Date:06/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/06/stories/2006120614780300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Conservationists in plea to retain Gokhale Hall's heritage

Sandhya Soman

Structure can be renovated `without destroying its character'

HALL OF FAME: The Gokhale Hall on Armenian Street. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: The Gokhale Hall was Annie Besant's work, the late C.P. Ramaswami Iyer said in 1964 at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Gokhale Hall building founded by Annie Besant in 1914 for the Young Men's Indian Association (YMIA).

With the sprawling building on Armenian Street facing the threat of demolition, conservationists and architects say the `Annie Besant' factor linked the building to India's freedom movement, and that makes it worth conserving.

"It is not an architectural wonder like the High Court building. But Annie Besant being the founder and its linkage to historical events, including her "Wake Up India" series of lectures, which were delivered from the Hall, gives the building a strong historical background," says P.T. Krishnan, convenor of Tamil Nadu chapter of INTACH.

Says honorary secretary G. Subramanian: "Gokhale Hall was the centre of political and cultural activity. However, from 1960s the centre shifted to Mylapore and T. Nagar, mainly because of lack of parking and poor condition of the hall. YMIA tried to do alterations twice in the last 30 years. By late 90s we noticed huge cracks."

Demolition and reconstruction, say organisers, will give them more space and bring back the crowds to 66, Armenian Street. It would also help them to providebetter facilities at the YMIA building.

However, Mr. Krishnan says there is always room for change without razing down the walls of the 92-year-old building and the hall that has come to outshine the parent organisation.

"Renovation can be done without destroying the building's heritage value, which is not based on physical factors. Heritage is a combination of historical, social, cultural and environment factors," he says.

However, the very intangible nature of some of the components that contributes to the heritage value of a building makes it a difficult job to assess old buildings. "Historical events are recorded. But how do you measure the cultural element?" asks Mr. Krishnan, referring to the period when Carnatic music revolved around Gokhale Hall and in turn led to the formation of the Tamil Isai movement.

The standalone clause in the Development Control Rules about the need to preserve historically and culturally important buildings, he says, is too vague to help resolve contentious issues.

But once the government passes an order making the draft heritage regulations lying with the CMDA a part of the DCR, then it would be easier to assess the intangible elements to determine whether a building is worth preserving or not. For Gokhale Hall, it could be worth the wait.