A new eclectic architectural style named “Indo-Saracenic” emerged in the later part of the nineteenth century after the 1857 uprising when the British Empire took over the reins of Indian governance from the East India Company. It incorporated a hybrid mix of European planning and traditional Indian facades adorning Mughal, Rajput, and Hindu elements. The British propagated the style as an official architectural style for public buildings to portray a connection with previous Mughal and Rajput rulers while also addressing public sentiment. This new style spread to various parts of India through the works of various European architects and engineers who were associated with or were supporters of Britain’s art and crafts movement of the nineteenth century. One of the leading art and crafts protagonists John Lockwood Kipling was selected to head the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore in 1874 who sought to revive the declining traditional arts and crafts of India by enrolling sons of Indian craftsmen in the art school. He stressed the need to include native people in the building process to capture the true essence of Indianness in art and architectural expression. Bhai Ram Singh was an exceptional craftsman who received training from his family of traditional artisans practicing carpentry. His formal art training at the Mayo School of Arts under the mentorship of Kipling transformed him from a carpenter to a designer and an architect. The British Empire awarded him many titles and accolades, including the Member of Victorian Order, acknowledging his extraordinary ability. The available literature mentions his works but does not highlight his contribution as the creator of those works. The existing literature does not acknowledge him despite his exemplary contributions to Indian art and architecture. The present study attempts to trace the journey of Bhai Ram Singh as he progressed from being an ordinary native carpenter to a skilled craftsman and, further, an artist, designer, and eventually a full-fledged academician and architect of very high repute. This paper investigates the diverse typologies in the works of Bhai Ram Singh spread over many states in undivided India, apart from the two interior design projects in Britain, during his forty-year-long illustrious career. The qualitative study uses various archival and literary sources from all over the world since the twentieth century. The outcome of the study shall help trace the design journey of the great son of India by establishing the timeline of his works, most of which are ignored and forgotten and need to be recognized for permanence and posterity and establish the linkage with sustainability.

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Tracing the Journey of Bhai Ram Singh in Indo-Saracenic Architectural Style

  • Ripu Daman Singh,
  • Nisar Khan,
  • Hina Zia

摘要

A new eclectic architectural style named “Indo-Saracenic” emerged in the later part of the nineteenth century after the 1857 uprising when the British Empire took over the reins of Indian governance from the East India Company. It incorporated a hybrid mix of European planning and traditional Indian facades adorning Mughal, Rajput, and Hindu elements. The British propagated the style as an official architectural style for public buildings to portray a connection with previous Mughal and Rajput rulers while also addressing public sentiment. This new style spread to various parts of India through the works of various European architects and engineers who were associated with or were supporters of Britain’s art and crafts movement of the nineteenth century. One of the leading art and crafts protagonists John Lockwood Kipling was selected to head the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore in 1874 who sought to revive the declining traditional arts and crafts of India by enrolling sons of Indian craftsmen in the art school. He stressed the need to include native people in the building process to capture the true essence of Indianness in art and architectural expression. Bhai Ram Singh was an exceptional craftsman who received training from his family of traditional artisans practicing carpentry. His formal art training at the Mayo School of Arts under the mentorship of Kipling transformed him from a carpenter to a designer and an architect. The British Empire awarded him many titles and accolades, including the Member of Victorian Order, acknowledging his extraordinary ability. The available literature mentions his works but does not highlight his contribution as the creator of those works. The existing literature does not acknowledge him despite his exemplary contributions to Indian art and architecture. The present study attempts to trace the journey of Bhai Ram Singh as he progressed from being an ordinary native carpenter to a skilled craftsman and, further, an artist, designer, and eventually a full-fledged academician and architect of very high repute. This paper investigates the diverse typologies in the works of Bhai Ram Singh spread over many states in undivided India, apart from the two interior design projects in Britain, during his forty-year-long illustrious career. The qualitative study uses various archival and literary sources from all over the world since the twentieth century. The outcome of the study shall help trace the design journey of the great son of India by establishing the timeline of his works, most of which are ignored and forgotten and need to be recognized for permanence and posterity and establish the linkage with sustainability.