Shimla: President of India Droupadi Murmu, currently on her four-day tour of Shimla, graced the opening of Rashtrapati Niwas, Mashobra for public viewing here on Thursday.
The 173 –year old heritage building with a fascinating façade, well-laid gardens and landscapes overlooked by tulip gardens will be open to visitors from April 23, 2023, between 10 am and 5 pm, except Mondays and other government holidays.
In presence of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the President unveiled the plaque declaring the property open to the public, tourists and travellers.
Till now, the property located at Chharabra Valley, known as President‘s Retreat—a summer resort of the President, was restricted to its VVIP use during the stays of Presidents and their guests.
“This is the second such property after Rashtrapati Nilayam, Secunderabad to be opened to the public. I invited you all to visit Rashtrapati Bhawan New Delhi and also its gardens whenever you happened to be in the union capital,” the President said at “the Home”—a civic reception she had hosted at Rashtrapati Niwas, Mashobra.
She said the rains and hailstorms had come as blessings on this day because the place was being opened to the public.
The visitors can also have glimpses of the heritage building from inside. They can also walk through its lawns, orchards and nature trails. For visitors’ convenience, there will be provision for the cloakroom, wheelchair, café, souvenir shop, restrooms, water dispensers and first aid set-up.
Besides some of the rare and eventful photos of all previous Presidents—the occupants of Rashtrapati Bhawan, her recent photographs including the flight of a warplane– the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft, Rashtrapati Niwas now have Himachali touch inside it.
Twenty-six Artworks ranging from Thangka Paintings, Chamba Rumal, Kangra Miniature paintings, Traditional jewellery artefacts, traditional local costume collages and hand sketches of historical buildings are on display in the heritage building, including the dining hall.
These creative works were conceptualised and executed by Akshita Sharma, Design Consultant on behalf of Himachal Pradesh State Handloom and Handicraft’s Corporation Ltd. All the artworks were done by local artists in the state.