Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar And Ashok Halls Renamed Ganatantra, Ashok Mandap; Opposition Reacts

President Droupadi Murmu has renamed Rashtrapati Bhavan’s ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’, respectively.

According to President’s Secretariat press release, the decision was taken to make the ambience of the stately building reflect Indian cultural values and ethos.

“‘Durbar Hall’ is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of National Awards. The term ‘Durbar’ refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since the ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue,” the press statement said.

“‘Ashok Hall’ was originally a ballroom. The word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or is “bereft of any sorrow”. Also, ‘Ashoka’ refers to Emperor Ashok, a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence. The National Emblem of the Republic of India is the lion capital of Ashok from Sarnath. The word also refers to the Ashok tree which has deep significance in Indian religious traditions as well as arts and culture. Renaming ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ashok Mandap’ brings uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation while upholding the key values associated with the word ‘Ashok’,” it added.

“Accordingly, President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to rename two of the important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan – namely, ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ – as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’ respectively,” the release added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a swipe at renaming of the halls and said, “ye darbar ka concept nahi shehenshah ka concept hai.” (“There is no concept of ‘Durbar’, but a concept of ‘Shehanshah’… interesting.”)

Earlier in 2023, Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Mughal Garden was renamed as ‘Amrit Udyan.’