Psychological study of different places

ARCHITECTURE, HUMAN BODY
AND PSYCHOLOGY
T D L
P R E S E N T A T I O N B Y N I S H A M A L I K [ 2 0 0 B D E S I A 0 0 6 ]

Table Of
Content
CELLULAR JAIL [Kaala paani]
01
QUTUB MINAR
02
ARCHITECTURE, HUMAN BODY AND PSYCHOLOGY
Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Island, India
Mehrauli, New Delhi, India
National Library Of India
03
Belvedere Estate in Alipore, Kolkata
HUGLI RIVER FRONT
04
West Bengal, India

CELLULAR JAIL [KAALA PAANI]
A colonial prison situated at the Atlanta point in Port Blair, Capita
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was used by the Britishers.
The jail surrounded by kaala paani (black waters) hides the darkest
secrets of torture, atrocities and hardships faced by the political
prisoners during the time of British Raj.
It is now a national memorial museum that is one of the most
visited tourist spots in Port Blair.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The Cellular jail was then used to capture the suspected British India supporters and members of the Indian Independence League.
The Revolt Of 1857 [Sepoy Muting]
The Britishers were using these
islands as prisons for such freedom
fighters, but the Cellular jail was built
between 1896 and 1906.
Many activists were executed, while two hundred of
them were sent here for life imprisonment
Independence Struggle
The start of Penal Settlement,
suggested by Charles James Lyall
They felt that the purpose for
sending the prisoners wasn’t getting
fulfilled & the transported prisoners
should be subjected to sessions of
harsh treatment.
Reason for Penal Stage -
Revolt of 1868
The prisoners tried to revolt and
hence 238 prisoners tried to escape
in March.
They were caught by April, 87 of
them were hanged.
In attempt of another resistance,
some prisoners went for hunger
strikes in May 1933
Suring this period the islands were
under the control of Subhas Chandra
Bose who hoisted the Indian flag on
these islands for the first time.
He announced the Azad Hind
Government and freed the territory
from the British rule. But the British
got the islands under their control
again on 7th October in 1945.
Empire of Japan Invasion 1942
Protest against the demolition
This is because the demolition was seen as a way of removing and erasing
the proof of evident black history of India’s struggle to freedom.
There was a hospital constructed in the premises of the Cellular jail in 1963
named as the Govind Ballabh Pant hospital.
After India got independence two wings of the cellular jail were demolished
but it was followed by a lot of protests from former prisoners and leaders.

Central Tower
CONSTRUCTION
The architecture of the jail is just as amazing and unique as its history.
The Basic Structure
The Seven wings with three floors each
The cental tower was used by the British
guards to keep an eye on the inmates.
The Whole Idea
Inspired by Jeremy Benthan's idea -
TThe design of the wings was in such a
wave that the front side of it faced the
back side of the adjacent wing to make
sure zero communication between the
prisoners.
The goal was to make every prisoner
experience solitary confinement.
The Cell Construction
No dormitories and a total of 696 cells in 7
wings which were triple floored
Each Cell Dimension - 4.5 x 2.7 m
With a Ventilator located at the height of 3 m
Life of prisoners
Subjected to forced labor
Flogging, chaining
Deprived of social contact
Denied proper clothing and nutrition
Subjected to inhumane conditions, often
leading to death.
The extreme punishments -
The original building was puce colored that is
dark red brown purple as the brick that were
brought from Burma were puce colored.

SIGNIFICANCE OF KAALA PAANI
'Kaale paani ki saza' was the phrase used for the act of putting the political activists in the cells. It was clear that even if they try to
escape they won't be able to do that because the island has water all around. As horrifying as it sounds because the prisoners faced
the kind of atrocities which shake us to the core.
The current scenario
Light and sound show [ which is conducted in the
premises itself.
It takes you back to the times when these empty cells
had prisoners residing in them and narrating the
incidents of our history.
The format includes the dialogues by inmates and
Britishers.
It is converted into a Museum and Memorial, a tourist
destination -
The main highlights of this place

WHY CELLULAR JAIL [KAALA PAANI] IS A SYMBOL OF DARK ARCHITECTURE
A symbol of the oppressive and dark
architecture that India has
witnessed throughout its history.
HISTORY
The constant violence that took
place, the gruesome details of what
happened there will always live in
our memories whenever we hear the
'Kaala Paani'
Freedom Fighters
The thought behind the construction
was to isolate and
psychologically torture them and
create a sense of paranoia that
someone is constantly on watch
when there was not one.
The punishments, illegal medical
procedures, psychological
torment that they went threw just
because they demanded freedom
independence.
Architecture
The jail was aptly called ‘Kala
Paani’ by the inmates due to the
oppressive atmosphere created by
its dimly lit hallways and cells.
The prison was also known for its extreme brutality and torture, making it a symbol of dark architecture in India.

