Reviving the lost glory of British Residency

The grand ochre colour mansion at the Osmania University College for Women at Koti that is nestled among gardens was once the embassy of the East India Company and residence of James Kirkpatrick, the British Resident is now on a path of revival thanks to the World Monuments Fund, Department of Archaeology & Museums and Osmania University.

The villa in Palladian style and akin in design to the White house in United States was falling apart due to the passage of time (Construction started in 1803) and lack of maintenance is now getting a fresh lease of life with the completion of the first phase. Department of Archaeology & Museums director N R Visalatchi says, “The first goal of consolidation of the structure and strengthening it is now complete. The whole restoration work is being done using traditional material and knowledge.”

The grandeur of the British is visible right from the entrance to the Durbar Hall as one climbs 20 steps to enter into the ball room which still has chandeliers of that time and huge mirrors. Sarat Chandra, architect-in-charge of the restoration project says, “The most challenging part was the lifting the old wooden beams with a crane. The structure now is strong as before as all cracks have been stitched with stone lintels.”

Old furniture, arte-facts and even an old cyclostyle machine found during the restoration are preserved and the colonial furniture kept in lock and key to be used later. Ornamental clay tiles imported from Maw and Co, Worcester, England have been painstakingly pulled out and restored.

The East India Company had posted a British Resident to keep an eye on the Nizams and essentially work for the interests of the British but as in several parts of the country, the British officers whilst spying and scheming to protect British interests also fell in love with Indian women. In this case, Captain James Achilles Kirkpatrick, the British Resident converted to Islam to marry Khairunissa, a Hyderabadi noblewoman and built the mansion.

After independence the last Nizam handed over the mansion to Osmania University and it was converted into a women’s college- Osmania University College for Women. Few in the city know about the grand mansion, built in European neo-classical style and not so long ago the Principal of the college used to sit inside the mansion.

On April 18, on the occasion of World Heritage Day, the Department of Archaeology & Museums and Department of Tourism in association with World Monuments Fund is organising an event at the British Residency with the performance of Vidya Shah, a singer and William Dalrymple who would be reading from his book White Mughals which was written on the love affair between the British Resident and a Hyderabadi noblewoman. There would also be a photo exhibition by Kamal Kasturi.

By T P Venu