Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall, Ashok Hall renamed

Two significant Rashtrapati Bhavan halls, Durbar Hall and Ashok Hall, have been renamed as Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap, respectively, by President Droupadi Murmu. It was decided to portray Indian cultural values and ethos in the magnificent building's ambiance.

"The President of India's palace and office, Rashtrapati Bhavan, is a priceless national treasure and a symbol of the people's legacy. To increase its accessibility, ongoing efforts are being done. The Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement that "there has been a consistent endeavour to make the ambience of the Rashtrapati Bhavan reflective of Indian cultural values and ethos."

It continued, "Therefore, President Droupadi Murmu is glad to rename two of Rashtrapati Bhavan's key halls, namely Durbar Hall and Asok Hall, as Ganatantra Mandap and Asok Mandap, respectively.

This is the most recent action taken by the BJP administration in its effort to free the nation from colonial debt.

The press statement said that the title 'Durbar' alludes to the British Raj and the courts of Indian emperors. It also stated that when India became a republic, it became irrelevant.
 
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 the ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue.

Ashok Hall was originally a ballroom. The word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is ‘free from all sufferings’ or is ‘bereft of any sorrow’. Also, ‘Ashoka’ refers to Emperor Ashok, a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence. 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'.