QUTUB MINAR COMPLEX
Layers of cultural, religious, and political history converge in the
Qutub archaeological complex .
In its beautiful gateways, tombs, lofty screens, and pillared
colonnades is a record of a centuries-long history of artistic
vision, building techniques, and patronage.
At the heart of the Qutub complex is a twelfth century mosque
— an early example in the rich history of Indo-Islamic art and
architecture.

The current scenario
“Delhi Sultanate” is a collective term that refers to
the Turko-Islamic dynasties that ruled, one after
the other, from Delhi
The iron pillar
Qutub Minar
The tomb of Iltutmish
The Alai Darwaza
And the Alai minar
In addition to the mosque, Qutub complex of
monuments:
It is located within the citadel of Qal'a-e-Rai Pithora (Qila Rai Pithora) where Qutub Ud-Din also
set up his administrative quarters and residence. Also known as Quwwat Ul Islam, meaning the
'might of Islam', the Qutub complex was created with the dismantling and reassembling of
the 27 existing Hindu and Jain temples on the site.
The Qutub complex was built by Qutub Ud-Din Aybak (reg. 1206 - 1211) who established the first
Islamic sultanate in the Indian subcontinent in Delhi in 1192.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND Parts of complex - HIGHLY EXPLORED
Qutub Minar
QUTUB AL - DIN AIBAK (1192-1206 C.E.)
1
The Qutub Minar, the impressive 238-foot-tall minaret (tower) of red and light sandstone for his Ghurid overlord.
Its balconies are decorated
with muqarna style (three-
dimensional honeycomb
forms) corbels that allow us
to imagine the expansive
views of Delhi from each of
its five stories.
Built in 1192 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
The Minar is decorated with
bands of calligraphy that are
both historic (referencing
Muhammad Ghuri) and
religious.
There are 379 stairs inside the tower,
which lead to the top.
The Diameter is 14.32 m at the base and
2,75 m on the top.

Quwwat-Ul-Islam Masjid
2
Pillars, ceilings and stones from
multiple older Hindu and Jain temples
were reused in the construction of
the colonnades surrounding the
mosque’s open courtyard and in the
prayer hall.
Since the desired height for the
colonnade did not match the height
of older temple pillars, two or three
pillars were stacked, one on top of
the other, to reach the required
elevation.
Indian temple pillars are often adorned with anthropomorphic
figures of deities and divine beings, mythical zoomorphic, and
apotropaic motifs, as well as decorative bands of flowers.
A belief by the builders of this mosque in a proscription against
the portrayal of living beings is evident in the removal of the
faces carved in the older stonework.
Other decorative motifs were left untouched, likely for their
apotropaic and ornamental qualities.

Art historian Finbarr Flood has examined the complex
motivations behind the re-use of stone at the Qutub
mosque within a broad socio-political framework and has
asked questions that go beyond the generally held view
of religious iconoclasm (destruction of images).
The probable use of spoliated (repurposed) stones from
temples associated with the polities that were conquered
by the Ghurid army (hence suggesting a political rather
than religious motive)
In 1198 Aibak commissioned a monumental sandstone screen with
five pointed arches that was built between the courtyard and the
prayer hall.
The screen was constructed with corbeled arches and is
emphatically decorative with bands of calligraphy, arabesques,
and other motifs, including flowers and stems that pop over,
under, and through the stylized letters.
The prayer hall west of the screen has lost most of its
components and the original mihrab (the niche that marks the
direction of Mecca) no longer survives.

Iron Pillar
ILTUTMISH (1211-1236 C.E.)
3
The Iron Pillar dates back to the 4th century BC.
It bears inscriptions that dedicate it
as a flagstaff to honor the Hindu god
Vishnu and in memory of Gupta King
Chandragupta II (375-41 AD).
The pillar is a symbol of the progress
of metallurgy in ancient India.
It is made of 98 percent wrought iron
and has survived 1600 years without
rusting.
It is said to have been brought to Delhi
by the Tomar King Anangpal, somewhere
in the 11th century from Udaygiri. There
are no other relics from the same period
in this site.
The Pillar was
cast in its
present from not
forged.
Length - 7.2 m
of which 93 cm
is underground.
Diameter - 0.41
m
Garuda idol at
the top

