• The iconic ‘Mughal Gardens’ at the Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be known as ‘Amrit Udyan’.

• Rashtrapati Bhavan is home to a rich variety of gardens. Originally, they included East Lawn, Central Lawn, Long Garden and Circular Garden. 

• During the term of former Presidents Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Ram Nath Kovind, more gardens were developed, namely, Herbal-I, Herbal-II, Tactile Garden, Bonsai Garden and Arogya Vanam.

• On the occasion of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence, President Droupadi Murmu has given a common name to the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens as ‘Amrit Udyan’.

• The government had last year renamed Delhi’s famed Rajpath as Kartavya Path. The renaming of the stretch and other institutions is in line with the Centre’s effort to remove any trace of colonial mindset.

• The gardens are open to the public once a year. 

History of gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan

• The history of the famed gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is as rich as its scented stocks of flowers, and intertwined with the creation of the President’s House (originally built as Viceroy’s House), designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.

• In 1911, King George held a grand Durbar in Delhi where he also announced the shifting of the imperial capital from Calcutta to Delhi. Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker gave shape to the new imperial capital, with the Viceroy’s House and the North Block and South Block as the centrepiece of New Delhi, as the city was officially named in 1926.

• After Independence, the Viceroy House became the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Kingsway, the ceremonial boulevard which runs from Raisina Hill to India Gate, was renamed to Rajpath.

• Spread over a vast expanse of 15 acres, Amrit Udyan draws its inspiration from the Mughal Gardens of Jammu & Kashmir, the gardens around the Taj Mahal and even miniature paintings of India and Persia. 

• Sir Edwin Lutyens had finalised the design of the gardens as early as 1917. However, it was only during the year 1928-1929 that plantings were done. His collaborator for the gardens was Director of Horticulture, William Mustoe. 

• Like the building of Rashtrapati Bhavan have two different styles of architecture, Indian and western, similarly, 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.

• Rose remains a key feature of the famed gardens even today. The gardens boasts of growing 159 celebrated varieties of roses which blossom primarily in the month of February and March.

• The Mughal Gardens also include roses named after people of national and international fame such as Mother Teresa, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Queen Elizabeth, Christian Dior, amongst others. 

• Apart from roses, tulips, Asiatic lilies, daffodils, hyacinth and other seasonal flowers beautify the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. There are more than 70 varieties of seasonal flowers, including exotic bulbous and winter flowering plants.

• The Gardens has almost 50 varieties of trees, shrubs and vines, including Moulsiri tree, Golden Rain tree, flower bearing Torch Tree and many more. 

• Former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam established the Herbal Gardens in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate. Around 33 medicinal and aromatic plants depicting their use are planted in these gardens.

• The Spiritual Garden of Rashtrapati Bhavan was also created by Kalam. Here, plants and trees associated with various religions practiced in India are nurtured together. The idea behind this garden was to spread the message of harmonious coexistence despite religious and cultural differences and to show tolerance towards one another.

• The Musical Garden was set up in the President’s Estate in an area that was earlier used as a nursery. The Musical Garden has three large water fountains. The music is digitized and the audio system fed through a computerised programme controller.

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