Rashtrapati Bhavan now open for public viewing for six days a week from June 1

Rashtrapati Bhavan will be open for public viewing for six days in a week from June 1, an official statement issued on Tuesday said.

The tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan will be available from Tuesday to Sunday (except on gazetted holidays) in seven time slots, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm hours, it said.

Rashtrapati Bhavan, home to the country's president, was the creation of architects of exceptional imagination and masterfulness -- Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It was Sir Lutyens who conceptualised the H shaped building, covering an area of 5 acres on a 330 acre estate.

This mansion has a total of 340 rooms spread over four floors, 2.5 kilometres of corridors and 190 acres of garden area, according to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The journey through this work of art is divided into three circuits -- circuit 1 covers the main building and central lawn of Rashtrapati Bhavan, including its premier rooms like the Ashok Hall, Durbar Hall, Banquet Hall, its drawing rooms and many more.

Circuit 2 consists of the tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex, while circuit 3 (that opens during Udyan Utsav) promises the tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan’s famous gardens--Amrit Udyan, Herbal Garden, Musical Garden and Spiritual Garden.

At present, the visit to circuit 1 is open for five days from Wednesday to Sunday and visit to circuit two can be made all days except Monday.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex is also open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday (except on gazetted holidays), said the statement issued by the President's secretariat.

People can witness the change of guard ceremony at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan every Saturday from 8 am to 9 am, it said.

"The ceremony will not take place on Saturday if it is a gazetted holiday or if it is so notified by Rashtrapati Bhavan," the statement added.

Visitors can book their slots online at the website http://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in/rbtour.