GMDA Plans to Rebuild Nabin Bordoloi Hall
Guwahati, June 10 – The Guwahati
Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has proposed to re-build the historic
Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library with a two-storeyed modern structure,
preserving the heritage of the building, said GMDA chairman Dhiren Barua here today.
Barua told this correspondent that an
amount of Rs 2 crore has been allocated
by the GMDA for the 2015-16 fiscal and
the development agency has
decided to allocate an equal amount of money for the purpose if the situation
so demands.
The construction of the building will be
completed within the next two years and within the next six months, the construction
of its ground floor is planned to be completed. A local architect will be
engaged through a competitive bidding process for preparing the design of the
building, Barua said.
In reply to a question as to why the new
building is not built on the vacant plot of land between the boundary wall of the
Handique Girls’ College and the Nabin Bordoloi Hall, he informed that on that
particular vacant plot of land, a statue of renowned freedom fighter Md
Tayebullah would be installed.
Barua reasoned that on that particular
vacant plot of land, there was a thatched house and Md Tayebullah was born in
it. Therefore, his family is insisting that the statue of the freedom fighter
should be installed on that particular plot of land.
The GMDA is also installing the statues
of Ambikagiri Roy Choudhury, Parliamentarian Hem Baruah, Mahendra Mohan
Choudhury and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in the city. Sculptor Biren Singha will mould four statues,
excluding that of Ambikagiri Roy Choudhury, which will be sculpted by Dilip Sarma.
Biren Singha will hand over the statues to the GMDA by August, Barua said.
According to noted writer Kumudeswar
Hazarika, the Nabin Bordoloi Hall was earlier known as the Curzon Hall and
Library. It was initially located at the site where the present SK Bhuyan
Library of Cotton College is located. It
was built in 1900 and shifted to its present location sometime between 1907 and
1910.
The Curzon Hall and Library was built as
per the proposal of late Manik Chandra
Barooah, who was the president of
the committee formed
to receive Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy
of India, during his visit to Guwahati to study the post-1897 earthquake
scenario. Lord Curzon was accorded a warm welcome by the people of the
State at a function held at the Judges’ Field in the early part of 1900.
The Curzon Hall and Library was built
with the money saved by the reception committee, Hazarika said.
Credit to: Ajit
Patowary, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 11th June, 2015,
Page. 5
Move to Demolish Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library Building Opposed
Guwahati, June 12 – The Association of Architects, Assam (AAA) has opposed the
Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority’s
(GMDA) move to demolish the historic Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall
and Library building.
AAA president Tikendrajit Saikia told
this correspondent today, “We are
confused as to how
the GMDA will build the two-storied modern building
by ‘preserving the heritage of
the building.’ New construction and conservation are both different
in nature. The GMDA is perhaps not sure about what it
wants to do. Nabin Chandra Bordoloi
Hall and
Library building is one of the finest examples of the Assam Type
heritage structures with eekora (reed) walls, sloped
roof, dormer windows etc., with many more elements, which need
to be conserved.
“Now when the
entire world, especially Europe, is conserving the century-old buildings
like the Roman collegiums, Egyptian pyramids etc., the GMDA should collect information
about how conservation is done.
“Conservation of the century- old
buildings has become a specialised
post-graduate course done by
architects and civil engineers,” Saikia
said, adding “We welcome
the allocation of Rs
2 crore for the Nabin Bordoloi Hall project. But the money should be spent
on conservation only, not on demolition and new construction of the building.
If
we bulldoze the building, we will
lose the originality
of the structure and
historicity of the place. We expect
that GMDA chairman Dhiren Barua,
who is also the founder president of the
Save Guwahati Bui ld Guwahati (SGBG),
will not destroy the heritage of the
building and its site,”
said the AAA president.
He
also made an appeal to the state government
to straight-way declare the building
as a heritage one to facilitate its
take over by the Archaeological Survey of India. A
similar step should also be taken in relation to the other century-old
buildings of the state, said the AAA president.
Noted writer Kumudeswar Hazarika, who
has been studying the history of Guwahati
scrupulously for the past about 20 years, has also called for caution in
dealing with the historic structures like the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall.
Elaborating the historicity of the building, he said that the Curzon Hall,
the original building renamed
later as the Nabin Bordoloi Hall in 1953, was built in
1900 with about Rs 7,000 saved from the funds raised to accord reception to the
then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. It was built at the site on which the old building
of the Cotton College Library is situated.
In
1910, it was shifted
to its present location. The
building is not only connected with the memories of Lord Curzon and Karmabir
Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, it is also connected with the memories of many leading
lights of the 19th and 20th century Assamese society, like the late
honourable Manik Chandra Barooah, who set up the historic Cotton College almost
single-handedly.
