New Delhi: The Central government on Saturday renamed the Mughal Gardens in New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan to 'Amrit Udyan'. Keeping in line with the theme of 'Amrit Mahotsav' marking 75 years of India's Independence, the Central government changed the name of Mughal Gardens to Amrit Udyan. Navika Gupta, the deputy press secretary to President Droupadi Murmu, said, "On the occasion of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence as 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', the President of India has given a common name to the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens as Amrit Udyan."
The Amrit Udyan spread over a vast expanse of 15 acres-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, as the soul of the Presidential Palace. Several BJP leaders on Saturday welcomed the decision of renaming of Mughal Gardens to 'Amrit Udyan' as "historic" with one saying it shows that India is coming out of slave mentality.
Rashtrapati Bhavan's famed Mughal Gardens on Saturday was renamed 'Amrit Udyan'. Tweeting a video of pasting of a sign board bearing the name 'Amrit Udyan', Giriraj Singh said, "Welcome welcome welcome." Sambit Patra termed the move historic, and said, "In order to come out of 'slavery mentality' in 'Amrit Kaal', another historic decision of Modi government."
The "Mughal Garden" located in Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be known as "Amrit Udyan", he added. BJP MP Poonam Mahajan said President Draupadi Murmu ji's decision of renaming Mughal Gardens to Amrit Udyan is "truly historic coming from our country's celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu will grace the opening of the Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan Udyan Utsav on January 29.
This time the Gardens (Herbal Garden, Bonsai Garden, Central Lawn, Long Garden and Circular Garden) will be open for about two months. The Gardens will open for the general public on January 31 and will remain open till March 26 (except on Mondays which are maintenance days and on March 8 on account of Holi).
From March 28 to 31, the Gardens will be open for special categories that is for farmers on March 28, for differently-abled persons on March 29,f or personnel of Defence Forces, Paramilitary Forces and Police on March 30, for women including tribal women’s SHGs on March 31.
Another step towards making Rashtrapati Bhavan accessible to more and more people is through an increase in the capacity of each hourly slot. The visitors will be allowed to visit in six hourly slots between 1000 hrs and 1600 hrs. The capacity for the two forenoon slots (1000 hrs to 1200 hrs) will be 7,500 visitors during weekdays and 10,000 visitors in each slot on weekends. The capacity for the four-afternoon slots (1200 hrs to 1600 hrs) will be 5,000 visitors in each slot during weekdays and 7,500 visitors on weekends.
People can book their slot well in advance through online booking. Booking can be made on https:// rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in or https://rb.nic.in/rbvisit/ visit_plan.aspx. Walk-in visitors can also get entry to the Gardens. However, they will have to register themselves at the facilitation counters as well as at the Self Service Kiosknear Gate No. 12 of Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is advisable to book a slot online in advance to avoid rush and save time.
Entry and exit for all visitors will be from Gate No. 35 of the President’s Estate, close to where North Avenue meets Rashtrapati Bhavan. Visitors are requested not to bring any briefcases, cameras, radios/transistors, boxes, umbrellas, eatables etc inside the Gardens. They can carry mobile phones, electronic keys, purse/handbags, water bottles and milk bottles for infants. Provision for drinking water, toilets, and first aid/medical facilities will be made at various places along the public route.
The building of Rashtrapati Bhavan has 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.
