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The official residence of the President of India, the Rashtrapati Bhawan, exemplifies the democratic system of India and its secular, pluralistic, and inclusive values. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, this presidential residence took seventeen years to build and was finished in 1929. It is spread over an area of 330 acres. The Rashtrapati Bhawan contains several halls utilised for state functions and other events. The most notable among these halls are Durbar Hall and Ashoka Hall.
Construction
The central dome of the Rashtrapati Bhawan reflects both Indian and British architecture. The gigantic dome in the middle leaves a lasting impression. The dome lies right at the centre of the beams linking the structure’s sections. It is more than double the height of the structure.
This architectural masterpiece has 2.5 km of corridors and a garden that extends to one hundred and ninety acres. It was built with about seven hundred million bricks and three million cubic feet of stone. The main structure is five acres in size and includes three hundred and forty rooms split across four storeys. The Rashtrapati Bhawan’s famed Mughal Garden occupies an area of fifteen acres. It contains one hundred and fifty-nine types of rose plants, sixty types of bougainvillaea, and many other varieties of flowers. The President House also includes a well-equipped Rashtrapati Bhawan Museum Complex, consisting of the clock tower, stables, and garages. The museum also displays previous and present presidencies and regal events, among other things.
Architecture
The Rashtrapati Bhawan is the world’s second-largest Presidential palace after the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy. It took 17 years to build it since construction began in 1912 and was finished in 1929, and thousands of labourers worked for its construction. The Rashtrapati Bhawan has around 300 rooms, including the presidential suite, guest rooms, and staff quarters. It employs 750 people, 245 of whom work in the President’s Secretariat.
1. History
Before independence, it was known as the Viceroy’s House. It is located on Raisina Hill, which was named after one of the two villages that were removed in order to create this palace. The two villages were Raisini and Malcha. Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, a British architect, designed it.
2. Gardens
Every year in February, the Mughal Garden is opened for the Udyanotsav celebration. It consists of several gardens of various shapes, including rectangular, long, and circular gardens. The Circular Garden, with tiered bowl flower beds blooming in varied colours, is the most mesmerising sight of them.
3. Artefacts
At the rear of the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Durbar Hall stands a statue of Gautama Buddha. The statue belongs to the Gupta period (4th-5th centuries). The statue’s height is the same as that of India Gate.
Another notable feature is the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Banquet Hall, which can seat 104 people at once. It not only has private galleries for the musicians, but it also has a unique lighting system that is located over the portraits of past Presidents and acts as a signal to the butlers about when to serve, when not to serve, and when they must clean the hall.
The Gift Museum of the Rashtrapati Bhawan houses King George V’s silver chair, which he sat in at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. The silver chair weighs around 640 kg.
Rare pictures and statues of Viceroys and British Royalty may be found at the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Marble Hall. It also has a lifelike wax figure of our present President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, sculpted by an Asansol-based artisan.
The Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Ashoka Hall, which is used for ceremonial activities like minister swearing-in, is decorated with stunning paintings of Fateh Ali Shah, Qajar monarchs of Persia, and others.
4. Children Interests
Another unique feature of the Presidential Palace is that it features two galleries for youngsters. One is to display children’s work, i.e. ‘By the Children,’ and another shows a range of objects of children’s interest.
The Science & Innovation Gallery in the Rashtrapati Bhawan is the most fantastic feature for children. It has a robotic dog named Clumsy that resembles a real dog.
“A Talking Wall” and “A Planet Wall” feature intriguing audio-video displays that pique children’s interest.
A Virtual Tabla that allows visitors to play the drums and hear the music without even touching the drums is another exciting feature at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Entrance
Every Saturday at 10 a.m., a ceremonial ‘Change of Guard’ event is conducted that lasts 30 minutes and is available to the public; however, at the entrance of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, you must present a valid ID.
Conclusion
The power and glory of the Indian people are embodied by the President of the country, whose official residence is the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The architecture of the Rashtrapati Bhawan fascinates both passionate architects and ordinary people worldwide.
