- Hindu Gymkhana
The Hindu Gymkhana, was the first public building in Karachi to boldly adopt the Mughal-Revival style. The building established in 1925, Its located at Sarwar Shaheed Road in
Karachi ,Sindh ,Pakistan ."The Hindu Gymkhana" was a club for the Hindu upper classes who formed a strong commercial elite in Karachi in the years before Independence in 1947. The Hindu community and "Seth Ramgopal Gourdhanandh Mohatta" contributed money for its construction.
Building structure
The building is designed by the first-known Muslim architect "Agha Ahmed Hussain". The plan and massing was based on the tomb of Itamad-ud-Daulah (1628) in
Agra . The building is small in size and consists primarily of a hall and some smaller rooms used for administrative purposes. Stone for the two-foot thick walls was acquired inBijapur . The roof line is defined by delicate massing of cupolas and balustrades directly influenced byAkbar 'sFatehpur Sikri . The octagonal corner towers framing the projecting central "jharoka" are capped with "chattris". Smaller chattris highlight the corners of the projecting porch that carry the drooping "bangladar" roof used in Emperor Akbar's period. The projecting "chajjas" are supported by ornamental brackets. The cupolas of the "chattris" are reinforced concrete and the walls are dressed in "Gizri stone". Some of the carved elements are of "Jodhpur stone".The building's condition has deteriorated over the years and was going to be demolished in 1984. This was prevented by an intervention by the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan. Hindu Gymkhana now houses the
National Academy of Performing Arts .ee also
*
National Academy of Performing Arts References
* Nuha Ansari. 1997. Karachi: Edge of Empire. Karachi: Ferozsons (Pvt) Ltd.,71.
* Yasmeen Lari and Mihail S. Lari. 1996. The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj. Karachi: Oxford University Press, 328-9.External links
* [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=24.8523336&lon=67.0214403&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2 Location Hindu Gymkhana - Wikimapia]
* [http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=6985 The Hindu Gymkhana - Archnet.org]
* [http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/02/nat25.htm President envisions Pakistan's soft image - Art academy inaugurated - DAWN.com]
* [http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=107408 Hindu Gymkhana to be handed over to Hindu community - The News]
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