Hyderabad: NDA’s Draupadi Murmu will be the 15th President of the country. She will take the oath of office on July 25. Preparations have also been started to welcome him at Rashtrapati Bhavan, located in Raisina Hills. But apart from Delhi, there are two more places where Rashtrapati Bhavan is located.
Let us tell you about the Rashtrapati Nilayam, which is located in Secunderabad, the capital city of Hyderabad in the state of Telangana. Neelam is a Telugu word that means “house or abode.” That is, the word Rashtrapati Nilayam means “President’s House,” i.e., Rashtrapati Niwas.
Rashtrapati Nilayam was earlier known as Residency House. The President of the country works from here for a few days once a year. For a few days in winter, the President does his official work from here. Along with this, there is also an arrangement for the accommodation of 150 people.
What is its history?
It was built in 1860 by the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nasir-ud-Daulah. This building is located in the cantonment area of the Nizam Army. It used to be the residence of the Chief Military Officer of the Nizam Army. Later, when the British got permission to build a cantonment in Secunderabad under the agreement between the Nizam and the British, the British made it the country house of the British Resident at Secunderabad for their use. When the country became independent from British rule, Hyderabad was merged with India in 1948 under the leadership of Sardar Patel. After this, Secunderabad Cantonment was handed over to the Indian Army. With this, the Resident House under it was handed over to the President’s Secretariat.
What is the specialty?
Rashtrapati Nilayam is spread over 90 acres and has 11 rooms. Its special feature is that its kitchen and dining hall are in two separate buildings, which are connected by a tunnel. The building is eco-friendly with two gardens, consisting of a constellation and a herbal garden. A solar system and water harvesting system have been installed in the building. In the year 2011, this building was opened to the general public.
Nakshatra Vatika in Nilayam along with Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi
In the year 2015, then President Pranab Mukherjee started the Nakshatra Garden in Nilayam. The Verse Nakshatra Garden of about one acre has been prepared with various geometrical additions according to the Srichakra of Vedic astrology. There are 48 trees, 9 planets, 12 zodiac signs, and 27 constellations in this garden. Along with this, there are 116 varieties of medicinal plants in the herbal garden here. These include many medicinal trees like khus, sandalwood, and Karmen.
The building is situated on the beautiful hill of Shimla
The Retreat building is situated at an altitude of 8000 feet in Shimla. In 1850, this building was built by the Medical Superintendent of Shimla. The building is spread over an area of 10,628 square feet. In 1895, the Viceroy took over this building again. After independence, it was converted into Rashtrapati Bhavan. The retreat was then treated as part of the Presidential Estate.
