmony. The whole building is finished in white marble aggregate.
(Continues...)

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