By Ram Bhavanashi
Yes. It is, literally. It’s been a moment of a sense of achievement for India as a nation- on two fronts: one- yesterday – Thursday, the 21st day of October 2021 – marked the momentous occasion of completing 100 crore anti-COVID jabs in the country; two- celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav or 75 years of Independence.
In commemoration of the two grand occasions, Government of India launched a unique way of celebration- illuminating one hundred historical monuments in the country with the colours of Indian flag, accompanied by the country’s National Anthem.
Initiated by the Archeaological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, the nation-wide initiative included grandiose temples, historical monuments, forts, and palaces with rich history and culture.
As ever, SI Asia has been quick to swing into action and grab some gist of it all- as the first measure. That getting all the 100 illuminations would have actually made the effort practically monumental for the sheer size and scale, SI Asia presents here just a glimpse of what it was.
The VIDEO OF THE MONTH this time, therefore, is compilation of illuminations done at three historical monuments in Tamil Nadu- all done by Chennai-based AVL integrator Lux & Decibels.
The videos are, however, produced by the Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle. SI Asia sincerely lauds the efforts of ASI and thanks for Lux & Decibels for facilitating the same.
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It is indeed, glowing the glory of victory, of a different sort.
Celebrations of 75 years of Independence under the theme Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav have been going on since the 12th of March this year- 75 weeks prior to the country’s 75th Independence Day falling on 15 August 2022.
Both the occasions draw more or less similar sentiments: triumphing of a gritty struggle over a challenge; an adversity; a setting of constantly contradicting forces; and freeing the country from the clutches of a formidable ‘foreign foe!’
While Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations will go on till 15 August 2023, that the massive initiative of anti-COVID vaccinations was to touch the 100 crore mark on Thursday, the Government of India decided celebrate the occasion in the best of the patriotic ways.
Ministry of Culture – through the Archaeological Survey of India – decided to illuminate one hundred historical monuments that include ancient temples and tourist attractions, besides palaces and government buildings of grand architectural splendour.
SI Asia was lucky to get its hands to the illuminations done by the ASI Chennai Circle at three important monuments in Tamil Nadu- Mahabalipuram, Kachipuram and Gingee Fort. All the three illuminations have been done by the Chennai-based AVL integrator Lux & Decibels.
“We pride the opportunity,” said Shiva Pillai, Principal Consultant at Lux & Decibels. “It’s an occasion of singing and syncing with the nation,” he said. “The syncing of the ideation with the twin achievements is truly connecting India.”
As for the integrator’s work at the initiative, they used majorly Rinbo RO 543 OCCs and Rinbo RO 1809 OCCs at the Kanchipuram and Gingee Fort while they used Chauvet Professional COLORado 1QS lighting systems at Mahabalipuram.
Rinbo Opto Isolator, and Visual s CUECORE 2 ran as common spec for all the three, while the Mahabalipuram monument has the Chauvet systems in majority.
Lux & Decibel’s Partner Badree led a team comprising two project managers Pugazh and Ranjith, assisted by Rishab, and supported by Raviraj Nair, MD of Big Screen.
Some of the important structures that were lit elsewhere in the country included:
• Lower Fort, Chandragiri, Andhra Pardesh
• Salihundam, Andhra Pradesh,
• Nagarjuna Konda, Andhra Pradesh
• Kondareddy Buruju, Andhra Pradesh
• Remains in Bhismak Nagar , Arunachal Pradesh
• Ruins of Nalanda University, Bihar
• Sher Shah Suri Tomb Sasaram, Bihar
• Monuments & temples SirpurArang, Chattisgarh
• India Gate, Delhi
• Red Fort, Delhi
• Purana Qila, Delhi
• Qutb Minar, Delhi
• Safdarjung Tomb, Delhi
• Tughalaqabad Fort, Delhi
• Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi
• St Francis Church, Goa
• Dholavira, Gujarat
• Ruined Fort, Kangra Himachal Pradesh
• Ruined Fort,Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh
• Palace & Temple Complex Navaratnagarh, Jharkhand
• Tipu Sultan’s Palace, Karnataka
• Darai Daula Bagh, Karnataka
• Pattadakal, Karnataka
• Ahiole, Karnataka
• Gol Bumbaz, Karnataka
• Gulbaraga Fort, Karnataka
• St. Angelo Fort, Kannur Kerala
• Bekal Fort, Pallikare, Kerala
• Ancient Place, Leh
• Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh
• Jhansi Fort, Madhya Pradesh
• Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
• Daulatabad Fort, Auranagabad, Maharastra
• Shaniwar Wada, Pune, Maharastra
• Aghakhan Palace, Pune, Maharastra
• Temple of Vishnu, Bishnupur, Manipur
• Aizawl ASI office, Mizoram
• Remains of a Fort, Dimapur, Nagaland
• Konark, Odisha
• Siva Temple, Puducherry
• Chittor Fort, Rajasthan
• Kumbalgarh fort, Rajasthan
• Gingee Fort, Tamil Nadu
• Vellore Fort, Tamil Nadu
• Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu
• Kailashnatha Temple, Tamil Nadu
• Kanchipuram Temple, Tamil Nadu
• Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, Telangana
• Warrnagal Fort, Telangana
• Ramappa Temple, Telangana
• Charminar, Hyderabad, Telangana
• Bhubaneswari Temple, Tripura
• Temple Sacred to Mahasu, Hanol, Uttarkhand
• Lakhamandal Temple, Uttarkhand
• Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh
• Temple of Madan Mohan, Brindavan, Uttar Pradesh
• Temple of Govind Deo, Brindavan, Uttar Pradesh
• Chaurasi Tomb of Lodhi Shah Badshah, Kalpi, Uttar Pradesh
• Gupta Temple , Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh
• Ancient Site, Ramnagar, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
• Lal Khan Tomb, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
• Man Mahal, Varanasi, Utta Pradesh
• Ancient Site, Ramnagar, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
• Victoria Building, Kolkata, West Bengal
You can watch Part Two of the video HERE.
