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 Very few official residences of the head of the state in the world can match up to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Be it size, grandeur or magnificence, the Rashtrapati Bhavan is definitely a structure that has made a mark of its own.
How was it established?
The present day Rashtrapati Bhavan was the residence of the British Viceroy, which was designed by Edwin Landseer Lutyens. The decision to build a residence in New Delhi for the British Viceroy was taken after it was decided that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911. This 'empire in stone' was metamorphosed to the permanent institution of democracy on January 26, 1950 when Dr Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India and occupied this building. It was from that day that the building was renamed as Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President's House).
The money involved
The sanctioned amount for the building was 4,00,000 pounds. However, it took 17 years for constructing this Indian monument and the amount sanctioned was increased to 8,77,136 pounds (equivalent to Rs 12.8 million then). The cost including construction of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mughal Garden and the staff quarters amounted to Rs. 14 million.
About the structure
Rashtrapati Bhavan is spread over four floors and has 340 rooms in all. With a floor area of 2,00, 000 square feet the structure is built using 700 million bricks and three million cubic feet of stone. Very little steel has gone into construction of this Indian monument.
The highlight of Rashtrapati Bhavan is its dome. It is visible from a distance and is known to have the most attractive round roof in Delhi. Analysts claim that the dome is strikingly similar to the Stupas at Sanchi. Rashtrapati Bhavan has Buddhist railings, chhajjas, chhatris and jaalis just like the ones in Sanchi.
Another Indian feature present in the building’s architecture is the use of Indian temple bells in its pillars. Having temple bells on the pillars was a good idea since it is a part of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions. Blending these bells with the Hellenic style architecture is a good example of how Indian and European designs can be fused.
When Chakrabarty Rajagopalachari assumed the office as the first Governor General of India and he began living in this building, he preferred to stay only in a portion of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This portion now comprises of the family wing of the Bhavan. The then Viceroy's portion is now being used as the Guest Wing of the building where the honourable Heads of State of other countries stay during their business visits to India.
Therefore the grandeur and vastness of Rashtrapati Bhavan has not left architects and common people awestruck without reason.
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