OLD Delhi’s majestic Mughalera havelis, once lavish homes of nobility with airy courtyards and carved sandstone arches, now teeter between revival and ruin. In the bustling walled city of Shahjahanabad, restored gems like the Kathika Cultural Centre shimmer with stained-glass light and rosewater scents, hosting musicians in frescoed spaces that evoke lost grandeur.
Yet, narrow Chandni Chowk lanes reveal crumbling facades, sagging balconies, and abandoned shells overtaken by urban sprawl.
Challenges abound: fractured inheritances leave no one footing repair bills, while bureaucracy stifles progress.
Atul Khanna, Kathika’s founder, calls for streamlined permits over subsidies. Haveli Dharampura thrives as a heritage hotel, but owners like Vidyun Goel stress the need for sustained support.
Residents like Ashok Mathur cling to ancestral havens amid decaying woodwork, mourning vanished communities. Experts urge neighbourhood-wide regeneration to preserve not just bricks, but intertwined crafts and traditions — before these living artworks fade forever.
AFP
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