The official residence of the President
of India,can boast of having welcomed the most powerful
men in history. The Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed
by Edwin Lutyens and built in 1931, to be the central
point of the British power in Delhi. Originally
called the Viceroy's House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan
has 340 rooms, 37 salons, 74 lobbies and loggias,
18 staircases and 37 fountains in New Delhi.
The most magnificent room in the Rashtrapati Bhavan
is the Durbar Hall, which lies directly beneath
the main dome. All important Indian State and Official
ceremonies are held here. To the west, is the famous
and beautifully landscaped Mughal Gardens, designed
after the terraced gardens which the Mughals built
in Kashmir. The garden is called the 'Butterfly
Garden' as the numerous butterflies visit the varied
flowers. It is open to the public only in February.
Change of Guard Ceremony:
April-October : 8:30 am
November-March: 10:35 am