Rashtrapati Bhavan: 340-Room Building That Took 17 Yrs To Construct. Know All About The President's House
It has a 340-room main building that houses the president’s residence, reception halls, guest rooms, offices, apart from the sprawling President’s Estate.
New Delhi: Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, is located in the Raisina Hills, the area that houses most of the government buildings of the country, including Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Parliament House, apart from places of heritage such as Rajpath and the India Gate.
Why was the Rashtrapati Bhavan built?
Before independence, India was ruled by the British during which Kolkata used to be national capital. But in 1911, the British made up their mind to shift their capital to Delhi. Before shifting, they wanted to set up a building that would be remembered for centuries. After much research and scouting for the best area, the British government chose the Raisina Hills for the construction.
The then famous architect Edwin Lutyens was brought in to map this magnificent building and after it was approved, the work of its construction started.
It took 17 years for the construction
The Viceroy set a target of four years to complete the construction of the building. It started in 1912, which ended in 1929 after 17 years. According to government data, 700 million bricks and 3 million stones were used to build this 340-room building. At the same time, 29,000 artisans were employed. Along with the ancient Indian style, there is also a touch of Mughal and Western architecture in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
After independence, the building was known as Government House for two years. In 1950, Dr Rajendra Prasad became the first President of the country, during which time it came to be known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
However, Dr Prasad could not accept the grandeur of the building and thus, started living in a guestroom.
All about the Rashtrapati Bhavan
It has a 340-room main building that houses the president’s residence, reception halls, guest rooms, offices, apart from the sprawling President’s Estate that comprises large gardens, open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staffers, stables and other offices. Its banquet hall can host up to 104 people.
Durbar Hall
The Durbar Hall is the most magnificent part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Notably, Lord Mountbatten administered the oath to the country's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 15, 1947, in this Durbar Hall. On January 26, 1950, the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad also took oath in this hall. Apart from them, Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee have also taken the oath of their office in this hall.
The Durbar Hall is decorated with a variety of colored stones with the huge chandelier adding to its beauty.
Ashoka Hall
Ashoka Hall, another part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, has beautiful fine carvings on the walls and the ceiling. At present, the President holds the official meetings in this room.
Baquet hall
There is a table, several feet long, in the banquet hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, that can host up to 104 guests. A special kind of light has been arranged in the banquet hall that serves as an indication for the butler to serve food.
Mughal Gardens
One of the most beautiful places of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Mughal Gardens. Spanning across an area of about 15 acres, this area has a wide range of flowers from all over the world. This garden remains closed throughout the year and is opened to the public only between February and March.
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