North Block or South Block
Edwin Landseer Lutyens had originally intended the Kingsway ( Rajpath ) to slope up to the Viceroy’s palace. However, Herbert Baker, his colleague, felt it necessary to level the space between the two secretariat buildings, thus creating the great central vista called the North & South Block. The two secretariat buildings are raised on a plinth so as to be level with the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The secretariat buildings are now the offices of the Government of India. The Home affairs & Finance ministries are in the North Block and the Prime Minister’s office, External Affairs Ministry and the Defence Ministry are in the South Block. The vast open space at the base of the slope is called “Vijay Chowk” meaning victory square. The Beating the Retreat” ceremony takes place here on 29 January each year.
