Meera and Muzzafar Ali’s home is all old-world charm

Once they got the property free of tenants Meera and Muzaffar got down to restoring the old house to its former glory. Some of the heavy architectural work required the roof to be completely redone along with extensive waterproofing, and the walls had to be plastered again with the traditional limestone-based mix of surkhi plaster and all the rooms were opened up to their original dimensions. This meant that they have fewer rooms now but all rooms have beautiful vast proportions.

Old homes like this one are demanding in their own unique way, as Meera has come to realize with the constant challenges the house keeps throwing at her. “These spaces are a work in progress and a daily challenge.” This summer it was the air conditioning pipes that caused seepage in some of the old walls, just after they finished waterproofing one of the terraces. Each day the property throws down the gauntlet, but Meera is more than ready to pick it up. She says, “I am the kind of person who thrives on the challenge of what next is coming my way. I enjoy tackling these minor crises when they come.”

While the couple is happy to preserve their family legacy, a lot of their neighbours are looking for a way out since these properties are very expensive to look after. The property right across the road from them has been sold and a mall now overshadows the look of the palace quadrangle. “Sometimes we feel we are alone in the struggle, when we see neighboring properties selling out to big builders,” says Ali.

Today Meera and Muzaffar have not just restored the structure of the house but are trying to keep the spirit of their home alive. Most of the spaces in the house are being used to promote the arts and the cultural legacy of Awadh. They run a crafts center where people can see local craftsmen use traditional embroidery like chikankari to create designs for the couple’s design label, House of Kotwara. Their khansamas or chefs prepare Lucknowi delicacies for pre-booked meals to promote the culinary heritage of the state. “Living here is not an indulgence for us. We have a purpose to keep this legacy alive,” says Muzzafar.

Stately old homes like Kotwara are then a significant part of what remains of Awadh’s cultural heritage. It is not just its beautiful romantic architecture, but when its walls have witnessed so much history and change, it is essential that it is maintained and lived in, for as long as possible.