Cement reliefs, striking central dome, mega mural: new guided tours at Bengaluru's Vidhana Soudha reveal these and more
Until recently, most visitors to the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the Karnataka legislature in Bengaluru, merely saw an edifice staring down imperiously at them with the weight of the years it has witnessed since Independence. Since June 1, however, the building and its premises have been opened to visitors by way of weekend guided tours overseen by the State Tourism Development Corporation.
Guests on the tour can expect to see and learn about various aspects of the Vidhana Soudha, some of which are not common knowledge or easily visible from the outside. The tour starts near a statue of Mahatma Gandhi located between the Vidhana Soudha and the Vikasa Soudha nearby. Moving on from here, one gets to see the foundation stone of the building, laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951.
While proceeding, guides shed light on the second chief minister of Mysore State, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, and his deep connection to the history of the building which was also influenced by prominent figures such as Sir M Visvesvaraya and German botanist G H Krumbiegel. Another interesting aspect throughout many parts of the building are cement reliefs – prominent on many ceiling sections – that depict natural motifs such as lotuses and pineapples, indicating purity and hospitality, to name a few.
The structure of the Vidhana Soudha is largely composed of granite from quarries at Magadi, as senior journalist Ravindra Reshme stated in a 2023 lecture. Interestingly, he also pointed out that the foundation stone-laying by Nehru seems to have been the only formal inauguration of the building.
Just within the foyer, not far from the banquet hall (visible through locked doors), is a detailed model of the Vidhana Soudha, carved in sandalwood. Originally intended to be sent to Parliament, it never made the trip. Other sights within the building itself are remarkable from an architectural perspective – such as the unsupported central dome of the building, which itself contains six smaller floors.
Visitors can also briefly take a look at the Assembly Hall from a viewing gallery above, with the seats of various MLAs and the Speaker clearly visible. This is one of the highlights of the tour. For security reasons, visitors will have to leave cameras and mobile phones with a guard outside until they finish viewing this section.
While walking past the 'corridors of power' in the building and the offices of various major politicians, one can also catch some remarkable sights, such as a view into the Vikasa Soudha which reveals one of the largest murals in Karnataka, or a peepal tree that overlooks a small temple that was there before the Vidhana Soudha was built. Moving around the exterior of the building, visitors can also get a clear look at various architectural influences in different parts of the structure, which the tour guides elaborate upon, alongside facts regarding several political figures of the state that one can see represented in statues around the gardens.
The tours are conducted every Sunday and on the second and fourth Saturday of the month in English and Kannada. Tickets, priced at Rs 50 each, can be booked via https://kstdc.co/activities/.
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