Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar and Ashok Hall to be renamed. Here is every detail you need to know

The Ashok Hall and the Durbar Hall have been the venues of multiple ceremonial functions in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Now, these halls are to be renamed as Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap respectively.

First things first, the Durbar Hall is actually the venue where all the national award presentations are held. On the other hand, the Ashok hall was a ballroom originally.

“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,” said the President's Secretariat through a statement.

The "Dubrar" referred to the assemblies and courts of the British and the Indian rulers, as per the official statement by the government. The term, however, has lost its relevance after the country became a Republic, i.e. a Ganatantra, said the statement.

According to the statement, "the concept of 'Ganatantra' is deeply rooted in Indian society since the ancient times, making 'Ganatantra Mandap' an apt name for the venue."

As far as the Ashok Hall is concerned, the government expressed that the term "Ashok Manda" actually brings in "uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation"  without leaving the core values embedded in the term "Ashok">

The term "Ashok" actually connotes to Emperor Ashok, who had been a symbol of unity in the country. Also, the term "Ashok" also refers to a person who is "bereft of any sorrow" or "free from all sufferings".

The relevance of "Ashok" has always been central. This can be very well appreciated by the fact that the hall which is actually the ballroom in the Rahstrapati Bhavan is named after it. Additionally, the National Emblem of the Republic of India is actually the lion capital of Ashok. The word "Ashok" has always held important historical significance in India. A tree which holds strong significance in the religious traditions of India, along with its culture and arts, had also been named as "Ashok". 

It was President Draupadi Murmu who announced the renaming of the halls in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Durbar Hall- its significance

The Durbar Hall plays a significant role as it is where all the Civil and Defence Investiture are conducted.  It is in the Durbar hall where the President of India confers the honors to the recipients. The swearing-in ceremonies are also held in the Durbar hall.

Not many people know, but the Darbar Hall was previously known as the throne room. It is also the room that witnessed the swearing-in of the first government of Independent India in the year 1947.

Earlier, the Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, known as the Mughal Gardens, were renamed as the "Amrit Udyan".