Rajaji Hall (Banqueting Hall) of Chennai: An important heritage structure built by the English Company

Navrang India August 18, 2025

The Banqueting Hall, 1905. en.wikipedia.org


Lord Edward Clive WordPress.com

Rajaji, Eminent lawyer of TN, First Gov.Gen.of India the myLaw.net blog

Tamil Nadu, S.India Webdunia

Rajaji Hall  (Banqueting Hall) was built in the form of a Greek temple and it is believed to have been modeled after the Parthenon in Athens.   Hence,  it looks like a Greek temple as mentioned before.  Goldingham, preferred this building built this way, a bit different from other structures.  He had begun his career in Madras in 1786,  and was a  good friend of Edward Clive and it was natural that Goldingham  had been entrusted with the project in 1800. The basement is made of arched cellars and store rooms surrounded by a colonnaded terrace. The exterior of the hall was built in the 16th-century Italian Manneristic style. This historical building saw extensive expansions and additions after 1875. An arcaded  verandah was built in 1895. An interesting fact that emerges is that the building was commissioned under the British company's  rule and massive extensions and additions were made after the British government, London  took direct control of India. The extensions included  widening of the access to the hall through a fine flight of steps, open terraces enclosed by rows of arches linked by columns and low walls. The total cost of the building then was Rs. 250,000.00. It is said it was built to commemorate the British victory over formidable Tipu Sultan  of Mysore in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War of  May 1799. It took just two years to complete the building that was commissioned by Gov. Edward Clive.  The gala opening was done on 7 October 1802 with a grand inaugural ball worthy of governor's official status. Earlier,   Governor Thomas  Saunders  acquired land and built a mansion that later came to be called   Government Estate near Round Tana. In its place now stands the huge new State Assembly complex. Rajaji Hall is an extension of the office of administration.

Rajaji  Hall, Chennai cpreecenvis.nic.in

 The dimension of the building is 120 feet long, 65 feet wide and 40 feet high and is enclosed by a gallery which is adorned  with portraits of popular Anglo-Indian leaders and eminent  administrators including Edward Clive, Richard Wellesley,  Sir Thomas Munro and others. Also on display are British monarchs George III and Queen Charlotte. The southern end has an 
access to the Government House by an array of steps resembling 'neo-classical temple' for hero worship" The Banqueting Hall from 1857  witnessed  convocations of the University of Madras till 1879 when the Senate House was built. A historical event took place  during  27 January  1938 - 26 October  1939 when the legislature of the Madras Presidency met here. 

The north gates of the Government Estate has direct access to what was once an impressive sweeping driveway taking us to Banqueting Hall and  past to the Government House. The silver-painted iron gates had on either side the shelters for the Governor’s mounted bodyguard. They formed  the most colorful and regal  body of troops  whose ‘Changing of the Guard’  and the excitement filled the air in the by-gone era  and  it was almost on par with that of what still takes place at Buckingham Palace in London. The place looks void now, no extravaganza, no change of guard and no din and only a gloom prevails. That historical edifice was unfortunately replaced by a new Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly - Secretariat Complex built  between 2008 and 2010. Media reported that the new massive building caused considerable damage to  the hall's foundations. The Rajaji Hall needs to be repaired and restored back to old glory that would have silently watched various important colonial meetings, social gatherings, and grand balls. The state government regardless of its other urgent commitments, should take serious steps to preserve this heritage site, steeped in colonial history.

Only after India's independence,  the famous historic hall was renamed as "Rajaji Hall" in honor of lawyer C. Rajagopalachari (native of Salem,TN), a  great patriot (who led the Vedaranyam Salt March in April1930) and first and last Governor General of India.

Tit-Bits:

01. Incidentally,  Rajaji  Hall is featured in innumerable famous Tamil films, depicting demonstrations by the people, government functions, marches, etc., when the core of the story is about a hero and how he is tackling the corrupt politicians and their coterie of henchmen and sordid party men.

Ex CM, Tamil Nadu (dec.2016) lying in stateThe News Minute

02. The mortal remains of important political leaders lay in state in Rajaji Hall before their funeral. When our former CM Honorable Ms. Jayalalitha died recently  6 December 1916, her body lay in state in the Rajaji Hall for public viewing before the final funeral.

Rajaji Hall.ex CM M.G.R. 's death.Ms. Jayalalitha behindMy photography

03. The body of Ex CM, Tamil Nadu MGR  lay in state at the Rajaji Hall in Madras on December 24, 1987. In the image above you can see Ms. Jayalalitha, the  future CM of TN.

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