Lord Ripon. Viceroy of British India a long long time ago. A man who believed in self- governance. And who has lent his name to the building that houses the Corporation of Chennai – the oldest civic body (founded in 1688 AD) of the Common Wealth nations outside Britain.
Well here is a glimpse of the Ripon building, commissioned in 1913, currently in a state of disrepair due to the restoration works being carried out on it under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. I’ve also included 3 photographs of the building taken a few years ago – in the hope that someday in the near future, it would be restored back to it original glory…Enjoy!
100 years on..
Courts..
“Nalvaravu” (welcome)…at the grand staircase
Light through time…
Under the stairs..
View to the skies..
Under renovation…The clock tower
A bit of Madras roofing details used in the building..
Windows opening onto the courts..
Collonades, arches & courtyards..
Verandas and walkways..
In the light of the setting sun..
A grainy picture in the twilight as the building stands today..
Last glimpse before the darkness sets in..
A reminder of how the building was..a couple of years ago…
The clock tower of old.
Imposing white facades…..
Wow, looks regal! I’ve been going around my own country (Singapore) visiting historically-important places and buildings, most of them built while the country was still under British colonial rule. Until I saw this post, it never really occured to me that there are other countries with similar bits of old British architecture lying around, often in important city centres.
I look forward to hearing of the completion of the restoration works!
Thank you! Keep checking back! I will update this as soon as restoration works are over
It was a magnificent structure… Hope the reconstruction does justice to it…
Hope so too! Fingers crossed!
mmm… i can literally smell chennai in its walls!
True!