Newly restored Haveli turned Cultural Centre-‘Kathika’ in Old Delhi offers vintage delicacies of Shahjahanabad
In the narrow and dank passageways of old Delhi reverbates a bustling Haveli scintillating with colourful chandeliers, artefacts and vintage Raja Ravi Varma prints. The dilapidated Haveli is renovated by Atul Khanna, Founder and Director of the Kathika Cultural Centre where life thrives in all forms.
A go place for cosmopolitans and cultural enthusiasts, the Haveli is a mosaic of people and their stories where every little object narrates the history of Delhi’s past glory.
The main building has a sitting space inside for summer (air-conditioned to beat the oppressive heat), while the other is a classic Indian haveli with a courtyard. At its centre stands a full-grown neem tree, a witness to the older glory of Shahjahanabad.
The beautiful neem tree in the courtyard and the Radha-Krishna motifs on the railings is a divine sight to behold.The old word haveli has a recreation space to sit and nibble samosas and kulfis — classic Old Delhi delicacies that have survived the onslaught of the modern world.
Atul, a Delhi bread designer and personality behind turning is credited with restoring havelis at Agra and Rajasthan, the renovated Shekhawati Haveli, Vivaana Culture Hotel is always bustling with tourists.
The Kathika Cultural Centre pays homage to the dastan-goi and kathawachan traditions of storytelling. “The ‘Kashmiri Haveli’ was named after the Hindu Kashmiris who migrated to some of these havelis.
The founder wanted the place to reflect what India promises and Delhi offers: colour, diversity and warmth. From the Japanese majolica tiles hand painted with Lakshmi and Hanuman figures to the pigeons on the windows (a classic Delhi mainstay), old paintings and archival photographs of Delhi, every corner has a story to tell.
Acquiring the property rights from the owners to own a piece of heritage involves scores of legal complexity and documentation.
The space abounds with old mirrors, typewriters and artefacts that bring together Old Delhi’s disappearing Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb. The majority of what I see belongs to Atul’s personal collection; others are generous donations from friends and acquaintances.
Kathika Cultural Centre is indeed a commanding space and living example suggesting the means and motivation to preserve our cultural legacy along with the active participation of inhabitants to reuse the heritage.
