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The palatial building built on an area of 330
acres with a private garden designed by the illustrious Lutyens, as
the official residence of the Viceroy of India during British reign,
is now the official residence of the First Citizen of India – its
President. The imposing structure almost overshadows all other
monuments within its vicinity.
The architectural wonder is a mixture of Mughal and Western styles.
The columns at the front entrance have bells carved into them and
Lutyens designed them with the idea that since the bells could not
make sounds, the British rule would never come to an end.
Rashtrapati Bhawan is the highlight of Lutyens New Delhi and was
completed in |
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1929 at a cost of 12,53,000. The palace has 340
rooms.
At one time, 2,000 people were required to look after the building
and serve the Viceroy's household. It has an impressive garden
called the Mughal Gardens, which is open to the public for a short
while in February when the flowers are in full bloom.
Once the residence of the British Viceroy in India, and now the
official residence of the president of the Indian republic, was
designed by Sir Edward Lutyens as part of the new imperial city that
marked the shift of the capital from Calcutta where the British
empire had struck root in India, to New Delhi. This, and the rest of
the new city, sported Indo-Saracenic architecture at its grandest. |
