One of Bengaluru’s most recognisable landmarks was built in just four years in the 1950s, with around 5,000 prisoners forming a major part of the workforce that constructed it. Construction of Vidhana Soudha began in 1952, after its foundation stone was laid by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on July 13, 1951. The massive building was completed in 1956 and became the seat of Karnataka’s legislature.
5,000 prisoners formed the workforce
At least 5,000 unskilled labourers employed on the project were convicts from Bengaluru Central Prison. They worked alongside another 1,500 people, including chisellers, masons and wood carvers. Together, about 6,500 workers were involved in constructing the building, which was being created on a scale rarely seen in Bengaluru at the time. The use of prisoners was one of the unusual aspects of the project. They were employed as the building took shape over four years, working alongside skilled craftsmen who handled specialised jobs. Prisoners were given freedom after the completion of Vidhana Soudha.The building was closely associated with Kengal Hanumanthaiah, who became chief minister of the then Mysore State in 1952. Hanumanthaiah wanted the new legislature building to have an unmistakably Indian character. At the time, Bengaluru had several prominent buildings reflecting European architectural influences, and he wanted the new structure to be different. The idea gained momentum after Hanumanthaiah took a Russian cultural delegation around the city. Members of the delegation questioned why Bengaluru had so many European-style buildings and asked whether the city had no architecture of its own. Hanumanthaiah used the experience to develop his vision for Vidhana Soudha.
A mix of architectural styles
The design was prepared by government architect and chief engineer BR Manickam. It brought together elements of Dravidian and Rajasthani architecture and eventually became associated with the Neo-Dravidian style. The building was constructed largely with stone and featured a large central dome. It stretched about 700 feet in length and 350 feet in width, while the dome rose around 150 feet from floor level. The structure was designed to house both the legislature and the secretariat. Its grand scale was deliberate. Vidhana Soudha was meant to be more than an administrative building — it was also intended to represent the political changes that followed Independence.
A symbol of elected government
Hanumanthaiah wanted Vidhana Soudha to symbolise the transfer of power from the Mysore Palace to an elected legislature. Its location also gave it a distinctive political setting. The building stands opposite Attara Kacheri, the seat of the Karnataka High Court.The legislature and judiciary therefore face each other across the road, an arrangement that has become one of the most recognisable features of the area.
Four years to build a landmark
Despite the size of the project, construction was completed in 1956, about four years after work began. The finished building had 172 rooms and became one of Bengaluru’s defining landmarks. Its scale, architecture and prominent location made it instantly recognisable in the city. But behind the imposing structure was an enormous workforce, including thousands of prisoners who had been brought in as unskilled labourers. More than seven decades later, Vidhana Soudha continues to house Karnataka’s legislature. The building remains a prominent reminder of the ambitious construction projects undertaken in the early years after Independence — and of the thousands of workers who helped turn that vision into reality.
