An exclusive tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the largest presidential home in the world. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
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00:00India's presidential palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan, is the largest presidential home in the world.
00:14Designed by British architect Edward Lutyens, the palace was built by 23,000 workers between
00:211913 and 1929 and was inaugurated in 1931.
00:27The total cost of construction was 14 million rupees.
00:32The 37 entry points on the 330-acre estate are watched over by the president's bodyguard,
00:40India's oldest army regiment founded in 1773.
00:45On Saturday mornings, the changing of the guard ceremony can be witnessed by visitors.
01:01The palace itself covers 200,000 square feet and has 2.5 kilometres of corridors running
01:08through it on four floors.
01:10Bigger than Versailles in Paris and Buckingham in London, the structure is supported by 227
01:17columns.
01:19Entering the marble room, visitors are greeted by life-size oil paintings of British Viceroys
01:26and Indian leaders.
01:28Darbar Hall is perhaps the most important room in the palace.
01:32Supported by marble pillars, the hall has a two-tonne chandelier hanging 33 metres from
01:37the roof.
01:38Every five years, a new prime minister and his cabinet is sworn in by the president in
01:43this hall.
01:46Overlooking the Mughal Gardens, Ashoka Hall is arguably the most beautiful room.
01:52A wall-to-wall carpet woven by 500 Kashmiri artisans over two years covers the wooden
01:58floor.
02:00The centrepiece of the hall is a large ceiling canvas gifted by the 18th century Iranian
02:05king Fateh Ali Shah, depicting a hunting scene with his 22 sons.
02:11The north drawing room is where the president meets with world leaders and dignitaries,
02:16while the long drawing room plays host to conferences with the president and the governors.
02:21Portraits on the wall include Lord and Lady Mountbatten with Mahatma Gandhi and India's
02:27first Minister of Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
02:32The entrance to the presidential library is flanked by two busts, one of India's first
02:38president Rajendra Prasad and one of former president Zakir Hussain.
02:43Overlooking the forecourt, the library has an impressive collection of 25,000 books including
02:50rare maps and gazettes.
02:53The banquet hall has a 104-seater dining table and is used by the president for state banquets.
03:01The basement of the palace is home to a unique kitchen museum which showcases a collection
03:06of crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils used in the presidential kitchen and dining
03:12rooms since 1931.
03:15Also on display are crockeries gifted to the president by world leaders.
03:20The palace boasts a total of 340 rooms and the market value of the estate is estimated
03:27at 12 billion US dollars.
03:31Anyone with a photo ID can visit the Rashtrapati Bhavan by simply booking online and paying
03:36rupees 25 entry fee.
03:39Abhishek Sengupta for Gulf News.