Manik Chandra Barooah was the president
of the reception committee formed
to greet the Viceroy
during his visit
to the state in 1900, which was
aimed at assessing the post-1897
earthquake scenario. Due to the strict austerity measures adopted by the
reception committee under Manik Chandra Barooah, the committee
could save around Rs 7,000 collected from the people, Hazarika said.
Credit to: Ajit Patowary, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 13th June, 2015, Page. 5
Credit to: Ajit Patowary, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 13th June, 2015, Page. 5
Nabin Bordoloi Hall & Library: Nat'l Architect Body to Help Restore Building
Guwahati, June 13 – The Assam Chapter of
the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA)
has opposed the proposed move of the Guwahati Metropolitan Development
Authority (GMDA) to ‘re-build’ the
historic Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library building by demolishing it.
Informing this, chairman of the IIA
Assam Chapter Ramendra Baishya said in a statement here today that an emergent
meeting of the Assam Chapter held here yesterday proposed to extend help to the
GMDA for restoration and preservation of this historic building.
Talking to this correspondent, Baishya
explained the reasons behind the opposition of the IIA Assam Chapter to the above
GMDA move. He said the Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library is over 100 years old. It
reflects the colonial era architecture, which was developed by the colonial
rulers taking into consideration the peculiar natural condition of the then
Assam, which is now known as the NE region.
“This building was constructed as per
the high-level Assam Type specification and it is a case for the new architects
to learn this type of structures,” Baishya said.
Again, he said the building is a witness
to thousands of public consultations of various types, which determined the socio-political
destinies of the societies of Greater Assam. This is also an important heritage
aspect connected with this building, he said.
In his statement, Baishya said the IIA Assam
Chapter executive committee in its meeting yesterday was of the opinion that
conservation of built heritage is generally perceived in the context of long-term
interest of the society. This can be better understood if the structures are
categorized under economic, cultural and environmental sections.
Though Assam has many long standing
varied architectural and cultural heritage buildings and structures, its common
people are unfortunately ignorant about and in-sensitive to conservation and preservation
of these heritage structures.
Heritage preservation is an investment
within the community concerned. It rewards the community and stores up an invaluable
resource for its future generations, the meeting observed.
It
further maintained that conservation of the
heritage structures provides concrete benefit to the community as a whole, besides
it increases property values,
both of the restored buildings/structures and their
surroundings and this has the
potential to accelerate the growth of tourism, among others.
Credit to: Ajit
Patowary, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 14th June, 2015,
Page. 5
Body Formed to Oppose Demolition of Building: Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library
Guwahati, June 15 – The Assam Library
Association, in consultation with
leading citizens,
academicians and conscious people of the city, yesterday
formed a committee to unite the people against the move to demolish the
historic Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library.
The committee will initially hold a
public meeting on the issue, if its memorandums to the authorities fail to evoke
any positive response.
It needs mention here that the Guwahati
Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has proposed to ‘rebuild’ the historic
building as a double-storey structure
by demolishing its present 105-year-old Assam-type
structure, which reflects the colonial era architecture specially meant for
the NE region, known for its
extraordinary seismic vulnerability.
Participants at consultation held under
the presidentship of Dr Alaka Buragohain, the president of the Association, expressed
serious concern over the GMDA move to demolish the building and demanded
immediate revocation of the decision. Or else, the participants said, they
would engage themselves in building a mass agitation to frustrate the GMDA
move.
They urged the GMDA and the other
authorities concerned to adopt measures for conservation of the historic building
and make it an attractive structure.
The committee formed by the participants
includes Dr Alaka Buragohain, Dr Bhupen Kumar Deka, Kanak Sarma and Dr Narendra
Lahkar as the chief convenors. They also decided to prepare a memorandum
covering all the aspects concerning the historic building and heritage
preservation and submit it to the Chief Minister, GMDA chairman, the State
Minister of Cultural Affairs and Commissioner of the Guwahati Municipal Commission,
Dr Buragohain said.
Credit to: Staff
Reporter, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 16th June, 2015,
Page. 7
SGBG for NCB Hall as Heritage Structure
Guwahati, June 16 – Voluntary organisation
Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG) today voiced its opposition to any move to
demolish the historic Nabin Chandra Bordoloi (NCB) Hall and Library and
demanded that the authorities concerned should immediately declare the building
as a heritage structure.
In its executive committee meeting, the
voluntary organisation also voiced its opposition to any move to build or install
any building or statue in the NCB Hall campus. “No new building or statue
should come up inside the NCB Hall campus,” it said.
Informing
this, SGBG general secretary Satyen Doloi told this newspaper this evening that
the meeting demanded immediate steps to develop the vacant areas onside the NCB
Hall campus into a garden. Moreover, it said the view of the campus should not be
blocked by any tall wall.
