Rashtrapati Bhavan

From Freepedia

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Governor-General of India.

During the Delhi Durbar year of 1911 it was decided that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. As the plan for New Delhi took shape, the governor-general's residence was given an enormous scale and prominent position. The British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, a key member of the city-planning process, was also given the prime architectural opportunity of designing the building. His design is grandly classical overall, with colors and details inspired by Indian architecture. Lutyens was especially proud to hear that the palace would not be called "Government House" (as most British colonial governors' residences were and are) but instead "Viceroy's House."

Viceregal Lodge was largely completed by 1929, and (along with the rest of New Delhi) officially inaugurated in 1931. After Indian indepence in 1947, the now ceremonial governor-general continued to live there, being succeeded by the president in 1950 when India became a republic and the house was renamed "Rashtrapati Bhavan."

The architecture of the palace is a mix of Mughal and European architecture, it has 340 decorated rooms and a floor area of 200,000 square feet (19,000 m²), it is built by using 700 million bricks and 3 million cubic feet (85,000 m³) of stone, the usage of steel is very minimal.

Trivia

• The President of India does not occupy the master bedroom, initially intended for the Viceroy. Instead he occupies one of the guest bedrooms. The First president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, considered the master bedroom too classy for his humble tastes. Presidents thereafter have followed the tradition.
• Rose Garden in Rashtrapati Bhavan displays numerous types of roses and is open to public in February every year.

External links

• President of India :: Rashtrapati Bhavan
• Satelite picture by Google Maps