The Hindu Business Line : Protecting heritage

A GREEN RAILING: The Raj Bhawan in Kolkata has got a new, tall, elegant iron railing which, according to reliable sources, has been designed by the Governor of West Bengal, Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi, himself. As the picture shows, care has been taken not to harm the many trees in the grounds of the Raj Bhawan which, over the years, have spread their branches in gay abandon, providing a veritable canopy above the pavement surrounding the Governor's palatial residence. The trunks and branches of these trees have been left untouched, gaps being left in the railing to account for their majestic protruding shapes and forms. The railing is still not complete with a large part of it yet to be painted a soothing green which merges gently with the background foliage. The railing will no doubt perform its security functions without upsetting the aesthetics of the Governor's residence and its compound which, curiously, throughout the 19th century, was bereft of any foliage whatsoever - except for the gardens to the south and west of it - because of security considerations.