Shimla, July 9 (Inditop.com) Now one can visit the historical Barnes Court which houses the Raj Bhavan (Governor’s House) in the Himachal Pradesh capital with the click of a mouse.
“People will now have access to the activities and important events taking place in the Raj Bhavan through website (http://www.himachalrajbhavan nic.in.) that was launched by state Governor Prabha Rau Wednesday,” a senior official of the Raj Bhavan told IANS.
This elegant building, constructed in 1832, was the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during British rule, with Sir Louis Dane its first occupant.
“The website has a collection of photographs in the photo gallery, covering different facets of this heritage structure along with important events which have taken place here, including the 175th anniversary celebrations of Barnes Court,” the official said.
The historic Simla agreement between India and Pakistan was inked in this building after the 1971 war.
The website also contains the history of Peterhoff, the old building housing the Raj Bhavan, which was gutted in a fire on Jan 12, 1981.
Then governor Aminuddin Ahmed Khan could barely manage to escape the flaming building. He lost all his belongings and was left with only the clothes he was wearing.
Rebuilt on the original site, Peterhoff now serves as the state guest house.
However, Barnes Court is considered jinxed. Except Prabha Rau’s predecessor, Justice (retd) Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, no governor of the state has completed his/her full five-year term in office since 1981.
“Since 1981, 21 governors had assumed charge but none of them, except Kokje, completed their full term in office,” a senior Raj Bhawan official said.
Prabha Rau assumed the charge as the 22nd governor in July last year.
Author E.J. Buck wrote in his book “Simla Past and Present” that Barnes Court is partly a single and partly a double storeyed building. It has been built in such a way as to have good views on three sides – the west, south and east.
The front of the house is raised on a masonry terrace and there is a level lawn to the west between the house and a hill.
Shimla has 91 British-era heritage buildings in typical Tudor style – all wooden frames and shingled eaves – but most are in bad shape.
