Unraveling the Secrets of Chunnamal and His Haveli

Leha

Unraveling the Secrets of Chunnamal and His Haveli

Have you ever wondered what life would be like in a 168-year-old Haveli? Inhabiting the secrets of the past while making space for its future predecessors, Chunnamal ki Haveli is one of the most well-preserved Havelis of Delhi-6, where Lala Chunnamal's descendants continue to live the legacy of their ancestors. Let us unravel Chunnamal's life story and his Haveli.

Lala Chunnamal Sitting on the left; Image Source- Wikimapia

You all must have guessed that Chunnamal left a deep pool of wealth for his predecessors. Sprawled over an area of 1 acre, the Haveli consists of 128 rooms distributed over three storeys. The grand living room takes us to a bygone era adorned with mesmerising chandeliers, arched windows, ancient paintings and beautiful carpets. The interiors of the Haveli sport an Indo-Western aesthetic with Belgian mirrors, European furniture, clocks, telephones, fireplaces and much more.

The Haveli's charm drew the erstwhile Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to wine and dine. Even now, Bollywood directors visit the Haveli for a possible shoot location.

The Haveli is located at the heart of Delhi-6 in the Katra-Neel area of Chandni Chowk. Other than witnessing the first war of independence in 1857, the mansion also survived a shooting incident during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

The 19th century was indeed the turning point in India's Modern History. With the British Raj forcing its dominating sovereignty on Indian soil, it was time for a rebellion. The situation became intense when Mughal coffers hardly had the funds to support the revolt. At the pinnacle of the Revolt of 1857, imagine Bahadur Shah Zafar II (the Emperor of India) requesting a loan from a merchant in Shahjahanabad. Sounds a little exaggerated, does it not? But this event stands true as history bears witness to it.

The merchant in discussion is none other than Lala Chunnamal. As one of the wealthiest men of his time, Chunnamal earned a handsome amount by supplying provisions to the British. Siding with the British flag, he refused to lend money to the Emperor of India. Adding to the mystery, Chunnamal packed his bags and left Shahjahanabad overnight. The rumour said that the merchant had already transported much of his wealth out of the city beforehand.

Chunnamal saw the palpable tension of the upcoming revolt and found it in his best interest to leave the city. But his act of cowardice did not go unnoticed. Mirza Ghalib, a famous poet of his time, condemned Chunnamal for not supporting his motherland.

Much of this information is received from the sixth-generation scion of Chunnamal, Anil Pershad, who has made it clear that his family has no intentions of selling this historically significant mansion. Even though the mansion is now just a shadow of its past, it is in much better condition when compared to other eroded Havelis. Pershad's efforts are what keep the Haveli going.

As one of the severe aftermaths of the revolt, the British administration expelled Muslims from Delhi. All mosques were auctioned to build new houses and shops, adding to the wound. Lala Chunnamal once again resurfaced for this auction and acquired some important buildings and structures. One of them being the Fatehpuri Masjid. This sprawling 17th-century mosque was commissioned by one of the wives of Shah Jahan and stood in close vicinity to Chunammal's Haveli.

Despite coming from an upper-class Hindu orthodox family, Chunnamal not only acquired the mosque but also maintained it over time. 20 years later, when the Muslims were allowed to enter Delhi, the British administration brought the masjid from Chunnamal in exchange for four villages. Fatehpuri Masjid was perhaps one of the luckiest mosques to survive the ravages of the Revolt of 1857.