The following text is extracted from the book The Madras High Court, a 150-year Journey from a Crown Court to a People’s Court by N.L. Rajah. Tara wrote the part we reproduce below, by way of an appreciation of the building’s architecture.
The exterior of the High Court is defined, at first glance, by the contrast of the stately red brickwork with the granite stone and components. Next, the impressive domes with their elaborate designs and multi coloured plaster work amaze the observer. On closer examination, as the details unfold, the artistry of each element can be seen, adding a sense of joy and wonder. Almost every element — be it the bulbous dome, the chajjas with brackets, the different types of arches, the stone balconies, the minarets, finials and pinnacles, the terracotta inlays, the intricate plaster designs – are all to be seen there. No part lies undecorated.
Arches
Of particular noteworthiness and one, along with the colonnaded exterior and domes that symbolises the building is the detail of the three storey arched openings. These are to be found at the important entrances in the centre of the facade. The width of the opening follows for a proportionate three storey height that culminates in a grand pointed arch on the outer face of the brick wall. A colonnade of decorative stone pillars and stone arches that are plain in the ground floor and scalloped in the first floor bridge that opening. Recessed into the walls are the first and second floors with defining stone parapets. The exterior arch starts its spring from the middle of the first floor from an extraordinary stonepillared bracket support. The arch itself is bordered with a stone piece of such a design as to produce a pointed arch between each. This ‘fang’ shaped border is a jewelled masterpiece in the building.
Another aspect of interest is the combination of arch types. Colonnaded openings of stone-edge Islamic arches on the ground floor change to Gothic pointed arches with scalloped stone rims on the upper floor. In others clover-shaped (trefoil) arches with two coloured granite give way to pointed brick arches with a flat stone lintel and terracotta infill in the first floor and in turn to smaller trefoil arches with stone pillars in between on the second floor.
Main Domes
The two main domes, the one in the western block and the lighthouse dome have oft been the visual depictions of the High Court. Both are unique and are masterpieces of engineering design. The smaller dome has an octagonal base of around 30’ diameter and at the spring, it is 25’ in diameter. A projecting stone chajja with an octagonal brick and stone parapet completes the base. A series of circular brick bands rise above the base and end with a decorative plastered design and a scalloped stone trimming. Two embossed plaster designs adorn the dome separated by a band. A finial with a ‘pumpkin’ like base and inverted trumpet completes the dome.
The piece de resistance of the domes is, of course, the main “lighthouse” dome that rises majestically 175’ from ground level and soars six floors above the third floor terrace. The central landing of the staircase core is crowned with a gigantic dome that towers 135ft and is over 32ft in its outer diameter. It originally served as a lighthouse, fired by kerosene, which, it was said, could be seen from a distance of 20 miles. This would have been a great challenge both in design and construction taking into consideration the size, weight and intended usage. Cleverly concealed circular brick staircases lead off the second floor landing to the fourth floor where they terminate in exaggerated half domes with finials. From the fourth floor, a central spiral staircase winds up five floors to the base of the lighthouse. Simultaneously on the outside, the brickwork corbels out again and forms an octagonal set of brick ‘mini’ towers that are capped with Islamic domes. Alongside are brick minarets that go up two floors and more that end with small Islamic domes and finials around the base of the massive main dome of the lighthouse, about 32’ in diameter. This dome has several dormer openings on its face, which would have been the beacons, all beautifully detailed and themselves covered with mini domes. The whole structure terminates in a series of reducing bases and finally concludes with another Islamic dome with finial.
The enthusiasm and expertise required for buildings of this type are not easily, if at all, available today. The need to preserve and properly restore the High Court is therefore even greater and goes well beyond that of simply protecting an iconic landmark of Chennai