This spacious house on Udarasiromani Road was once the nerve centre of the trade in ivory artefacts at a time when erstwhile Travancore was famous for its exquisite works in ivory and its skilled ivory artisans. A.P. Krishna Iyer, the owner of the house, ‘Sarayu,’ owned an outlet called Ivory Art Gallery, situated just after Overbridge, on the road to East Fort. In fact, Krishan Iyer was known as ‘Ivory Krishna Iyer’.
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Although the house has changed hands and the present owner, Sanjiv Sunu, is in the construction business, the house, now renamed Om Shakthi, still has several features that made it an integral part of Krishna Iyer’s business. “There was a shed near the roadside of the 25-cent plot, which had more than 20 artisans working full time on ivory artefacts. They used to stay in this compound and there were rooms and restrooms on one side for their stay,” says Sunu.
Sunlight streams into the east-facing building, which once had a tree-lined drive to the semi-circular veranda of the house. The lady of the house was fond of gardening and the greenery ensured that the house had a green curtain that hid it and its inhabitants from prying eyes.
Built in 1955 in the art deco style, no expense was spared to build this roomy house of more than 3,500 square feet, which also housed a gallery to exhibit Krishna’s prized artefacts. Foreign buyers came to his gallery at home to pick up pieces that were skilfully carved by the famous artistes of Travancore. A rosewood showcase that was used to display the carved pieces is now filled with ceramic and crystal bric-a-brac.
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It is said that the wooden banister that lead to the first floor was once inlaid with ivory. Although that is missing, a finely carved elephant adorns the newel, which has intricate inlay work and an ivory knob on top. Geetha Sunu says that the elephant used to sport tiny ivory tusks that went missing during the renovation.
“What is remarkable is that this handrail has no joints. It has been made out of one single piece of wood. It is a tribute to the skill of the carpenters who crafted it,” explains Sunu.
Red oxide, gleaming with the patina of age, competes with the imported red mosaic chips in a couple of rooms, including the dining room. The red mosaic floor has been embellished with geometric designs in yellow and black mosaic. The spacious kitchens have been remodelled for today.
After Sunu bought the house in 1992, he renovated it to make it convenient for his young family by adding a couple of toilets and a bedroom, but all without disturbing the inherent charm of the old structure. Most of the bedrooms have access to the terrace and a semi-circular open space, just above the open verandah on the ground floor, invites visitors to sit and gaze at the picturesque view of the neighbourhood.
One of the bedrooms, which was used by Krishan Iyer’s son, has been left almost untouched. “After we had been living here for many years, my son, Navneet, accidentally discovered that there was a secret compartment behind the wall mounted mirror in his room, which could be opened with an ivory lever,” laughs Sunu, opening the cleverly mounted mirror and showing how it works.
Many of the doors are single-panel ones and have imported brass locks. Most of the windows too have been left untouched. In the living wall, Sunu removed a large window, pushed it behind by a few feet and installed it there. The space thus gained has been turned into an alcove that has been done up with wooden flooring. Carefully thrown cushions and some casual seating arrangements have turned it into a cosy space that has been decorated with some select pieces in brass and cherished photographs, including one of Geetha’s grandfather, movie mogul P. Subramaniam.
Each of the bedrooms and the rooms has a personality that does not clash with the genteel air of the structure. Although Om Shakthi’s neighbourhood has changed beyond recognition with the march of the concrete jungle, the house remains cocooned in memories and greenery.
(A column on houses in and around the city that are more than 50 years old.)