The Legacy of Bengaluru’s Raj Bhavan

Formerly known as the Mysuru state residency or simply residency, the Raj Bhavan, built in the days of the Kingdom of Mysore, encases a long historical legacy.

View of the Residency, 1894; Source: Wikimedia

Perhaps the most famous British remnant in Bengaluru is the Raj Bhavan. It was built in 1840 by Sir Mark Cubbon, the then British commissioner of the Mysore territories, at the highest point in Bangalore, known as High Grounds, using his own funds. The bungalow was put up for sale when Cubbon left in 1861 and was eventually bought by the subsequent commissioner, Lewin Bentham Bowring, with government funds. It served as the resident's official home until Indi gained independence in 1947. The building also lends its name to the abutting Residency Road.

The structure was designed for Cubbon's comfort and included a stable and a garden. The garden, which originally spanned over 92.3 acres, had a lush green cover that prevented passers-by from peeping in. Cubbon, an avid equestrian, also had about fifty Arabian horses on the premises. When King Edward VII, Prince of Wales, visited India in 1874, a ballroom was built to commemorate him. It was called Serapis Room in honour of the ship that had brought the prince to Mumbai. The structure underwent several modifications during the British residency, including the expansion of the bungalow and the addition of a second floor.

Prior to India's independence, the structure served as the Resident's official address. A similar administrative position of raj pramukh (governor) was established under the Constitution of India—the first raj pramukh of Mysore was the maharaja of Mysore. The Residency became the raj pramukh's formal home, but the maharaja of Mysore preferred to stay in his own palaces in Bengaluru and Mysore instead. Consequently, the government changed the Residency into a state guesthouse. The president and the vice president, officials from the central government, and chief ministers from various states have resided at the Residency. Every year, on Independence Day and Republic Day, parties were hosted by the raj pramukh at the bhavan, a tradition that has continued till now.

Another legacy of the Residency remains within the property of State Bank of India on St. Marks Road. Also built in a style similar to that of the Raj Bhavan, it serves as the residence of SBI’s chief general manager in charge of Karnataka. Like the Raj Bhavan, it is not open to the public.

View of Raj Bhavan, 2018; Source: LBB Banglore