Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan: President House of India

[mikhurram]

Rashtrapati Bhavan currently the President House of India was formerly the Viceroy House of India built by the British around 1931. The construction took 20 years to finish. It was designed by Edwin Lutyens who along with Herbert Baker also designed the layout of New Delhi. Herbert Baker also designed building in Pretoria and around Cape Town the most famous being Groote Schuur house of Cecil Rhodes (founder of De Beers).

Lutyens design is a blend of of British and Indian architecture with the most obvious feature being the doom of the building which seems to have been inspired from the Pantheon in Rome and the Buddha Stupa at Sanchi. While browsing through the pictures the design of the Ex Viceroy House is even more impressive and imposing than the White House or the Buckingham Palace. Nine years ago i was able to get a book from India titled "Dome Over India" by Aman Nath. All the photos are from the book.

Consistent with the layout of the President House, the layout of the Mughal Gardens is also encompasses British/Indian architecture.

[mikhurram]

Layout of the Mughal Garden

[mikhurram]

Water being poured from Mohenjadaro Bull and King Cobra fountain are some of the Indian features used in the layout.

[mikhurram]

Notice that the design and layout of the garden is in harmony with the design of the building. Even the selection of the plants which are mostly indigenous fit in.

[mikhurram]

Shape of the perabola in the last picture looks like an elephant trunk.

[Farhan Ahmed]

lovely

[Farhan Ahmed]

Tulips in New Delhi. Hmmm interesting. Climate is very similar to Islo

[Munir]

Khurram Sb, hope later you would try to look for & post any such pictures of our President House- Aewan e Saddar and Prime Minister House, if available & as allowed to be made public.

[mikhurram]

Sir personally i believe that the design of our PM House is ugly and hideous. Other gardens which may be in contention might be the Japanese Emperor's Garden or Thai King's official palace used for greeting dignitaries whose tree topiary is world class and makes an lasting impression. Unfortunately i don't have their photos.

Delhi's climate is similar to Lahore and tulips at best would flower for a week or two and behave like an annual.

[ka_khan]

Nice share.Beautiful building.