Of the 17 acres of the sprawling campus of Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Karnataka, an immaculate garden covers around 16 acres. The garden has some rare variety of trees, such as the Rudraksha tree, century old pine and fir trees and a wide variety of flowering, shrubs, medicinal and ornamental plants. It can give stiff competition to any botanical space in the country. But, not many have seen the beauty of the garden or the stately British architecture, except in photographs.
To give an opportunity to citizens to view the grandeur of the place, the governor has thrown open the massive iron gates of the well-guarded citadel to the public for the first time ever.
Visitors are welcome till August 31 from 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. They have to register online on the Raj Bhavan website (www.rajbhavan.kar .nic.in).
Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday, Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala said, “People, especially students, want to know what the Raj Bhavan looks like and how the garden is. We have taken this first step so that families and students can visit the Raj Bhavan. For school students, special arrangements will be made. Depending on the demand, we may extend the visiting period and open up the Raj Bhavan for the public more than once a year.”
Visitors will get a guided tour through the glass house, the garden which has around 15,000 plant and tree varieties, and portion of the building covering the darbar where the governor accepts petitions, the VIP lounge and the banquet hall where foreign delegates and other VVIPs are entertained and government programmes are held.
“Six guides from the Department of Tourism have been appointed for conducting the tour. Every evening, the famous Mysuru Police Band, which came up under the patronage of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar Bhaddur IV, will be performing. At the end of the tour, people can get a photo taken in front of the heritage building, which will be e-mailed to them,” said V.R. Ramesh, secretary, Raj Bhavan.
