In pics: Rashtrapati Bhavan, spread over 2 lakh square feet awaits new President

The Rashtrapati Bhavan, situated in New Delhi, is the largest Presidential House in the world. It is built in an area spread over 2 lakh square feet. It has 340 rooms. 200 people work in this huge building. The President of India gets a salary of Rs 5 lakh per month. There is no tax of any kind on the salary of the President.

Apart from this, they get many types of allowances. The President of India gets free treatment and accommodation facility for life. Also, after retirement, one and a half lakh rupees pension is received and a bungalow is allotted.

The main gates of Rashtrapati Bhavan open to a stately path, called the Forecourt that leads to the main building. The drive up to the T shaped Forecourt, is lined with trees and water channels making it a beauteous sight. One can often spot the national bird enjoying the serenity of the presidential palace.

The Forecourt is used for the ceremonial reception of visiting Heads of State & Heads of Government as also for the Change of Guard ceremony. 

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Known as the Daughter of the Durbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhavan's Library’ is located at the north-eastern corner of the Bhavan and is accessed through the North Staircase.

'A circle within a square', it is said to resemble St Stephen's Walbrook in London. The Rashtrapati Bhavan library, though a square, is given a circular character by the dome above it, which is supported by eight arches.

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The North Drawing Room (NDR) is one the formal rooms of Rashtrapati Bhavan where the Indian President receives the Visiting Heads of State. Located near the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, this tastefully done room with grand Burmese teak paneling on the walls and beautiful wooden furniture provides an appropriate setting for the meetings of Heads of State.

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The approach to the Banquet Hall is through Lutyens’ Grand Stairs. Made in sandstone and grand in scale, measuring 111 feet in length and 53 feet in its width, these stairs lead to the Banquet Hall at one end and to the Ashok Hall on the other.

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The Guest Wing, also referred to as the South West Wing of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, consists of three floors, where the first floor is specially reserved for hosting the Heads of State, their consorts and senior members of the delegation.

Its two main suites, Dwarka and Nalanda, the erstwhile Irwin and Reading Suites respectively, have accommodated Heads of States, Kings, Queens and other important dignitaries.

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The magnificent Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan bears testimony to this historic moment of the swearing in ceremony of Independent India's first government. The grand simplicity of Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall is enthralling as it is indisputably the most regal room of the presidential palace.

Currently, the Durbar Hall is used to host Civil and Defence Investiture Ceremonies wherein the Hon'ble President of India confers the prestigious honours to the recipients. 

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The Banquet Hall, also known as the State Dining Room, hosts a wealth of beautiful detail. This room which is 104 feet long, 34 feet wide and 35 feet high overlooks the Mughal Gardens on one side. The height of the room is offset by the four tall chandeliers that illuminate the whole room.

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Spread over a vast expanse of 15 acres, Mughal Gardens has often been portrayed, and deservedly so, as the soul of the Presidential Palace. The Mughal Gardens draw its inspiration from the Mughal Gardens of Jammu and Kashmir, the gardens around the Taj Mahal and even miniature paintings of India and Persia.

Sir Edwin Lutyens had finalized the designs of the Mughal Gardens as early as 1917, however, it was only during the year 1928-1929 that plantings were done. 

Like the building of Rashtrapati Bhavan have two different styles of architecture, Indian and western, similarly, Sir Lutyens brought together two different horticulture traditions together for the gardens, the Mughal style and the English flower garden. Mughal canals, terraces and flowering shrubs are beautifully blended with European flowerbeds, lawns and private hedges.

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One of the most fascinating and ornately decorated rooms of Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Ashok Hall. Interestingly, this huge artistically done up space that is now used for important ceremonial functions, was erstwhile used as the State Ballroom.

The Ashok Hall is used for presentation of credentials by Heads of Missions of foreign countries and as a formal place of introductions for the visiting and Indian delegations prior to the commencement of the State Banquets hosted by the President.

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