IF a woman’s place is in the house then the UPA’s presidential candidate, Pratibha Patil, who could well be the country’s first woman president, cannot get a better address than Rashtrapati Bhavan, Raisina Hill.

The magnificent official residence and office of the President of India, the biggest and grandest presidential residence in the world, introduced the concepts of stateliness and solemnity, grandiosity and rigour to the world’s presidency.

It is in this imposing, sumptuous former palace of the British viceroy that the constitutional head of India resides and works from—all executive authority is vested in the President, he is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, his oath of office swears to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, all important appointments are made by the President from the Prime Minister to the Union Cabinet, governors and judges, and the President’s assent is required to turn an Act into law.

The great grille opens to the 300-acre presidential estate atop Raisina Hill, and tells a tale of imperial grandeur and hauteur, for its sheer size and grandness; vanguard architectural design and styles, with its breathtaking inspiration from Roman, Mughal, Buddhist and European works of art, breakthroughs and fusions of techniques and craft are seen in the building. No steel was used to construct the Rashtrapati Bhavan, while the traditional chajjas (stone slabs) below the roof prevented sunrays from falling on the windows. It cooled the rooms, and protected the walls from the rains during monsoon. It also tells the story of the disdain and haughtiness of its original owners, beginning with the architect and designer, to present-day democratic duels between presidential authority and the executive, Parliament.

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