Raj bhavan open for public view till Aug 31

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala on Thursday opened his official residence, Raj Bhavan, here for the public to view the historic building.

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.

“People of Bengaluru and across Karnataka always wondered what Raj Bhavan looks like, particularly students. So, we have decided to allow visitors free of cost from 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. from August 16-31,” Vala told reporters at Raj Bhavan.

Built by a British army officer Sir Mark Cubbon between 1840-42, when he was the Commissioner of then Mysore territories, Raj Bhavan has largely remained inaccessible to the public so far.

“Its premises are like a well-guarded citadel which generally remains closed for the public, as the entry inside the Raj Bhavan has always remained restricted,” a note from the Governor’s Office said.

By making an e-booking on the Governor’s website at least five days prior to their visit, people can go around the 18-acre colonial building with rich history, of which spectacular gardens with over 15,000 plants and trees occupy about 16 acres.

“People can visit the premises and appreciate the history behind it. The visiting hours will be extended if there is high demand for the tour,” the Governor said.