Iltutmish’s tomb
ILTUTMISH (1211-1236 C.E.)
4
Constructed from new stone (that is, not
spolia), this square tomb is relatively simple in
its exterior decorative program, but its interior
stuns with its overwhelming ornament.
Tall pointed arches frame arched doorways
and niches, and calligraphic inscriptions from
the Quran, floral ornament, arabesques, and
geometric patterns adorn the walls.
Although it has been suggested that the tomb is missing
its dome, its absence may have been intentional, allowing
light to bathe the marble grave marker.
Like the ornament that surrounds the tomb’s interior, this
light directs our focus to the center of the monument,
below which lies Iltutmish’s burial chamber.
The Qutb mosque and screen, Iltutmish’s tomb was built in
the post and lintel fashion and its arches were corbeled.
In contrast, less than a hundred years later, arches in Ala
al-Din Khalji’s monuments were constructed with a
keystone at its summit.

Alai Darwaza
ALA - DIN KHALJI (1296-1316 C.E.)
5
The Iron Pillar dates back to the 4th century BC.
Like Iltutmish’s tomb, the gateway is built from new stone.
The tall red base, the alternation of white marble and red
sandstone ornament, and the latticed windows lend
substantial grandeur to the gateway.
The arches in the Alai Darwaza are in the form of horseshoe arches (literally an arch in the form
of a horseshoe); the same form is used to also ornament the squinches, i.e., the transition (at the
corners of the structure) from the square base to the octagonal ceiling that helps receive the
dome.
The dome rests on the arches and squinches, in the fashion commonly found in
contemporaneous Islamic architecture outside of India.
The use of Indic style architectural ornament (flowers, lotus buds, and bells), for example,
remained an emphatic part of the sculptural vocabulary of Sultanate architecture.

Alai Minar
ALA - DIN KHALJI (1296-1316 C.E.)
6
Ala al-Din also began construction of a minar that would
have been considerably taller than the Qutb Minar, had it
been completed—the unfinished base rises 80 feet in height.
All that was built is the rubble core of the structure; the
minar would have eventually been faced with stone,
perhaps in a fashion and with adornment similar to that of
the Qutb Minar.
The Qutub Complex today
The Qutub complex of monuments is now a popular tourist destination, a transformation
that can be traced back to the nineteenth century when the grounds were redesigned to
appeal to English colonial visitors.
The monuments were surrounded by neatly manicured lawns, roads were diverted for the
exclusive use of visitors, and enclosures were built to fashion a tranquil setting. Although
the Qutub complex has been changed throughout its history, the vision of its original
builders remains plainly transparent.

CONCEPT AND IDEA
Known to be a 5-level structure was built by various rulers. Before delving deeper into details of the magnificent creation.
Muhammad Ghuri
The mosque is believed to
have been built quickly as a
matter of necessity—not
only would the Ghurid
forces have needed a
place to pray, but a
mosque was crucial for the
proclamation of the name
of the ruler during the
weekly congregational
prayer.
Qutb-Ud-din Aibak Shams-Ud-din Iltutmish
The Qutub Minar was
initially authorised by
Qutb-Ud-din Aibak,
the originator of the
Delhi Sultanate.
He was unable to
construct the
monument beyond 1st
level, even then the
minaret was known
after him.
In the year 1230, He also
added 3 more levels to
the formation who was
the successor of Qutb-
Ud-din.
Then in the year 1368, the
topmost level also faced
a lot of damage
because of some
defects in the lighting of
the structure.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq & Sher Shah Suri
Firoz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt
the entire level with a bit of
modification - he added 2
more floors to the formation
which were the 5th and the
final level.
Sher Shah Suri did the
construction of the entrance
of the monument.

CONCEPT AND IDEA
He decided to restructure the monument in the year 1828. An addition of a pillared cupola to sit on the 5th
floor contributed to the 6th floor of the memorial.
The 6th and the final level was demolished by Henry Hardinge (Governor-General of the country) and was then
placed adjacent to the minar.
After a period of 300 years, in the year 1803, the monument again faced some damages in the structure due to the earthquake
Robert Smith
The 6th and the final level was demolished by him and were then placed adjacent to the minar.
a major from the British Indian Army
Tragic event in 1981
That took the lives of 47 people leading to the restriction of entry to the monument.
The incident occurred after a power failure, rendering it dark. Rumours abounded that the tower was falling.
Forty-five people. mostly schoolchildren, died when panicked sightseers stamped down the narrow staircase of the
Qutub Minar
Henry Hardinge

