Friday, March 19, 2010

Visiting Bombay High Court, where Ghandi told the Brits to take a hike




This beautiful building was completed in November 1878--it
is four floors, many very utilitarian courtrooms, and some gorgeous ones.

The Bombay High Court is one of the oldest Courts in India. It is the Appellate court over the States of Maharashtra, Goa , Daman and Diu. 75 judges and many hundreds of attorneys work there.

We actually got to sit in on some trials and hearings, and visited the courtroom where Gandhi underwent a famous trial and defied the British overlords. That courtroom was gorgeous--spare, but artfully designed. He was jailed then, for like two years, but there is now a large framed photograph of him on the wall.

The trials were pretty interesting. All attorneys wear suits under black robes and white ties. Everyone holds, shares, and passes around huge volumes of documents and papers. There were computers around but little sign they helped to abate the massive volume of paperwork.

It was also the first time I've seen carbon paper in use in about thirty years!
---o0o---

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