The SGBG executive committee meeting
also called for urgent steps to open the Lakshminath Bezbaroa Road for vehicular
traffic, to retrofit the historic North Brook Gate and to develop its
surroundings into a park. The Gate and its surroundings should be handed over
to the Archaeology Directorate for proper conservation, it said.
The meeting also opposed the reported
move of some circles to install some statues inside the Guwahati Club Rotary. There
should not be any structure, statue etc inside the Rotary, it said.
The meeting presided over by SGBG
working president Krishna K Barooah, also demanded urgent steps to keep the
entire riverfront of the city, between Bhutnath and Sukreswar Devalaya, free
from any structure etc and preserve this stretch as an open space for the
Guwahatians.
It further said that the life size statue
of Md Tayebullah should be installed at the juncture of the KL Barooah Road and
the FC Road, near both the Gauhati High Court and the District and Sessions
Judges’ Court.
Credit to: Staff
Reporter, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 17th June, 2015,
Page. 7
GMDA Retracts from Demolition Bid: NCB Hall
Guwahati, June 16 – In the face of public
opposition, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) today
retracted from its stand on the demolition of the historic Assam Type Nabin
Chandra Bordoloi (NCB) Hall and Library building for the purpose of replacing
it with a two-storey RCC building.
GMDA chairman Dhiren Barua told this
correspondent here today that the proposal to demolish the 105-year-old Assam
Type building of the NCB Hall and Library to make room for a two-storey RCC
building was ‘at a very nascent stage.’
“The proposal was at a discussion level
and the public reaction to the proposal has showed us a new direction. We
honour the public sentiment and now we have gone for a final decision discarding
the earlier idea of dismantling the historic building,” Barua said.
The GMDA chairman had earlier informed this
correspondent, on June 10, of the Metropolitan Authority’s decision to
dismantle the existing building of the Nabin Bordoloi Hall and Library.
He also apprised that an amount of Rs 2
crore was allocated by the GMDA for the purpose. The entire new building would
be completed within the next two years and its ground floor would be completed within
the next six months. For designing the new building, local architects would be
engaged through a bidding process.
Further, he said a statue of noted
freedom fighter Md Tayebullah would be installed on the vacant plot of land
lying between the Handique Girls’ College and the Nabin Bordoloi Hall and
Library.
Various organisations and individuals, including
two organisations of the architects – the Association of Architects, Assam and
the Assam Chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects; Assam Library
Association, noted writer Kumudeswar Hazarika and former president of the Asam
Sahitya Sabha Dr Nagen Saikia, among others, had opposed the move to dismantle
the historic building of the NCB Hall and Library and to replace it with a two-storey
RCC building.
Barua said, “We decided to renovate the
Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library building and not to demolish it. However,
we have asked our architect and engineer to prepare a design for a new modern
one-storey public hall with underground parking facilities. This building will
be built in the space available between the existing Assam type building of the
NCB Hall and the Cotton College Rajanikanta Bordoloi Boys’ Hostel.”
Asked as to what prompted the GMDA to go
for a decision to dismantle the old building of the NCB Hall and Library, the
GMDA chairman said that he was requested by several leading citizens like ex-
Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University (GU) Dr NK Choudhury, veteran journalists
Kanak Sen Deka and DN Chakravorty and senior advocate Shailen Medhi, to replace
the old NCB Hall building with a spacious two-storey building with modern
facilities, keeping its heritage intact.
When contacted, veteran journalist DN
Chakravartty told this correspondent that “We should have sentiments. But my
grandmother’s sentiment against my coming out of Jorhat to Guwahati would have
landed me in a pitiable situation. Similarly, sentiment of our general masses
in respect of the NCB Hall, although it needs to be understood in its
perspective, should not prevent us from taking practical decisions demanded by
the change in time.”
Nabin Bordoloi Hall
Sir, – About two months back, we read in
The Assam Tribune that Rs 2 crore have been sanctioned for restructuring the Karmabir
Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library at the bank of the Dighalipukhuri, Guwahati.
Recently, it has been learnt from reliable sources that a building will be
constructed at the site by the GMDA. This century-old library and hall was constructed
in 1913 at the site; the Cotton College was started in 1901 and the Curzon
Hall, which was started at the same time near the Directorate of Historical and
Antiquarian Studies, had to be shifted to its present site. In 1953, this
Curzon Hall was renamed as the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library.
This library has a history of its own. So many scholars and learned people of
yesteryears and of even now were and are regular visitors to the library. This
is perhaps the only ‘heritage house’ in the city to stand as an identity to the
academic and cultural history of Guwahati.
Although the present Assam type house is
old but it is still in a position to be renovated and with the application of
modern scientific techniques, it can be renovated to last another 100 years. A
good example is the Chandra Kanta Handique Bhawan of the Asam Sahitya Sabha at Jorhat.
