LuxeBook February 2022

In Indore, a neo-classical building stands tall and proud. Also known as the Red Palace, the Lal Bagh Palace was built in the late nineteenth century by the Holkar dynasty. The Holkars were originally generals under Peshwa Baji Rao I, and ended up as one of the most powerful Maratha rulers of India. Completed in 1926, the space echoes with symmetry, painted fresco ceilings, decorative plasterwork, grand chandeliers, and gilded paintwork, a prime example of the Italian Renaissance Revival architectural style in India. The gates of the palaces are said to be special as they are replicas of those in the Buckingham Palace of London and shipped directly from England. However, once the Holkar royal family left the palace in 1978, it fell into disrepair. Peeling plaster, water seepage and damage to the roof took over. Then 4 years ago, Abha Narain Lambah, Principal and Founder of Abha Narain Lambah Associates stepped in. With support from the Madhya Pradesh Department of Archaeology to repair the exterior façade and the World Monuments Fund and IndiGo’s CSR initiative, the French- period interiors came back to life. The World Monuments Fund also brought in American experts to peer review the prestigious project. Seven rooms, including the awe- inspiring Crown Hall were restored by Lambah and her team. In an insightful conversation with Abha Narain Lambah, LuxeBook learnt of the biggest challenges of working on such projects, the painstaking process of F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2 | L U X E B O O K | 9 8| L U X E B O O K | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2