Raj Bhavan Governor's House

The second Raj Bhavan or Governor’s House, located in Nainital is mainly the summer retreat of the governor of Uttarakhand. In the pre-independence era of India, Nainital served as the summer capital of the United Provinces. This building is built like a Scottish castle and was christened the ‘Government House’. The Raj Bhavan was built by the British and was used as the residence of the governor of the North-Western Provinces. This place was built on a European pattern and based on Gothic architecture.
The Raj Bhavan estate is spread over a vast space (220 acres) of area with a golf course on 45 acres of land. The golf course of Raj Bhavan is one of the vintage golf courses in India. It is affiliated to the Indian Golf Union. In the post-independence period, Sarojini Naidu, (the first governor of Uttar Pradesh) was the first occupant of this historic monument.

Attraction

This 127-year-old building proudly stands with amazing woodwork in interiors and beautiful outer architecture. Surprisingly, the number of visitors is fewer when compared to other tourist attractions in Nainital and that is certainly a good sign. This place, with amazing architecture, is certainly a must-visit for both adults and kids. A guided tour is available to explore the Raj Bhawan. The guide will tell you about different features of the main building as well as the history related to articles placed in it. He will also tell you about various trees present on the campus.
Hare you are allowed to visit only the main hall. The visitors can’t enter the living rooms or climb the stairs. Consisting of 113 rooms, it is a treat to explore the stunning edifice (which is believed to be a copy of the Birmingham Palace). However, all rooms are not accessible to the public since the Governor still resides here. But the stunning beauty of this building as well as the vintage golf course will blow your mind. For history lovers and architectural enthusiasts, this Raj Vabhan is heaven.

History

The second Raj Bhawan of Uttarakhand, situated in Nainital, was built in the pre-Independence era, Nainital served as the summer capital of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). The foundation stone of Nainital Raj Bhawan was laid precisely on 27th April 1897. The construction took two years to complete. This beautiful castle was christened as the “Government House” and After Independence in 1947, it was renamed as Raj Bhawan. The vintage golf course of Raj Bhavan was built in 1936.

While the Raj Bhawan was shifted to Circuit House, the Governor’s Secretariat continued to function from Bijapur House premises till 27 July 2009. The new Raj Bhawan Secretariat and Auditorium buildings were inaugurated by H.E. Shri B. L. Joshi (the 3rd Governor of Uttarakhand). Later on, a separate Governor’s Official Residence was built in this premises which was inaugurated by Smt. Margaret Alva (the 4th Governor of Uttarakhand) on 14 April 2010. Therefore, the Old building was previously known as Circuit House and the new one is now being used as Raj Bhawan Guest House.

Inside/Outside Views

Raj Bhavan is a beautiful building, built like a Scottish castle, and was christened as the ‘Government House’. It is built on European patterns and based on ‘Gothic’ Architecture. Local stones have been used in the construction of this building. Some of the privileged occupants of the Raj Bhawan in the pre-Independence era include Sir Antony Mac Ddonald, Sir Harcourt Butler, Sir James, and Sir John Misten, who were the then Governors of the United Provinces.
Abutting the Raj Bhawan is 160 acres of forest land which has a number of ‘faunal species’, besides a large number of floral varieties. The Raj Bhawan also has a Golf Course spread over 45 acres showing a stunning view. The Golf Course is one of the vintage golf courses in India. It is affiliated with the Indian Golf Union (IGU) too. Tourists can enjoy a game of golf after paying a small green fee.

How to Reach

By road: It is situated in Nainital’s ‘Ayarpatta’ area. From the busy area of Nainital, Tibetan and Bhotia Market is only 1 km away. Nainital is well connected with other major cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, etc. of the country. And from Nainital city, you will get local transport to reach the site.
By air: The closest airport, ‘PantNagar Airport’ (which is a domestic one), is almost 70 kilometers away from this area and is in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. You can visit this place from India. Apart from that, there are airports in Delhi or Lucknow with direct flights to Pant Nagar. From the airport, you can easily get local transport to reach the site.
By train: The closest railway station from the Tibetan and Bhotia Market is 35 km away at the ‘Kathgodam railway station’. This station is well connected with major areas of the country. From the station, you will get local transport so that you can reach the site.

Tips for Travellers

Please wear suitable and comfortable clothes according to both culture and seasons.
Don’t forget to follow the code of conduct.
If you are visiting Nainital for the first time, try to visit in a group for safety purposes.
Avoid the Monsoon, it’s better to avoid visiting during the monsoon season (from July to August) due to heavy rainfall, which can lead to landslides and difficult travel conditions.