By Obeetee Private Limited
Design Philosophy Rooted in Symbolism
Every aesthetic decision taken for the new Parliament was steeped in symbolic intent. For the Lok Sabha hall, the design team at Obeetee used the peacock—the national bird of India—as the central motif. The stylised plumes translated into patterns woven in shades of agave green, a colour that resonates with the vibrancy of democratic discourse.
In the Rajya Sabha hall, the carpets featured lotus motifs, a nod to the national flower and a symbol of purity and continuity. Here, the design used tones inspired by kokum red, offering a warm, dignified counterpoint to the dynamic vibrancy of the Lok Sabha. These were not decorative choices; they were statements—of pride, identity, and aspiration.
Each carpet was hand-knotted with an astounding density of 120 knots per square inch. The scale was unprecedented: 158 carpets for the Lok Sabha and 156 for the Rajya Sabha, later stitched together on-site to fit the semicircular contours of the halls. The result? Over 600 million individual knots, each placed by hand, covering 35,000 square feet.
An engineering feat masquerading as craft
Crafting these carpets was a masterclass in the collision of art and engineering. The design challenge was significant. Parliament’s chambers were among the largest single-hall, semicircular spaces in India’s architectural history. Carpets had to be produced in modular sections that could be perfectly rejoined on site, with motifs aligning seamlessly across invisible boundaries—no small feat when every inch carries symbolic meaning and is seen by the most powerful decision-makers in the nation.
The pandemic added a new layer of complexity. Production began in 2020, and while the rest of the world paused, Obeetee scaled up—with safety protocols, decentralized operations, and a commitment to delivering excellence under duress. Weaving began in September 2021 and was completed by May 2022. Installation started in November 2022, concluding in time for the Parliament’s inauguration on May 28, 2023.
Obeetee’s role as custodian of craft
Founded over 100 years ago by three British entrepreneurs, Obeetee (named from Owkley, Bowden, and Taylor’s initials ) has since grown into one of India’s most respected hand-knotted rug manufacturers. But what distinguishes Obeetee is not scale—it’s sanctity. The company works with over 20,000 artisans, many of whom are generational weavers whose families have spent lifetimes mastering the craft.
Obeetee carpets already adorn the Rashtrapati Bhavan, with one piece alone spanning over 450 square metres and containing 100 million knots. But the Central Vista project was different. Obeetee singlehandedly defined a nation’s present and future through heritage.
Lessons for the design community
The Central Vista project was an example of blending monumental scale with heritage intricacy. It demonstrates how legacy techniques can meet modern demands—not just functionally, but symbolically.
The challenges were immense: scale, pandemic disruptions, high-traffic durability, and cultural sensitivity. The solutions required tight collaboration between artisans, design teams, structural engineers, and government bodies. It was also a rare project where material culture, governance, and sustainability intersected, with all materials sourced from India and crafted using human skill, not machines.
For Obeetee, this project was not just about weaving carpets. It was about weaving continuity—between India’s past, its democratic present, and its imagined future.
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