Tag Archives: Kalas Mahal

Prince of Arcot hails CM’s sanction for Kalas Mahal

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Chennai, TAMIL NADU :

Prince of Arcot. | ENS
Prince of Arcot. | ENS

Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammad Abdul Ali, has hailed Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for sanctioning a sum of Rs14.5 crore for the restoration of the Chepauk Palace (Kalas Mahal).

In a release, the Nawab said that the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly those who have love for history and interest in preserving historical monuments, were overwhelmed by the Chief Minister’s gesture to restore the majestic Kalas Mahal, which is perhaps the first Indo-Saracenic monument in the country.

The Nawab thanked the Chief Minister for her decision not to demolish the historic Kalas Mahal, which was ravaged by a fire in January 2012. That the CM evinced keen interest to restore it, shows her concern and love for history.

The Prince hoped the restoration would be carried out as per detailed drawings provided by a firm belonging to a conservation architect and that the  originality of the structure would be maintained.

Kalas Mahal is classified as a grade-I heritage building in the Justice E. Padmanabhan committee report

The direct descendant of the eighth Nawab of Carnatic, Muhammad Ali Wallajah (1749 to 1795), built the Kalas Mahal.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service – Chennai / July 20th, 2013

Kalas Mahal getting back its lost glory

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Chennai, TAMIL NADU:

 

A new look:The building that is being renovated at a cost of Rs. 14.5 crore will be home to the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench. —Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam
A new look:The building that is being renovated at a cost of Rs. 14.5 crore will be home to the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench. —Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

People who visit the PWD complex cannot miss the once fire-ravaged walls that now sport a new look, coated with fresh terracotta paint.

A portion of the Kalas Mahal, which was once part of the Chepauk Palace and was ravaged in a fire a few years ago, will soon be restored to its original glory.

Work to renovate the ground floor of the 248-year-old building is expected to be completed by September-end.

It will be the home to the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench. Nearly 100 skilled labourers are giving finishing touches to the building that is being restored at a cost of Rs. 14.5 crore, said officials of the Public Works Department.

“Work is on to provide flooring with kota stones, which is a fine-grained variety of limestone. Labourers who are skilled in lime plastering and ornamental beading works are also engaged in providing wall lining as per the guidelines,” an official said.

Spread over 24,000 sq.ft, the ground floor will be allotted to the tribunal Bench and will house three court halls. The Bench is now functioning at Arumbakkam.

A team of its representatives recently visited the site.

Nearly 80 per cent of the work on the ground floor has been completed so far. Similarly, nearly 50 per cent of the work to renovate the first floor is over.

“We are reconstructing the Madras Terrace roofing using materials from Rajapalayam and Srivilliputhur. The windows and doors are being replicated in the heritage building. We are also making arrangements for water supply and sanitary facilities in the structure,” an official said.

Once the project to restore the first floor is over, work to reconstruct the octagonal dome will be taken up.

Meanwhile, the PWD is also expediting the process to restore the adjacent heritage building, Humayun Mahal, which suffered roof collapses and faced a minor fire over the past few years.

“The process is on to engage a conservation architect to prepare a detailed project report for restoration of the structure. The project may be implemented in five or six months,” an official said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by K. Lakshmi / Chennai – August 14th, 2016