NEW DELHI, July 25: Two important halls in the Rashtrapati Bhavan where various official ceremonies are being held frequently have been renamed to be more reflective of “Indian cultural values and ethos” in keeping with the government’s efforts to move away from the colonial past, the President’s Secretariat announced on Thursday.
The Durbar Hall will now be called the ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ while the new name of Ashok Hall will be ‘Ashok Mandap.’
In a statement, the Secretariat said the decision was taken by President Droupadi Murmu because the Rashtrapati Bhavan – the office and residence of the President of India – is a symbol of the nation and continuous efforts are being made to make it more accessible to people.
The Durbar Hall is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations, including the 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 statement said.
Ashok Hall was originally a ballroom and the Secretariat said the word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or “bereft of any sorrow”, besides referring to Emperor Ashok, “a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence.” “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.
Last year, the Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens, popularly known as the Mughal Gardens, were renamed ‘Amrit Udyan.’
(Manas Dasgupta)