British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and his Madras connection

While I welcome Rajaji’s statue being installed at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the removal of Sir Edwin Lutyens’ bust from the premises is deplorable. Yes, he was undoubtedly racist. But there is no doubt that he was a brilliant architect who gave our capital city character. It was to be the last architectural stamp on that historic city, second only to that of the Mughals, who are persona non grata anyway. And let us not forget that the Rashtrapati Bhavan that he designed is still a national symbol that we love to flaunt.

But be that as it may, it was Lutyens’ connections to Madras that I thought of while I read the news item. Of course, it is well known that the memorial plaque that he designed for members killed in the First World War still is mounted on a wall at the Madras Club. And an elegant piece of marble it is. While the design was his, the execution was by J. Fenn & Co. of Madras. Lutyens stayed at the Club during his visit to study the architecture of the British Raj but the Club was then at Club House Road off Mount Road. And when it shifted premises, it made sure it took his plaque along, endowing it with a crack running across in the process.