New Delhi: The Durbar Hall and Ashok Hall at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where various ceremonial events take place, have been renamed Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap, respectively.
Rashtrapati Bhavan, which serves as both the office and residence of the President of India, stands as a symbol of the nation and an invaluable part of the countrys heritage.
Continuous efforts are being made to make it more accessible to people. There has been a consistent endeavour to make the ambience of the Rashtrapati Bhavan reflective of the Indian cultural values and ethos, a statement issued by the Presidents Secretariat said.
Accordingly, President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to rename two of the important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan — Durbar Hall and Ashok Hall — as Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap, respectively, it said.
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 ancient times, making Ganatantra Mandap an apt name for the venue, the statement said.
Originally, Ashok Hall was a ballroom.
The word Ashok connotes someone who is free from all sufferings or is bereft of any sorrow, the statement said.
It was noted that the name Ashoka refers to Emperor Ashok, who is recognized as a symbol of unity and peaceful coexistence.
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 said.
