Laid out in the aristocratic vicinity & memories of Begum Roshanara, Mughal Emperor Shahjahan?s youngest daughter, Roshanara Club Ltd. was established on 15 August 1922. All blessed with natural beauty, green pastures & fresh breeze, Roshanara Club is located in the heart of North Delhi and has emerged as one of the most prestigious clubs in the country. Sprawled over 22 acres, the club has served as a lush oasis for its members for the past 90 years. Everything about the club has a regal air.
The Roshanara Gardens surrounding the club has a signature of Mughal architecture in the form of Nishat and Dilshad Garden. The epitome of Beauty, entombment of Begum Roshanara lies in the middle of the garden and is known as Baradari meaning open pavilion. When newly built, the entombment once had a simple roofless grave surrounded by marble lattice screens (intricately carved jails) and a hall, which has apartments with arched openings. The British were very fascinated with this garden-tomb as it was an appropriate and beautiful retreat for them during the Delhi summers. In 1875, Cracroft, the Commissioner of Delhi significantly altered the garden by tearing down all the buildings except the Baradari, the northern gateway, which still exists along with the eastern tank.
The British, bureaucrats and the emerging Indian elite settling down in Civil Lines, joined hands in 1922 to form the Roshanara Club on the western side of the garden. The elite visitors of the club in the pre-Independence era were the Viceroys and Governor Generals. Dignitaries like Jawaharlal Nehru, Zakir Hussain, V.V. Giri and Dr. Rajendra Prasad were regular visitors to the club. Roshanara Club continues to boast of A-list membership- politicians, lawyers, judges, government officials, doctors, professionals and businessmen, making the club a microcosm of the city.
The club is also considered as the birthplace of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Post Independence cricket administrators gathered in front of an old fireplace and bowed the seeds of the Indian cricket body- BCCI thereafter. In fact, cricket at Roshanara is a symbol of club?s attempt to preserve its rich historical past while evolving with the times to meet and surpass the expectations of the present day members. Also, the newly installed floodlights at the cricket ground are a sign of progress and change.
We reflect upon the efforts of past members with pride and affection. Just as the Britishers planned for us who would follow them, we too labor to leave our descendants a vital and relevant entity, a community founded and grown in harmony. While some of the atmosphere may be more casual in keeping with the times, the enjoyment of the original interest of the Roshanara club continues. The club from the time of its existence has provided each member with an amalgamation of modern as well as traditional lifestyles and values along with which it continues to uphold the values of the past.
Source: http://roshanaraclub.com/