The Secretariat Building, consisting of the symmetrical North and South Blocks, houses the most important offices and ministries of the Government of India in New Delhi, strategically flanking the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill. Its planning commenced after Delhi became the capital in 1911, with prominent British architect Herbert Baker designing these imposing structures in the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture style, despite a notable design dispute with Edwin Lutyens. Constructed from distinctive cream and red Dholpur sandstone, each four-level building contains approximately 1,000 rooms, crowned by a large central dome and incorporating Mughal and Rajasthani elements like Jali screens and Chatri pavilions. Though unveiled in 1930 with "dominion columns" symbolizing India's expected imperial status, these buildings quickly became the vital and enduring seat of power for an independent, sovereign India.