India Tourism » Rashtrapati Bhavan Delhi

RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN
Believed to be larger than the Palace of Versailles, the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the residence of the President of India. It is the centre-point of Delhi and possibly one of the best monuments in the country. An interesting feature is that the construction combines various styles Mughal, Indian and English—such that the final outcome is probably beyond the best that each individual architectural style could have produced. Although entry to tourists is prohibited, visitors can definitely visit the Mughal Gardens, adjacent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, during springtime. The road from here leads to India Gate, laced with lush lawns on either side. The most significant feature of India Gate is that it houses Amar Jyoti (the etemal flame), kept alive in memory of Indian soldiers who fought the First World War. Within a distance of a few miles lies Teen Murti Bhavan, the erstwhile residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. After Nehru’s death in 1964, the Teen Murti Bhavan was converted into a research library and museum.

History says
The Rashtrapati Bhavan was the former residence of the Viceroy during the Raj. Designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, the architecture blends Indian motifs with a classical European style, just as the Viceroy had demanded of Lutyens. He also designed the India Gate, which was inscribed with the names of the soldiers who died in the War. While India Gate derived its name from the arch towering over the highway, Teen Murti Bhavan was named after the three statues, which stand outside the grounds. Legend has it that Nehru had a rose garden laid around the house so that he could pluck one rose for his buttonhole every day...

Getting there
Jet Airways has daily flights to New Delhi from across the country.