Why in the news?
- On December 28, the iconic Mughal Garden was renamed "Amrit Udyan". On the occasion of 75 years of independence with the theme of "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav." The president of India is pleased to give a name to the Rashtrapati bhavan gardens as Amrit Udyan.
- The president said it is to shred the symbol of colonialism and is an aspiration for India for Amrit Kaal.
About Mughal Garden
- It was built in 1928-29.
- Edwin Lutyens designed it.
- It incorporates both Mughal as well as English landscaping styles.
- The garden has two channels that interact at the right angle and divide the garden into a grid of squares– a char bagh (the typical characteristic of the Mughal styling).
- The garden has six lotus-shaped fountains at the crossings of the channels that rise to the height of 12 feet.
- The garden features are fountains, canals, terraces, waterways, sunk courts, high walls, etc.
- The garden initially included the East Lawn, Central Lawn, Long Garden, and Circular Garden.
- The presidents developed the garden, especially by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Ram Nath Kovind, such as Herbal-I, Herbal-II, and Tactile garden for the visually challenged, Bonsai Garden, and Arogya Vanam.
- President R Venkataraman added Cactus Garden.
Why is it in Mughal style?
- The inspiration for making a garden was taken from the Mughal gardens of Jammu Kashmir.
- The architecture was based on the gardens of Medieval Persia, particularly the char bagh structure, described by Babur in his memoir "Baburnama".
- The char bagh style was intended to create a representation of perfect harmony with the elements of nature.
Imprints by Edwin Lutyens about the history of the garden
- In 1917, the plan submitted by Edwin Lutyens for the garden had a grid of parterres, water channels, and walkways behind the erstwhile Vuceroy's palace.
- Lutyens fused the elements of European flower gardens, like flowerbeds, lawns, and private hedges, with the Mughal canals and terraces.
- The planting started in 1928-29.
- The director of horticulture, William Mustoe, collaborated with Edwin Lutyens.
- Sarojini Naidu suggested the name of the garden, "garden of unity", but it was never adopted. Moreover, the garden is known as the Mughal Garden.
Critics
The architect K. T. Ravindran believes that the garden's renaming is inappropriate given that it was created in a Persian or Mughal style. Edwin Lutyens purposefully incorporated Mughal architectural elements when creating the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the Viceroy's House) as part of the British appeasement plan.
