Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan are now Amrit Udyan.

• The Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be known as Amrit Udyan, according to an official statement.
• Spread over 15 acres, Amrit Udyan has often been portrayed as the soul of the presidential palace.
• Amrit Udyan draws its inspiration from the Mughal Gardens in Jammu and Kashmir, the gardens around the Taj Mahal and even miniature paintings of India and Persia, according to the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s website.

History

• In 1911, the British administration moved its capital from Calcutta to Delhi, involving huge construction to create spaces for its top officials including construction of the Viceroy’s House, which today is known as Rashtrapati Bhavan, with a garden.
• While the initial plans involved creating a garden with traditional British architecture, the wife of the then Viceroy wanted something in the Mughal style and urged the planners to create a garden in that style.

Mughal Gardens, now Amrit Udyan’s inspiration came from a book

• It is believed that the wife of the then Viceroy, who wanted Rashtrapati Bhavan to be adorned by a Mughal-style garden was inspired by the book Gardens of the Great Mughals (1913) by Constance Villiers-Stuart as well as her visits to Mughal gardens in Lahore and Srinagar.
• While the layout of the Amrit Udyan was in place by 1917, the planting of flora only began in late 1928 and the responsibility was given to Director of horticulture William Mustoe, who planted the garden and was especially skilled at growing roses and introduced more than 250 different varieties of hybrid roses gathered from every corner of the world.

All Presidents leave their touch to Mughal Gardens

• All the presidents who have stayed in the house have left their personal touch on the monument.
  • C Rajagopalachari, who was the last Governor General of India, made a political statement during a period of food shortage in India when he ploughed the lands and dedicated a section of the garden to food grains. Today, it is known as the Nutrition Garden, popularly known as Dalikhana.
  • President R Venkatraman added a cactus garden.
  • President APJ Abdul Kalam added many theme-based gardens: from the musical garden to the spiritual garden.