Mukherjee, attired in a black sherwani and churidar, was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India at 11.28 am inside the central hall of the parliament. Escorted by his predecessor Pratibha Patil, he went from Rashtrapati Bhavan to parliament and then back to Rashtrapati Bhavan — this time as the first citizen — in a tableau of colour and ceremonial grandeur that has for decades marked this historic change of guard of democratic India’s top office.

His highness: Pranab Mukherjee waves from the horse-drawn presidential buggy. Mukherjee moves into the 340-room Rashtrapati Bhavan from his official bungalow on Talkatora Road. He will henceforth travel in a long black bombproof Mercedes limousine — a far cry from the Ambassador car he used to travel in. Pic/AFP