Wood you like it?
Pokarna Palace in Mahindra Hills is home to the rarest and most precious wooden furniture available today.
It would be fair to judge Pokarna Palace from its exteriors. This residence in Mahindra Hills is every bit a palace, spread over 9,000 square feet.
Unlike its neighbours, the address plate reads Plot No. 58 and 59 because of its sheer size.
Sohanlal Pokarna’s twostoreyed building towering over all other residences in the Dhanalakshmi Society is home to him, his wife Shantabai, daughter Usha and sons Bharat and Mukesh. And, the terrace affords a bird’s-eye view of the city, including the Charminar.
As we go past the Rajasthani Ganesha at the entrance and two lion figurines on the porch (meant for good luck), Mukesh says, “This house is an exercise of royal excess.” Indeed. Burmese teak has been used all over doors and windows. Diwan in the living room is made of rosewood. The antique centre table, made of sheesham, has 16 peacocks carved on it. Beds have been carved out of the rare red sandalwood of Mysore. One even has been carved from Balarshah, the costliest Indian teak wood. All this precious wood was sourced from Vizag, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and other places.
Mukesh, the commerce graduate, who is doing his MBA from Symbiosis Institute by correspondence, tells us about his fascination for wood. “Rosewood is one of the most prized possessions one could ever have. Luckily, we have it. It’s an endangered thing. It’s an investment. People invest in gold, I invest in wood. The wood used on my doors and windows alone would fetch
Beds are made from rare red sandalwood from Mysore and also from Balarshah, the costliest Indian teak wood
`2 crore in the market today.”
The family from Rajasthan has also stuck to the principles of vaastu to bless their textile business.
The plot is flanked by 12 neem trees, betel nut plants, coconuts and rare flowering plants like mandar, small mandar, parijat, govardhana, nandivardhana. Mukesh has also incorporated a children’s play area, lawn and parking for 10 cars.
The family, which moved in here last June, plans to build a gym, home theatre and swimming pool in the coming months.