 The Bombay High Court is one of the most ‘striking ornaments’ of Mumbai. The majestic building stands tall and fully functional, despite its existence of over 125 years. It is an architectural delight that has withstood the test of time quite well.
Though south Mumbai is dotted with several buildings that belong to the same era as The Bombay High Court, the building stands out due to its excellent planning that kept functionality as its main objective. It is the most prominent feature on the city’s skyline when seen from the Oval Maidan.
The Bombay High Court belongs to the ‘Neo-Gothic’ architecture wave that had swept over the United Kingdom as well as Europe and North America in the nineteenth century. The style was a metamorphosis from the eighteenth century ‘Gothic Revival’ form. The century saw Neo-Gothic architecture replacing the much prevalent classical styles in Europe and the cascading effect in India.
The court was designed by General John Augustus Fuller of the Royal Engineers in 1870 while he was on a furlough in London. General Fuller’s name is associated with David Sassoon Library and Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital. In his design of the high court, General Fuller incorporated elements from the designs earlier submitted by Trubshawe, Paris and Molecey. Construction of the ‘muscular’ building commenced in 1871 and got completed in 1878. The Bombay High Court was finally inaugurated and had its first session in January 1879.
The building is a reflection of the Victorian tendency to accumulate stylistic precedents which is evident in each and every element that was so painstakingly designed. The high court is spread along the length of 562 feet and is 174 feet tall. The six storied building is surrounded by arcaded corridors and has a centrally placed top-lit staircase. The west facing entrance with a beautiful porte-cochere leads to this principal staircase that is now exclusively used by judges. There are several subsidiary staircases at various places in the building that enable vertical movement without the need to return to the center. All the staircases are capped with conical roofs and the two central roofs have symbolic sculptures of 'justice' and 'mercy' standing on top of them. Amongst the most impacting elements of the building is the steeply sloped roof of central tower, which has a series of dormer windows penetrating it and also the group of four cupola forms at its corners. The spacious Venetian balcony, leading off from the third floor library gives form and body to the central structure and helps the building get its unique look and feel.
Several courtrooms are housed in the large facility building but the best courtrooms are located on the fourth and fifth floors of the central tower. The flooring in the courtrooms is of paved mosaic, and teakwood has been used to line the public gallery, thus adding elegance and class to the interiors.
The Bombay High Court is today one of the premiere high courts in the country which has Appellate Jurisdiction over the states of Maharashtra and Goa and Union territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It also has benches at Aurangabad, Nagpur and Panaji (Goa).
Ruchika Batra
Address
The Bombay High Court, Bhaurao Patel Marg, Fort, Mumbai – 400 032
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