Bye bye Shastri Bhavan

As one ages, nostalgia takes a precedence over all other emotions. I felt deeply nostalgic when I came across a news item that almost six decades after it came into existence, the iconic Shastri Bhavan along with another iconic adjacent building Krishi Bhavan would be getting demolished to pave way for central vista redevelopment project. 

I have lots of childhood memories associated with Shastri Bhavan. My father, who worked in Ministry of Education headquartered in Shastri Bhavan, went there everyday for decades! The office special DTC bus originating from R K Puram would terminate at Krishi Bhavan and at the close of office, long queues of office goers would await their turn to get aboard one of the buses to go back home.

I remember having gone to my father’s office in Shastri Bhavan on 2-3 occasions. This would usually be around the Republic Day when the full dress rehearsal parade, days in advance of the final pageant on the 26th January on the adjoining Rajpath ( rechristened Vijaypath) was a big attraction and was followed by a short visit to my father’s office and the canteen that served delicacies at very cheap rates. The dimly lit corridors had doors on both the sides that opened into departmental offices as also the chambers of senior officials – under secretaries onwards. A senior officer, whom my father reported, welcomed me warmly and gave a chocolate, a rarity in those days of low salaries. Mango shake, kept stored in glass bottles inside an icebox at a shop in Krishi Bhavan was something I never got to drink again, despite being able to afford the best, would complete this detour. 

The news item says that the murals by Satish Gujral installed on the facade of Shastri Bhavan will be removed and relocated before the demolition. 

Passing through these magnificent buildings used to be quite often though after leaving Delhi, I have not been to that area in decades and am yet to see the new Parliament House. Rechristening of places, closure of famous places, demolition of iconic buildings all are symbolic of the change being the only constant and that we all must readily adapt to the changes happening around us. But nostalgia is an emotion that’s beyond one’s control and one has no option but to relive the memories!