KEY ELEMENTS & EXPERIENCE
The golden ratio and its significance in architecture
The golden ratio is a mathematical concept that has
fascinated architects and artists for centuries.
It is a ratio of approximately 1:1.618, and it appears in
nature, art, and architecture.
The golden ratio has been used in architecture since
ancient times and is believed to create a sense of
harmony and balance in a building's design.
How the golden ratio affects the brain
Studies have shown that the golden ratio can have a profound effect on
the brain.
This activation releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with
pleasure and reward. The activation of the reward center leads to a sense
of pleasure and satisfaction, which can enhance our experience of the
structure.
Additionally, the golden ratio has been found to create a sense of balance
and symmetry, which can reduce stress and anxiety.

KEY ELEMENTS & EXPERIENCE
Neuroscientific principles behind Qutub Minar's design
For example, the tower's height is proportional to its base
diameter, which creates a sense of balance and
symmetry.
The tower's intricate carvings and calligraphy also create
a sense of visual complexity, which can stimulate the
brain and enhance our experience of the structure.
Additionally, the tower's spiral staircase creates a sense
of anticipation and discovery as we climb to the top.
The Qutub Minar's design incorporates several neuroscientific
principles that enhance our experience of the structure.
The impact of Qutub Minar's design on visitors
The tower and begin to climb the staircase, they experience a
range of emotions and sensations, from excitement to
anticipation.
The top of the tower, they are rewarded with a breathtaking
view of Delhi, which can enhance the sense of pleasure and
satisfying experience.
The Qutub Minar's design has a profound impact on visitors. Many
people report feeling a sense of awe and wonder when they first
see the tower.

National Library of Kolkata
The National Library of Kolkata is the largest library in India by
volume and India's library of public records.
It is administered by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It
is located in Belvedere Estate in Alipore, Kolkata.
It is the largest in India, with a collection in excess of 2.2 million
books.

National Library was traditionally the house of the 'Lieutenant
Governor of Bengal'. The building that accommodates National
Library was initially constructed as a royal house.
Its design is based on Italian architectural style.
The present National Library is regarded as a symbol of imperial
power in India.
It was created on a majestic scale with high curved entryway,
extensive grasslands and decorative galleries.
Ranges of flowers and extensive stretches of green lushes.
The park of National Library is undeniably exceptional and one
of the most significant features of the park is that some of
Rabindranath Tagore's writings were based on the background
area.
National Library also comprises magnificent greeneries -
The building of national Library is a beautiful house designed with
distinctive English architectural style of 19th century.
The grand rooms of the library are based on woody floors and
typically used for the purpose of studying. The building of the
library has wide regal stairs with arched supports.

Dark History & Its Significance
Belvedere House was the former palace of the
Viceroy of India and later the Governor of
Bengal.
Located on Belvedere Road, the majestic
house was built across 30 acres by Mir Jafar,
the nawab of Bengal, in the 1760s. He later
presented the house to Warren Hastings, the
first governor-general of India.
The Duel -
The rivalry between Warner Hasting and Philip Francis started because of their affairs
with Marian Von Imhoff.
Because of this Hasting was furious and challenged Francis to a duel. Then, one
December night, pistols loaded, they faced each other on the western grounds of
what was then known as ‘Hastings House’.
Hastings appears to have been
quicker on the draw and Francis
slumped to the ground, shot in the
neck.
The governor-general even arranged
for a palki (palanquin) to take the
injured Francis to hospital.
Apparently, when the palanquin bearers reached the banks of the old Ganga (Adi
Ganga) on that full-moon night, they found the tide was high.
It’s possible that Francis bled to death inside the palanquin.

The Secret Vault -
In 2010, archaeologists discovered a hidden chamber with
no visible entrance, within the 250-year-old National
Library building in Kolkata.
It was discovered during restoration work undertaken by
the Archaeological Survey of India.
“Only a walled-up arch could be seen from the outside. It was
speculated that a tunnel led from this heritage building to Fort William,
about 3 km away,” says Sanjay Maiti, assistant library and information
officer (preservation).
When no such tunnel was found, there was speculation that it was a
secret chamber, a torture chamber; perhaps it was a secret treasure
vault put there by the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Jafar.
Who built the original structure as a mansion named Belvedere Estate,
in the late 1700s.
As it turned out, the “mystery room” had a very dull backstory.
It was a mud-filled block, possibly added by architects to strengthen
the building and its foundation in later years, when one of its extensions
was being built.

