Kothi Darshan Vilas to get facelift
The state government has planned a facelift for the nawabi structure, Kothi Darshan Vilas, which was established by the second king of Oudh, Nawab Nasir-ud-din Haider for his Begum, Qudasia in 1832.
The government has released nearly ₹260 crore to infuse life into the dead, decaying structure often referred as the ‘house of four faces’. Officials with the Housing Development Board (HBD), the construction agency in the project, termed the exercise as one of the toughest jobs, as the structure was in bad shape. “It was one of the most neglected monuments and hence in dilapidated state,” said a senior HBD official. Officials said the restoration will be carried out in the most authentic way. “It will be ensured that the restoration is carried out in an authentic way. A good amount of lime, surkhi, jaggery, mixture of pulses, bael fruit, sugarcane extracts and sticky material to bind the whole material will be used in plastering,” said Nitin Kohli, owner of the firm carrying out the restoration work at the structure.
Initially, the government had released Rs 160 crore. Kohli said strengthening of the structure was the most important work.
Kohli said the funds would be utilised in the beautification, plastering and repair work. “In this phase, we will give an original face to the structure that is really in bad shape” he said.
Beautification work would start soon after civil defence vacates its office housed in the same building. Kothi Darshan Vilas is among the most unique structures of the nawabi era. Its front portion looks like an imitation of Dilkusha palace while the rear portion is a replica of Kothi Farhat Baksh. “Besides, the architectural pattern of the remaining two sides is similar to that of Musa Bagh palace,” said Yogesh Praveen, a renowned historian, who has mentioned the monument in his book ‘Lucknow Nama’.