LAHORE: In a conversation at a Lahore Literary Festival session titled, ‘An Illustrated Tour of Lutyens’ Delhi’, with art historian F S Aijazuddin, Indian interior designer and architectural restorer Sunita Kohli highlighted the role of architect Edwin Lutyens in shaping up the architecture of Delhi and its government buildings.

Sunita Kohli, who has a huge [architectural] contribution to Delhi and its mainstream government buildings, said Delhi saw a great architect in the shape of Lutyens. Kohli has restored and decorated Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House and the Prime Minister Office. She was awarded Padma Shri by the Indian government in 1992.

She said: “The greatness of a civilisation is expressed through its architecture.”

She talked about the architectural activity which was taking place in Calcutta, Madras, Karachi and Bombay. In Madras, the architecture was indigenous. She said the story of the city [Delhi] started from Delhi Darbar and how it was proposed that the capital should be moved from Calcutta to Delhi.

She than talked about Lutyens in detail, who was an English architect of great stature because of his wisdom; however he had no formal training. Edwin Lutyens was known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era.

Ms Kohli said Lutyens incorporated many elements in the architecture of the buildings he made, adding he had a complete originality of mind. He also took inspiration from Mughal and in certain cases from European architecture.

She gave a presentation on Delhi’s construction and Lutyens’ contribution to it.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021