NEW DELHI - Rashtrapati Bhavan will showcase India’s hospitality at its very best when the doors of its gleaming new guest wing were thrown open on Jan 6 for foreign dignitaries after it remained unused for over two decades. Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his Queen will be the first guests to stay at the brightly decked up refurbished suites in the sprawling Presidential Estate on Jan 6 to get a taste of the country’s fabled ‘Atithi Devobhava’ culture.
The guest wing has been restored to its old glory at the special initiative of President Pranab Mukherjee. The Rashtrapati Bhavan was formally inaugurated in 1931. The King is on a state visit to India from Dec 6 and will stay in the VVIP suite of the wing for five days which is adorned with heavy panelling of exquisite wood, beautiful drapes and classic wall paintings, all brought out from the stores of the Presidential mansion. The then Soviet President
Mikhail Gorbachev, who visited Delhi in 1986, was among the last of foreign dignitaries to stay in the guest wing. Since then, this section was locked until Mukherjee decided to give the guest wing a new lease of life.
The designs in the rooms have been done in such a manner that it reflects contemporary Indian history. New names drawn from Indian rivers like Brahmaputra and Kaveri and mountain ranges like Vindhya and Shivalik have been used to identify the 14-room wing, with VVIP and VIP suites, deluxe rooms, rooms for ADCs and standard rooms. The two most elite suites have been named ‘Nalanda’ (for the Queen or the top female dignitary) and ‘Dwarka’.
The officials said the President himself chose the names for the rooms.
Special upholstery and furniture have been also placed in the VVIP rooms which have been beautified for the visiting dignitaries. A special team from the household staff of the Presidents House will service the guests round-the-clock. (PTI)
Mikhail Gorbachev, who visited Delhi in 1986, was among the last of foreign dignitaries to stay in the guest wing. Since then, this section was locked until Mukherjee decided to give the guest wing a new lease of life.
The designs in the rooms have been done in such a manner that it reflects contemporary Indian history. New names drawn from Indian rivers like Brahmaputra and Kaveri and mountain ranges like Vindhya and Shivalik have been used to identify the 14-room wing, with VVIP and VIP suites, deluxe rooms, rooms for ADCs and standard rooms. The two most elite suites have been named ‘Nalanda’ (for the Queen or the top female dignitary) and ‘Dwarka’.
The officials said the President himself chose the names for the rooms.
Special upholstery and furniture have been also placed in the VVIP rooms which have been beautified for the visiting dignitaries. A special team from the household staff of the Presidents House will service the guests round-the-clock. (PTI)
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