In April this year, the Rashtrapati Niwas at Mashobra in Himachal’s Shimla district opened its doors to the public. A 173-year-old heritage property constructed in European architectural style, the Rashtrapati Niwas is one of four existing President’s residences in the country. Built in 1850 by the Maharaja of Koti as a single-storeyed building, it uses Himachal’s typical style of Dhajji wall construction (braced timber frames in different patterns). The key feature of this style is that the building remains warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There is also a sprawling, manicured lawn in front of the building, with some of the most exquisite and rare varieties of beautiful flowers and trees.
Apart from an apple orchard that was planted quite recently, there is a European tree called Copper Beech, which was planted over a century ago by Lord Kitchener, who is most well known for having designed Wildflower Hall. The leaves of some of the trees here come in two or three shades and keep changing their colours with every season. At the centre of the garden is a traditional sundial, which also dates to the British era. The Niwas has a spectacular view of the Shimla hills, including the scenic Shaily Peak.
In 1860, a British official called William Hay took the building on lease from the Maharaja. In 1881, British civil servant Sir Edward Charles Buck further designed the building as a double-storey. In 1895, the ninth Viceroy of Elgin bought the building from the king and named it The Retreat, Mashobra. Thereafter, it turned into a lodge that British officials would visit and stay during their vacations. Their office was in the city’s Institute of Advanced Study, earlier known as the Viceroy Regal Lodge. In 1947, the last viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, stayed here. Post-independence, the property was handed over to the Government of India, which allotted it to the President of the nation and named it Rashtrapati Niwas. In 1951, Rajendra Prasad was the first President of independent India who visited the residence. To date, every President visits the residence at least once for about three to four days every summer. During this time, the President’s office also moves here.
Needless to say, the security at the premises is impressive, and understandably so. Visitors must present a valid government ID proof while buying their tickets at the counter, after which they are thoroughly screened and checked. After that, a well-informed local guide meets you at the gate and walks you through the residence, explaining its various facets. At the entrance of the building, one is greeted by two brass elephants, which were presented by the Sirmur Estate in 1928. The top floor has six private rooms with balconies for the President and her family. The ground floor consists of rooms for the President’s huge VIP delegation that travels with her, including an ADC room (the office of the President’s Secretary), a drawing room and a hill-view study. With British-era furniture and an old wooden fireplace, there is also a large dining room, which can seat about 22 people. To date, the building even retains its antique switches.
The ground floor also has an archival map of the Viceregal Estate from the 18th century and several archival black-and-white photographs of the building. Apart from a large photograph of the current President, Shrimati Draupadi Murmu, a gallery has pictures of India’s 14 former presidents, all of whom have been guests at the residence during their respective tenures. Other artefacts in the building include a stunning black-and-white sketch of the Niwas, which a local artist created. There are also some paintings depicting some of Himachal’s traditional dresses. Further, there are recent pictures of Murmu from her various visits and other important visits to the Niwas over the years, including Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Shimla for the first time on 12th May 1921.
A short walk from the Niwas brings one to the Kalyani helipad, which officials regularly use to land and take off from Shimla. Currently, trial runs of golf carts are taking place for visits to the Niwas, which will begin very soon. An entry charge of INR 50 per person to the Niwas is quite worthwhile, given the treasure of history that exists beyond its gates.
There is a little Curio Shop outside where visitors can buy souvenirs to take back home and a café for a quick bite. Overall, a visit to Rashtrapati Niwas is a refreshing new addition to Mashobra’s regular sightseeing spots, which otherwise mostly consist of nature walks.
Getting There
The nearest airport is Jubbarhatti Airport, approximately 23 kilometres away, where you can catch a taxi or hire a private car. If you prefer travelling by train, Kalka Railway Station is the nearest major railway station, followed by a toy train journey to Shimla and then a taxi or local bus to Mashobra. By road, you can drive from Shimla, following NH5, to reach Mashobra.
Timings
Public tours are accessible for online and offline booking, usually from 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM. The final entry is permitted until 03:00 PM on all days of the week except for Mondays and public holidays.