Hark back to the homes of the royals of Royapettah
Royapettah in Chennai hosts several historic royal residences, including Amir Mahal, which was改建 from a police court into a residence for the Arcot royal family under British rule. The architecture of Amir Mahal was inspired by Queen Victoria’s Osborne House and features distinctive red and green elements with domed minarets. Though the main building is not publicly accessible, its entrance archway remains a notable landmark in the area.
- ▪Amir Mahal was originally a police court before being converted into a royal residence after 1857.
- ▪The building was redesigned by architect R.F. Chisholm in the style of Queen Victoria’s Osborne House.
- ▪Amir Mahal served as a grace and favour residence for the former ruling family of Arcot.
- ▪The entrance archway of Amir Mahal functioned as a naubat khana or drum house.
- ▪Several other royal residences, some surviving and others remembered in name, are located in the Royapettah area.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Long ago – and I really don’t recall where – I read an article by someone that owing to the presence of Amir Mahal, Royapettah ought to be renamed Royalpettah. The idea is not far wrong, for apart from Amir Mahal, there are, scattered around the area, plenty of other royal residences, some still surviving and others remembered in name.Let us begin with Amir Mahal itself. That former police court was converted into a grace and favour residence for the erstwhile ruling family of Arcot when the British Crown took over the administration of India from the East India Company, post the revolt of 1857. The building was modified by R.F. Chisholm on the lines of Queen Victoria’s Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, and named Amir Mahal.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
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