Chandigarh, 1st October
2019: Chandigarh today rediscovered an important part of its history when the
first prototype of the paddle boat again sailed on the waters of the Sukhna
Lake with the launch by Adviser to Administrator, Sh Manoj Parida.
Since Le Corbusier
clearly prohibited the use of motor boats on the Lake to maintain its peace and
tranquility, the first paddle boat for the Sukhna Lake was designed by Pierre
Jeanneret in 1954. This paddle boat showcased the versatility of Jeanneret as a
designer and had the same aesthetics as his buildings and furniture. However
some years back these boats were removed from the Lake and later disposed off.
Under the project
Building Chandigarh, French artist Pierrick Mouton in collaboration with
Alliance Française de Chandigarh developed a replica of the same boat which was
launched in the Sukhna Lake. The boat was made using drawings made on the basis
of archival pictures and constructed by a local carpenter. It will eventually
kept at the Jeanneret house where the first prototype was made in the lawn of
this house.
Deepika Gandhi said
that the launch of the boat is a befitting commemoration of the contribution of
Jeanneret to the creation of Chandigarh. She informed that such was
Jeanneret’s love for the city and the Sukhna lake that he had specified that
after his death he should not be buried but cremated and his ashes be immersed
in the Sukhna Lake. His niece brought his ashes from Geneva in 1970 and they
were immersed here as per his wish.
Another interesting
event on the occasion was the plantation of tree that was brought from
Switserland to Chandigarh. In the garden of the Villa “le lac(house of the
lake) in Switzerland, Le Corbusier had planted a Paulownia tomentosa tree which
eventually became a defining feature of the house. A cutting of the same tree
that grew on the terrace of Villa “le lac” was brought to Chandigarh by
Pierrick Mouton and planted here at the Sukhna Lake by the Adviser. According
to Sylvain Coin, Director Alliance Française this reflects the philosophy of
Open to give and Open to receive which was advocated by Corbusier himself.
Laying to rest the concerns about an alien tree thriving in Chandigarh, Prof
Rajnish Wattas shared an interesting fact that trees of the same species are in
fact growing in the Lake reserve forest.
The Chief Guest for the
event was Sh Manoj Parida, IAS, Adviser to the Administrator, Chandigarh, with
many eminent architects and citizens coming to witness this historic moment
besides senior officials of the Chandigarh Administration.
The Adviser lauded the
effort of Pierrick Mouton and thanked Alliance Française for this priceless
addition to the city’s heritage. He hoped that this is one of the many ventures
of Indo French collaboration that enriches both the countries.
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