New Delhi:

In keeping with the government’s efforts to move away from the colonial past, the President’s Secretariat announced on Thursday that two important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan, where various ceremonies are held, are being renamed to be more reflective of “Indian cultural values and ethos”.

The Durbar Hall will now be called the ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ while the new name of Ashok Hall is ‘Ashok Mandap’.

In a statement, the Secretariat said the decision was taken by President Droupadi Murmu because the Rashtrrapati Bhavan – the office and residence of the President of India – is a symbol of the nation and continuous efforts are being made to make it more accessible to people. 

The Durbar Hall is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations, including the National Awards. 

“The term ‘Durbar’ refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since the ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue,” the statement said. 

Ashok Hall was originally a ballroom and the Secretariat said the word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or “bereft of any sorrow”, besides referring to Emperor Ashok, “a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence”. 

“Renaming ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ashok Mandap’ brings uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation while upholding the key values associated with the word ‘Ashok’,” it said. 

Reacting to the move, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a dig at the government and said in Hindi, “There is no concept of ‘durbar’ now, but the concept of ‘shahanshah’ (emperor) still exists.”

Last year, the Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens, popularly known as the Mughal Gardens, were renamed ‘Amrit Udyan’.