The architect of Nehru’s Shanti Van

DURING his 1949 visit to the US, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru met a young man in New York, Rana Man Singh. Rana was then learning the ropes from a great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Nehru urged him to return to India and contribute to the building of a new India. The idea resonated with Rana, and he returned to Delhi in 1951. One day, he met Nehru at Teen Murti House. The PM recognised him immediately and said he would soon be put to work. A few days later, he joined the Central Public Works Department.

Rana landscaped Nehru’s memorial, Shanti Van, and also designed several landmark buildings — Bal Bhavan (1953), Buddha Jayanti Park (1956), the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML, 1964) and the Nehru Planetarium (1980).

Today (May 27), people will visit Shanti Van to pay tributes to Nehru on his death anniversary. Upon entering the premises, the incessant din of Mahatma Gandhi Road fades away. The atmosphere is profoundly calm. In the morning, as the first rays of the sun touch the greenery spread along the banks of the Yamuna, Shanti Van appears even more enchanting. The chirping of birds, the gentle breeze and the sound of the flowing Yamuna transform this place into a meditative sanctuary. Nehru’s samadhi is a simple black stone platform.

Rana got neem and peepal trees planted there, reflecting Nehru’s love for Indian culture and environmental conservation. Shanti Van’s greenery and open spaces not only showcase aesthetic beauty but also symbolise Nehru’s principles of peace and non-alignment.

The buildings and spaces designed by Rana stand out for their vibrancy in his work; being an artist at heart, his creations inherently possess an artistic touch. Rana was entrusted with designing the NMML in the Teen Murti complex. His primary task was to design the library, seminar rooms and an auditorium. Since Teen Murti itself was the work of British architect Robert Tor Russell (who also designed Safdarjung Airport, Connaught Place, Western Court and Eastern Court), Rana had to prove his mettle. He knew his work would be compared to Russell’s — a significant challenge. Rana did not disappoint. He designed the NMML in such a way that visitors to the library and other parts of the building would always have a view of the beautiful gardens.

Rana constantly sought to create something original. His work bore no overt influence from others. He chose wooden flooring for the NMML. Sixty years ago, few architects would have dared to think of wooden flooring in such a building.

Rana passed away in 2012. Nehru’s death anniversary is an apt occasion to remember one of his favourite architects.

Musings