When the 75 year old internationally acclaimed Hyderabad born architect Charles Correa, completed his 38 minutes power point presentation to a select elitist audience comprising architects, students of architecture and the socialites of Goa, at the Hotel Mandovi auditorium, this evening, little did one realise that his soul stirring presentation would strike an emotive chord with Mr Shivanand Salgaocar, one of the two siblings, scions of late Vassudev Salgaocar --industrialist - at the "V M Salgaocar Memorial Lecture 2006 " when he himself admitted that he had understood "much of the depths of architecture in this moving presentation" made by Padma Vibhushan Mr Correa.
"The roots of Architecture " the topic of the presentation today reflected on the essence of architecture which was deep beyond the contemporary architecture per se. It begins probably with what India gave to the world- Aryabhata's numerical 0 or "shunia", and the concept of "mandala" viz significance of the nine planets rAHU kETU cHANDRA etc and SUN as the source of energy ---was the source of inspiration of much of Padma Vibhushan - Correa's creations. His architecture provides a blend with the local artisans, and material available in situ. There is so much of the way one understands architecture. In Goa for instance one may have to look beyond pre colonialisation era or colonial rule or post colonial rule to understand architecture. Be it the Sabarmati Ashram, in Gujarat, the Legislative Assembly in Bhopal Madhya Pradesh, the Kanchenjunga - at Peddar Road Mumbai or his own home in Bangalore (where he only holidays, the Navi Mumbai project , Jawaharlal Kala Kendra - where he got the inspiration from Maharaja Jai Singh of Rajashtan Jantar mantar, closer home the Kala Academy. There sure is a blend of man's harmony with nature and above all his works inspire a people friendly aura. But Mr Correa laughed at the thought of "Vaastu Shastra" as being dispensed today by its votaries. "You could only frighten a politician or a businessmen ---making him fear the loss of his money or position, but "Vaastu" is much deeper then mere changing positions of seating et al. One needs to purify the ground -- clean it of all the "past" cultivate two crops on the same soil and then go ahead with the construction. Earlier Mr Dattaraj Salgaocar introduced the Mr Correa, a momento was also presented to him and a book An Historical essay on the Konkani language -- Dr J H Cunha Riveira translated by Fr Theophilus Lobo was released and sold at the venue for Rs.50/- Ms Dipti Salgaocar offered bouquets to Mr Correa. Visit www.charlescorrea.net for more visuals on his creations. from the Mandovi Hotel GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa 9822158584 Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)
