How Dharwad got a college

Karnatak College, Dharwad.

A Gulmohar tree in full blossom at the Karnatak College campus in Dharwad, giving an enchanting look to the campus. DH Photo by B M Kedarnath. (DH Photo by B M Kedarnath)

Staircase, jali-filled window. 

If the building of Karnataka College of Arts and Science, Dharwad (KCD) induces awe among its visitors, so does its alumni list with names like mathematician Wrangler D C Pavate, Justice Gajendragadkar, Nandan Nilekani, literary behemoth V K Gokak and medical scientist and writer S J Naglotimath.

In 1818, the Basel Mission activities had begun in Dharwad, and schools — both English and Marathi medium — were established with the backing of the then Collector of Dharwad, Sir Walter Eliot. But Dharwad did not have a college of its own.

Many prominent names like Raobahadur Srinivas Rodda, Siddappa Kambli (education minister of the Bombay Presidency), Raobahadur Aratal Rudragouda (collector) and Dattatreya Venkatesh Belavi pushed for one. They even collected funds from eminent people and commoners for starting the college. It came into being in 1917 from the Training College.

Parallel track

In 1882, the town got the headquarters of the Southern Mahratta Railway, a railway company. It was sanctioned with land besides the district collector’s office.

By 1886, the company set in motion a railway service between Mormugao in the west coast and Vijayawada in the east. However, an acute water shortage led to the shifting of the railway company to Hubballi in 1919.

The same year, Sir George Lloyd, the erstwhile Governor of Bombay Presidency, visited Dharwad and proposed that the college could see its rebirth in the Railways’ unoccupied administrative building. The government bought the building and the college was moved there in 1920.

The main building, a T-shaped Neo-Romanesque structure, has arched windows and a clock tower.

A striking feature of this building is the use of prefabricated cast-iron columns, wrought-iron beams and trusses, all made in England keeping in mind Indian weather. This is reminiscent of the Esplanade Mansion of Mumbai, the 155-year-old heritage building
constructed using cast-iron frame.

Cast-iron columns and beams allowed for a wider span, more height and railings, all ornately decorated keeping the tastes of those times.

The two golden-hued lions at the entrance are a mark of the imperial power. Keeping with the Romanesque style are four towers on four edges of the building.

Inside, one can see a classic spiral staircase stamped with its manufacturer’s name: Richardson Crudass Ltd., established in 1858, which supplies heavy engineering material to government projects even today.

The flooring of KCD is replete with Italian tiles and Yerraguntla slabs — bearing decorated floral motifs and geometrical patterns — from Andhra Pradesh.

The façade is marked by the use of dual-coloured stones and heavy jaali work. The arched windows supported by a cream-coloured cornerstone add to its appeal.

Rekha Shettar, author of the book Dharwad, says that ‘The first building in the quadrangle being the oldest, is built of rubble masonry with typical Romanesque buttress of flat square profile, and has typical Neo-Romanesque features of round windows highlighted by stone quoins.

The other buildings are of vernacular style with lofty ceilings supported on ‘I’ steel girders and the sloped roof supported by girders in the corridor.

Next to it was the galleried building said to be the printing department (Zoology department). The facades have similar window treatment. Department of Psychology is vernacular in style.’

The college teaches 2,500 students today.