THE BOMBAY HIGH COURT

            By Aashni Jhaveri

The Pyramids of Egypt, Leaning Tower of Pisa, London Bridge etc etc. We often remember these places for having wonderful architecture, but we selcome remember our country India – and its magnificent and beautiful architecture.

I would like to first start with the architecture of our own city Mumbai. I would like to tell you about a place which you must have visited often but never noticed its architecture. And yes, indeed, it is the Bombay High Court. The architecture is typical Gothic style with its magnificent arches and sculptures, and even the spiral staircase. This High Court was built by the British. The person who designed it was a British architect Col. J.A. Fuller. It was started in 1861 and completed in 1877.

It is a building made of stone with several Corinthian pillars, engraved and carved with leaves and animals. There are several sculptures which tell us a lot about the court. There is a sculpture of a fox who wears a tie and the cloak of a lawyer. This shows that lawyers are as cunning as a fox, to solve the problems of the people. Another one is of a monkey with an unequal pair of scales of justice and mercy, and having one eye blindfolded, which showed that at that time, the British were very unfair to the Indians. There are many other sculptures like snakes and birds. It was also said that the arches were made so that direct sunlight could come through. Everything here is so magnificent – even the chair of the Chief Justice. This chair was carved in such a manner that the Chief Justice’s legs could barely reach the ground. Even after completing more than a hundred years, the High Court is still as it is.

So next time when you talk about architecture, please do remember your city and your country India’s architecture first, and then think about the others because EAST OR WEST, INDIAN ARCHITECTURE IS THE BEST !!!