 | This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(November 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
| Raj Bhavan Bangalore, Karnataka | |
|---|---|
 Raj Bhavan (then The Residency) around 1894 | |
| Former names | The Residency, the Bangalore Residency, the Mysore State Residency |
| General information | |
| Status | The official residence of the Governor of Karnataka |
| Location | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Current tenants | Governor Vajubhai Vala |
| Construction started | 1840 |
| Completed | 1842 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Sir Mark Cubbon |
| Website | |
| http://rajbhavan.kar.nic.in | |
The Raj Bhavan, formerly known during British India as the Bangalore Residency, the Mysore State Residency, or, simply, the Residency, is the official residence of the Governor of Karnataka. It is located in the capital city of Bangalore, Karnataka. During Mysore Kingdom, the building was home to the Resident of the British Agency that was in subsidiary alliance with the Kingdom of Mysore.
The Provinces of India, earlier Presidencies of British India and still earlier, Presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in India. Collectively, they were called British India. In one form or another, they existed between 1612 and 1947, conventionally divided into three historical periods:
Bangalore, officially known as Bengaluru, is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of over ten million, making it a megacity and the third-most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration in India. It is located in southern India on the Deccan Plateau at an elevation of over 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level, which is the highest among India's major cities. Its multireligious and cosmopolitan character is reflected by its more than 1000 temples, 400 mosques, 100 churches, 40 Jain derasars, three Sikh gurdwaras, two Buddhist viharas and one Parsi fire temple located in an area of 741 km² of the metropolis. The religious places are further represented by the proposed Chabad of the Jewish community. The numerous Bahá'ís have a society called the Bahá'í Centre.
Karnataka is a state in the south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The state corresponds to the Carnatic region. The capital and largest city is Bangalore (Bengaluru).
Contents
Situated at the highest point in Bangalore, High Grounds (3031 feet above sea level), it was built by Sir Mark Cubbon between 1840 and 1842 when he was the Commissioner of Mysore territories of the British. After Cubbon left in 1861, the bungalow was put up for sale and purchased by the succeeding commissioner, Lewin Bentham Bowring, using government funds, and became the official residence of the Commissioner.
Lieutenant-General Sir Mark Cubbon KCB was a British army officer with the East India Company who became the British Commissioner of Mysore state in 1834. During his tenure, he established a law and order system, introduced judicial and economic reforms and through action in all spheres of governance helped develop the economy of Mysore. He resigned from his office in 1860 due to ill-health and left for England for the first time since his arrival in India as a cadet in 1800. The administration of the Kingdom of Mysore under his leadership ensured that the 1857 rebellion had almost no repercussions in the region. He died in 1861 on board ship at Suez. Cubbon Road and Cubbon Park in Bangalore are named after him.
Mysore, officially Mysuru, is a city in the state of Karnataka, India. It is located in the foothills of the Chamundi Hills about 145.2 km (90 mi) towards the southwest of Bangalore and spread across an area of 152 km2 (59 sq mi). Mysore City Corporation is responsible for the civic administration of the city, which is also the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division.
Lewin Bentham Bowring (1824–1910) was a British civil servant in India who served as commissioner of Mysore between 1862 and 1870. He was also an author and man of letters.
A ballroom was constructed in 1874 when the King Edward VII, Prince of Wales, visited India. It was named 'Serapis Room' after the ship which brought the Prince to Bombay. Many changes were made to the building during its existence in the British Raj.
In 1881, when power over the territory was transferred back to the Mysore Royal family, the office of the Commissioner was abolished. The building became the official residence of the Resident and came to be called the Residency till the Independence of India (15 August 1947) when the Residency was abolished. The Constitution of Independent India created the office of the "Raj Pramukh" (Governor). The Maharaja of Mysore was made the first Raj Pramukh of Mysore. Although the Residency was converted to the official residence of the Raj Pramukh, the Maharaja of Mysore chose not to stay there, preferring his own palaces at Bangalore and Mysore. Hence, the Residency was converted to a state guesthouse by the Government of India. State guests such as the President of India, the Vice President of India, central government ministers and chief ministers of other states stayed at the Residency. The Chief Minister of Karnataka hosted parties at the Residency. On Independence Day and Republic Day, parties were hosted by the Raj Pramukh, a tradition that has continued till now.
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework demarcating fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It is the longest written constitution of any country on earth. B. R. Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee, is widely considered to be its chief architect.
The Government of India, often abbreviated as GoI, is the union government created by the constitution of India as the legislative, executive and judicial authority of the union of 29 states and seven union territories of a constitutionally democratic republic. It is located in New Delhi, the capital of India.
The president of India is the ceremonial head of state of India and the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces.
The Residency was also used by the Congress party for its legislature party meetings.
The Indian National Congress(
During Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to India, his wife Eleanor Roosevelt stayed at the Residency.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. A member of the Democratic party, he won a record four presidential elections and became a central figure in world events during the first half of the 20th century. Roosevelt directed the federal government during most of the Great Depression, implementing his New Deal domestic agenda in response to the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. As a dominant leader of his party, he built the New Deal Coalition, which realigned American politics into the Fifth Party System and defined American liberalism throughout the middle third of the 20th century. His third and fourth terms were dominated by World War II. Roosevelt is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in American history, as well as among the most influential figures of the 20th century. Though he has been subject to substantial criticism, he is generally rated by scholars as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents, along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political figure, diplomat and activist. She served as the First Lady of the United States from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945 during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms in office, making her the longest serving First Lady of the United States. Roosevelt served as United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952. President Harry S. Truman later called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.
In 1964, the then Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, became the Governor of Madras, and relinquished his gubernatorial post in Mysore. General S M Srinagesh succeeded him, and moved into the Raj Bhavan. It has been the residence of the Governor of the state since.
Originally a single storeyed building, the Raj Bhavan was expanded by the addition of a first floor in 1967, built carefully to adhere to the architectural style of the original structure.
The art collection comprises paintings of a variety of Indian schools of art, as well as some from the West.
The residence is surrounded by beautiful gardens stretching over 16 acres (65,000 m2). The garden is fringed with century old pine and fir trees, and has an artificial waterfall.