Hooghly Riverfront
he Hooghly weaves through the Indian state of West Bengal from
the Ganges, its parent river, to the sea. At just 460 kilometres
(approximately 286 miles), its length is modest in comparison with
great Asian rivers like the Yangtze in China or the Ganges itself.
Nevertheless, throughout history, the Hooghly has been a waterway
of tremendous sacred and secular significance.
Ghats on the eastern bank of River Bhagirathi-Hooghly form
significant punctuations throughout the Kolkata riverfront and had
been a symbolic expression of people's response to the river from
time to time.
River Bridges
The GHATS punctuate the river edge
all along this stretch
Study area

The study area along both banks of River Hooghly in
KMA has a unique character owing to its evolutionary
history over centuries.
The area developed as an industrial and trading hub in
the late 16th century, as numerous settlements, or
colonies, were built by various European Imperial
powers along the banks of River Hooghly, namely,
Chandannagar (French Colony);m Serampore (Danish);
Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) (British).
Thus, historically, the Hooghly Riverfront has been
shaped by a palette of socio-economic influences
driven by a multitude of political strategies; resulting in
a cultural milieu nestled along the water edge. Since
then, this region has been the seat of urbanization.
This continued post-independence with the delineation
of the Calcutta Metropolitan Planning Organization
(CMPO), the present-day Kolkata Metropolitan
Development
Authority (KMDA); and the planned growth of this urban
agglomeration. In this context, the riverfront may be
seen as a lifeline of this region at a macro level.
At the micro-level, the riverfront is at times the only
urban-level public recreational area for these densely
packed habitations.
BANDEL GHAT
1
CHINSURAH GHAT
2
CHANDANNAGAR GHAT
3
River ghats
MULLICK GHAT
4

BANDEL GHAT
JUBILEE BRIDGE
HOOGHLY GHAT TO
BANDEL JUNCTION
BANDEL CHURCH
AEIRAL VIEW
The urban area of Bandel in Chinsurah Mogra blocks was established by Portuguese
settlers. It lies in the Chinsurah Sub-division of Hooghly District. It is one of the major
railway junctions in Eastern Railway and is 40 km from Howrah. In 1660, the
Portuguese built a church and monastery in Bandel. The area covered by this survey
is around “Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem”, meaning “Our Lady of the Good
Journey” (the church)
BANDEL GHAT
Chinsurah lies on the banks of the Hooghly River and is a part of KMDA. In 1865
Hooghly and Chinsurah were merged to form the municipality of Hooghly-
Chinsurah. The area has district headquarters and houses of the district court
building.
The area included in this survey is the Imambara area of Chinsurah, which makes
an important tourist attraction and point of historical importanc
JUBILEE BRIDGE
JAGANNATH GHAT
CHINSURAH GHAT
MAYURPANKHI GHAT

SACRED HEART CHURCH
RANI GHAT
Chandannagar is one of the three municipal corporations of KMDA and is located
around 35 km north of Kolkata.
The riverfront is comparatively much developed by the french settlements in the
surrounding area and has many tourist attraction points like Chandannagar Strand,
Patal Bari, Sacred Heart Church, etc. The area under this survey was the Chandannagar
riverfront/strand area, which is an active public recreational plaza.
CHANDANNAGAR GHAT
HOWRAH BRIDGE
FLOWER MARKET
MULLICK GHAT
Located right under the southeast end of the Howrah bridge, the market runs along the riverside.
It’s built as a small pavilion rather than any elaborate Doric pillared frontage. This is a major
bathing ghat and also where the devotees come to do ‘puja’ or to offer prayers at the local
shrines of Lord Shiva and of Lord Krishna. The ghat is a daily life water supply for thousands of
people.
The unconventional and treading the offbeat path.
MULLICK GHAT

DYING GHATS
A classical monument with a drum-shaped crown on top originally known as Sovaram
Bysack’s Ghat..
Jagannath Ghat: Due to the shift in Ganga’s course towards the West, the river had left behind a land now known
as Strand Road.
The present-day Nimtala ghat is the third ghat with the same name and stands at the conjuncture
of the Nimatullah Mosque and Anandamoyee Kali Temple.
Most people believe that the ghat has derived its name from the mosque built by Mohammed
Ramzan Ali for one of his ancestors named Niyamatullah. However, it is also believed that all these
places get their names from a Neem tree that stood there towering over Anandamoyee Kali
Temple, under which Charnock had sought shelter when he set foot on Bengal.
Way before the Howrah Bridge we know today was built in 1943, the two shores were connected
by a pontoon bridge which is considered its first incarnation.

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