Droupadi Murmu gives traditional buggy a miss during swearing-in ceremony: A look back at its glorious history

President Droupadi Murmu scripted history on Monday when she became the first tribal President of India.

In a grand ceremony, which included several personal touches and links to her Santhal tribe, Murmu broke from tradition. The gold-plated presidential buggy (horse-drawn carriage) was not a part of her oath taking ceremony.

After being sworn in as the 15th President of India, Murmu returned with Ram Nath Kovind in a black limousine and switched to an open Maruti jeep to inspect the Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s forecourt.

In 2014, former President Pranab Mukherjee had revived the tradition of buggy,  three decades after it was discontinued at public functions due to security reasons. He used the buggy to attend the Beating the Retreat ceremony that year.

Former President Kovind, who succeeded Pranab Mukherjee, continued the tradition of riding the buggy. He inspected the Guard of Honour in the presidential buggy after he took oath in 2017.

But how did the presidential buggy come into being? We take a look at the interesting history behind it.

Coin toss decided its history

During the British era, the gold-plated, horse-drawn buggy belonged to the Viceroy of India. Soon after Partition, both India and Pakistan claimed the fancy buggy. However, there was no higher authority to sort out this quarrel.

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In the absence of a decision maker, both the countries decided to flip a coin for it. India’s Lieutenant Colonel Thakur Govind Sing and Pakistan Army’s Sahabzada Yaqub Khan took full responsibility of the fact that the ownership of the buggy would depend on a coin toss, according to an India Today report.

India won the toss and since then the buggy has remained in India and has been used by elected presidents of India.

The presidential buggy is a black carriage that has the national emblem, the Ashoka Chakra, embossed in gold. The buggy that is drawn by a mixed breed of Indian and Austrian horses, has gold plated rims and is extremely comfortable, according to a Hindustan Times report.

How is the buggy used?

Earlier, presidents used the buggy to travel till India Gate to pay homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on Republic Day and also on Beating Retreat.

Apart from using the horse-drawn carriage during major ceremonies, presidents have also used the buggy to move around in their 320-acre residential space, according to India Today.

As per an NDTV report, almost 30 years ago, former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had used the buggy to reach the exit gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan. From here, he travelled in a car to attend the Republic Day ceremony.

After 1984, however, the buggy was not used frequently by any President. It was only in 2014 when former President Pranab Mukherjee used it again.

Why was it discontinued?

As the President’s security has been ramped up over the years, the buggy made few public appearances. The usage was strictly limited to ceremonial formalities at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

According to a report by Indian Express, the stable which was reserved to keep the buggy’s horses gradually fell into disuse. Now, there’s a plan to turn that space into a museum which will showcase the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

After 1984, the buggy was discontinued following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, as per Hindustan Times. In 2014, Rashtrapati Bhavan’s suggestion of using the buggy again was debated in security circles.

“The Delhi Police, responsible for the President’s security, was not at all in favour of using the buggy, but were told by home ministry officials looking after VIP security that the Beating Retreat ceremony takes place in a high-security zone surrounded by buildings that are also extremely secure. Ultimately, the police agreed to the suggestion from the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” said a Ministry of Home Affairs official in a Hindustan Times report.

With inputs from agencies

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