Raj Bhavan - Ooty, Tamil Nadu

Government House (Raj Bhavan) is situated on a ridge of the Western Slopes of Dodabetta on the outskirts of the South Eastern Quarter of Udhagamandalam.

Before Udhagamandalam became the virtual summer capital of the state, it was visited periodically, by the Governors of Madras for a few months to -make a good escape from the hot sultry weather of Madras.

Built in 1877 by the Duke of Buckingham when he was the Governor of Madras, Government House, Raj Bhavan today, is used only occasionally during the Governor of Tamil Nadu's visit to Ooty. Otherwise, the sprawling cream-coloured mansion, overlooking the Botanical Gardens stands a silent reminder of the pomp and grandeur that it had seen in the days of the Raj.

A fine ballroom added by Sir Arthur Havelock in 1900 and in 1904 the entire building was electrified. The well-kept lawn and the beautiful gardens is the residence of the Governor for most of the summer months of April, May and June. Portraits of Governor and their ladies, of Queen Victoria, George V, George Marry, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos and many others decorate the walls of the house The majestic building on the Dodabetta Ridge, near botanical Garden, was built in 1877, by the Duke of Buckingham.