The 500-year-old house where Shakespeare lived has been preserved in the UK.
Why not the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall? Yours etc., Dr. Bhupen Deka,
Jorpukhuri, Guwahati.
Credit to: Bhupen
Deka, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 17th June, 2015, Page. 6
Nabin Bordoloi Hall
Sir,
– The news item ‘National architect body to help restore building’ by Ajit Patowary
(AT, June 14) caught my attention. The age and civilization of a region is
defined by the testimony of its monuments. Different layers of invention and
the rulers’ contribution towards the development of the society can be counted
by the available architecture. The local culture and the foreign influence, if
any, are well depicted in such monuments.
I too agree with Ramen Baishya, the
chairman IIA (Assam chapter) that the age old monuments should be conserved
keeping the original dignity of the building which will always narrate a story
of the past to the generation to come. The Government of Assam is taking steps
to restore the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library. The Assam type building
amidst the green lawn and aged trees gives the evidence of the colonial influence
in the architecture of that era. Giving a new style will definitely ruin the
dignity of the structure. The rich heritage of the building should be conserved
taking advice of experts in the field of conservation and rebuilt with the same
style before it decays into ruins. Yours etc. Meghali R Deka, Guwahati.
Credit to: Meghali
R Deka, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 18th June, 2015, Page.
6
GMDA Move
Sir, – I was shocked to learn about the
Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority’s (GMDA) move to demolish the Nabin
Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library building. Thanks to The Assam Tribune and
several distinguished personalities for raising voices against the move.
This ultimately forced the GMDA to
retract itself from the demolition bid. We will be very much happy if the GMDA
will take up steps for the preservation and conservation of the building and
convert the surrounding into a garden. The hall is over 100 years old and reflects
the colonial era architecture; this carries a value for the preservation in
itself. The Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall and Library building is one of the
finest examples of the Assam Type heritage structures with eekora (reed) walls,
sloped roof, dormer windows which are still in good condition. The architects of
today can really learn a lot from it. The building is also connected with the
memories of Lord Curzon, Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Manik Chandra Barooah
and many others who determined the socio-political destiny of greater Assam.
Yours etc., Badan Barman, Jalukbari, Guwahati.
Credit to: Badan
Barman, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 19th June, 2015, Page.
6
AJYCP Memo on NCB Hall
Guwahati, June 18 – The city committee
of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) today submitted a memorandum to Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority
(GMDA) chairman Dhiren Barua opposing any move to ‘re-build’
the existing Assam type building
of the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi (NCB) Hall
and Library.
In their memorandum, the AJYCP said that
national sentiment and esteem of the Assamese people are connected with this
century-old building of the NCB Hall and Library.
The GMDA should consult the leading
citizens, senior citizens and organisations etc. committed to the society for
arriving at any decision on this historic building, said the AJYCP in its memorandum
to the GMDA chairman.
Credit to: Staff
Reporter, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 19th June, 2015,
Page. 7
Nabin Bordoloi Hall
Sir, – From the last few days, the news
that the GMDA was planning to demolish the original Nabin Bordoloi Hall and
Library building so as to replace it with a double-storey structure has been making
the rounds in the columns of your newspaper. I wonder, how the GMDA authorities
had thought of this. Can anybody think of the historic Sabarmati Ashram and other
heritage buildings of our country being demolished and replaced with new
structures? It is good to see the GMDA retracting on its earlier bid to
demolish the building. We all must make efforts to conserve and preserve it for
the tourists and for the generations to come. Yours etc., Animesh Borkotoky,
Dibrugarh.
Credit to: Animesh
Borkotoky, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 20th June, 2015,
Page. 6
Kudos to AT
Sir, – We appreciate both the print and
electronic media, especially The Assam Tribune, for its role creating a public opinion
against the demolition bid of the century-old heritage building Nabin Chandra
Bardoloi Hall and Library. In the face of public reaction, the GMDA ultimately
revised its stand on the demolition of the historic Assam-type building. We appreciate
the revised decision of the GMDA keeping in mind the sentiments of various
individuals and organizations. Here, one recalls the speech delivered by the
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in Guwahati in connection with the inauguration
of the platinum jubilee celebrations of The Assam Tribune. In his speech, he
requested the media to refrain from yellow journalism and also asked the media
to carry the positive message to the society like carrying honey by the
honeybees instead of leaving dirt as is done by the flies.
Further, we request the GMDA to consider
making a beautiful garden in the open space on the northern side of the Hall
with proper modern lighting with sitting and walking arrangements so that the
senior citizens of Guwahati city can utilize the same. Yours etc.,
Credit to: Pradip
Kakati, The Assam Tribune, Guwahati Edition, 27th June, 2015, Page. 6
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