Near the Marina Beach is the Indo-Saracenic Madras University, one of the oldest universities (1857) in India. Amongst the numerous red-brick buildings all jumbled together here is one that stands out for its stateliness and beauty. It is known as The Senate House. Designed by Robert Chisholm, it is a mixture of Byzantine and Saracenic styles. Recent restoration has paid off; one can marvel at the high ceiling, chiseled granite pillars, pointed archways, and beautiful stained glass windows. Tracery on large rounded windows reminded me of an Islamic rose window. I snapped this first photo before finding out that photography was not allowed. A man in the office told me that permission was not possible, but that I was free to take photos of the building off grounds. From just beyond the iron fence around the periphery, I took the second photo and many others. With my zoom lens, I was able to capture the decorative domes which reminded me a bit of Moorish architecture.
I still hope that I can somehow get permission to take photos of this impressive building, up close and taking the needed time. I'm not quite sure what the big deal is for prohibiting photography, but I do know that this building deserves to be shared and seen by the public.
No comments:
Post a Comment