What was on the land before Rashtrapati Bhavan was built on it? Who was owner of the land?

Often on the internet, you come across stunning pictures of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, formerly Viceroy's House (1931–1947) and Government House (1947–1950), the official residence of the President of India. Rashtrapati Bhavan is located at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill in New Delhi, and was constructed during the British Raj. When the Indian capital was shifted from Kolkata (then Calcutta) to Delhi in 1911, this place was chosen by the British Empire to establish as its headquarters. 

The land on which Rashtrapati Bhavan was built was originally known as Raisina Hill. Before 1911, the area housed small villages with close to 300 families immersed in farming and animal husbandry. The decision to make Delhi the capital was taken due to historical and geographical reasons.

Raisina Hill was owned by the Maharaja of Jaipur before it became the site of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. To commemorate Delhi as India's capital, Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh of Jaipur, at the time, gifted the Jaipur Column, which stands in the Rashtrapati Bhavan's forecourt.

However, a few years ago, some people came forward claiming that they are the original owners of Lutyens' Delhi, which includes the land where the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament, North Block, and South Block are located. The Lutyens Zone is an area with bungalows for government officials and their administrative offices. 

The British Empire chose Raisina Hill as its headquarters because of its high altitude. Rashtrapati Bhavan, designed to be the official residence of the Viceroy of British India, was constructed between 1912 and 1929. The building was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker.

Now, since this was a hilly area, large-scale digging and leveling work were done to prepare Raisina Hill for construction. Explosions were also carried out to level the ground. A huge amount of stones and soil had to be moved for construction. 

Due to the hilly terrain, it was difficult to move heavy goods from one place to another. Hence, a railway line was laid for this purpose. Marble, sandstone, and other goods were brought from Rajasthan and other places through this railway line.

Rashtrapati Bhavan is a mixture of Indian and Western architectural styles. The building has 340 rooms, a huge Darbar Hall, and beautiful gardens. It is said that it was expected to take 4 years to build but it took 17 years. Talking about the cost of building Rashtrapati Bhavan, it is said that more than Rs 1.3 crore was spent at that time on its construction.

After India gained independence in 1947, the building was renamed from Viceroy House to Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is now the official residence of the President of India and a symbol of the administration of the Republic of India.

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