Hark back to the homes of the royals of Royapettah

Why Royapettah Deserves a Royal Reputation

Long ago, though I no longer remember where, I read an article arguing that Royapettah should really be called “Royalpettah.” The suggestion was not entirely misplaced. After all, the area contains not just Amir Mahal, but also several other royal residences. Some still survive, while others live on only in memory and place names.

Amir Mahal and Royapettah’s Royal Legacy

Let us begin with Amir Mahal itself. The building originally functioned as a police court. However, after the Revolt of 1857, the British Crown took over the administration of India from the East India Company. Soon after, authorities converted the structure into a grace-and-favour residence for the former ruling family of Arcot.

Later, architect Robert Fellowes Chisholm modified the building. He modelled it on Queen Victoria’s Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. The result became Amir Mahal. The palace stands within a vast compound. Since it remains a private residence, public access is limited.

Its most recognisable feature is the entrance archway. Domed minarets flank it on both sides. The bright red exterior contrasts sharply with the green wooden windows. The arch also once served as a naubat khana, or drum house.

Forgotten Nawabi Residences in Royapettah

Royapettah High Road once had another Nawabi property as well. Over time, people knew it by different names, including Gowri Vilas and Acharya Graha. Many believed that an underground passage connected it to Chepauk Palace.

Today, the Provident Fund Commissioner’s Office occupies the site.

Woodlands and the Royal Connection in Royapettah

Amir Mahal Road is a short east-west stretch linking Westcott Road to the rear gate of the palace. Along this road stands another overlooked royal residence—Woodlands. This property once served as the Madras residence of the Setupatis of Ramanathapuram. Spread across 16½ acres, the estate changed hands in the early 1930s. A Bangalore-based contractor, Muni Venkatappa, bought it and converted it into a hotel.

Later, he leased the property to K Krishna Rao, then a sous chef at an Udupi restaurant in George Town. Krishna Rao transformed Woodlands into a major success. However, Muni Venkatappa eventually believed he could run the hotel more profitably himself. As a result, he terminated the lease.

Krishna Rao then opened New Woodlands on Edward Elliots Road, now known as Radhakrishnan Salai. Meanwhile, the old Woodlands continued operating from the palace premises under Venkatappa’s descendants.Today, the hotel has shut down. However, one part of the property still survives as Woodlands Theatre.

Royal Families on White’s Road in Royapettah

White’s Road also carries traces of Royapettah’s royal past. The Government Hobart Higher Secondary School for Muslim Girls, established in 1870, once formed part of Shah Sawar Jung Baugh. This had earlier been the residence of an Arcot nobleman who fell out with the Nawab.

During the 19th century, Mir Humayun Jah lived there. He had ties to both the Arcot family and the family of Tipu Sultan. Later, his son, Nawab Syed Mohammed Bahadur, occupied the residence. He would eventually become President of the Indian National Congress.

Even today, a grand but neglected building survives within the compound.

Osborne House and the Birth of Sathyam Theatre

The Venkatagiri royal family also owned property on White’s Road. Their residence was known as Osborne House. During the 1970s, plans emerged to convert the premises into a cinema theatre named Royal. However, ownership later changed hands. The new owners instead chose the name Sathyam. They did so out of respect for Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi.

He had often stayed at Osborne House as a guest of the Venkatagiri family. That decision gave Chennai one of its most enduring theatre names. Behind Osborne House stood another Venkatagiri property on Peters Road. The family later gave this property to the Madras Landholders Association. Eventually, TVS acquired it.

Today, Southern Roadways still uses the premises as its office.

Zamindar Residences Around Royapettah

Several zamindars once maintained homes in Royapettah. Many of those old compounds now fall within Gopalapuram, which was originally carved out of Royapettah. The Jeypore royal family from Odisha owned Sundar Mahal. Later, V Ramakrishna, ICS—once Dewan of Jeypore and later an industrialist—acquired it.

His granddaughter, Kiran Rao, started her Amethyst venture there. However, she later vacated the premises when the family decided to demolish Sundar Mahal. Its loss marked another blow to Chennai’s heritage. Kurupam House met a similar fate. Once home to the Kurupam zamindari family, it has now given way to an apartment block called Kurupam Court.

Limbdi Gardens and Educational History in Royapettah

The Thakur Sahib of Limbdi, a ruler from Gujarat, purchased Tawker Gardens on Peters Road in the early 1900s. The original owners had gone bankrupt. Soon after, the property became known as Limbdi Gardens. Since the ruler rarely stayed there, he leased it out.

During the 1930s, the University of Madras established its Department of Music on the premises. Later, in 1951, MEASI purchased Limbdi Gardens for The New College. The old residence was eventually demolished to make way for college buildings.

Another Lost Royal Residence in Royapettah

I also recently learned that the Zamindar of Seithur once maintained a residence in Royapettah. Unfortunately, I have not yet discovered its exact location.

Royapettah’s Remarkable Royal Concentration

That brings the total to nine royal residences connected to Royapettah. One wonders whether any other locality in Chennai can claim such a concentration of royal homes.

This article appeared in The Hindu–https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/hark-back-to-the-homes-of-the-royals-of-royapettah/article70914847.ece

My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered–https://sriramv.com/2021/12/27/how-to-buy-autographed-copies-of-chennai-a-biography-from-outstation/20.ece