President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the annual ‘Udyanotsav’ on February 12 – a day ahead of the reopening of Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The garden will be opened to the public for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the general public from February 13 to March 21 (except on Mondays) between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm.
All visitors will have to abide by social distancing and follow safety protocols such as wearing masks. As precautionary measures, walk-in entries will not be available. Visitors will have to make advance bookings on the Rashtrapati Bhavan website.
All visitors will have to undergo thermal screening while entering the premises.
Pre-booked slots
Seven pre-booked hourly slots will be available between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm. The last entry will be at 4.00 pm. Each slot will accommodate 100 persons.
All visitors will have to enter and exit through Gate No. 35 close to where the North Avenue meets the President’s Estate. Visitors have been requested not to carry water bottles, briefcases, handbags, cameras, and eatables, among other things.
The Mughal Gardens
The garden is spread over 15 acres within the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s premises. According to the President’s Secretariat, it draws inspiration from the Mughal Gardens of Jammu and Kashmir, the gardens around the Taj Mahal, and paintings of India and Persia.
The layout of the garden was finalised by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1917. However, the plantings were done only in 1928-1929. The garden brings together two horticultural traditions – the Mughal style and the English flower garden.
The garden has 159 varieties of roses which blossom primarily in the month of February and March. Besides roses, the garden has a large number of tulips, Asiatic lilies, daffodils, hyacinth, and other seasonal flowers. There are more than 70 varieties of seasonal flowers including exotic bulbous and winter flowering plants.