Old Delhi's crumbling Mughal mansions restored to former glory
Beneath the dirt and grime, the dilapidated havelis of Old Delhi, once the epicentre of India's Mughal dynasty, offer fleeting glimpses of a glorious past, writes Daniel Allen
Dawn finds Old Delhi's Chhota Bazaar a place of cool repose. Along the neighbourhood's convoluted network of alleyways, a short rickshaw ride from the ramparts of the Red Fort, a handful of sleep-dazed shopkeepers begin unlocking metal shutters. The odd schoolboy or itinerant dog saunters past while a flock of pigeons wheels on the breeze, silver-white plumage shimmering in the early morning sun.
At one address, however, the sounds of labour indicate the working day has long begun. A steady stream of men file through a tall, arched doorway, many bent double under bags of sand and loads of timber. On a skeleton of bamboo scaffolding overhead, more men hack at crumbling plaster and mix mortar with pointed trowels.
A shiny new placard next to the doorway reveals this to be the Seth Ram Lal Khemka Haveli. To the family living here, this time-honoured building has been home for nearly 100 years. For the architect overseeing its restoration, it has been the site of a truly unique project.
Haveli Dharampura, boutique bolthole in heart of Old Delhi
Wandering Old Delhi today, surrounded by dilapidated architecture and a cacophony of commerce, it's hard to envisage this as the former home of the Indian ruling classes. But if you know where to look, frequently concealed behind grime and detritus, the occasional carved entrance or delicately sculpted column still hints at this time-worn enclave's venerable past.
Formerly known as Shahjahanabad (the city of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan), Old Delhi was founded in 1639. As the epicentre of the Mughal dynasty, it once boasted streets of majestic havelis, or mansions, each vying to outdo the others in scale and sophistication.
