The 150-year-old Amir Mahal Darbar Hall, the residence of the Prince of Arcot, was opened on Sunday, 6th March 2011. after undergoing a Rs.3-crore repair and renovation exercise.

It was a battle to preserve not just history but a way of life. The descendants of the Nawabs of Carnatic, however, persisted and after a four-year-long renovation, the historic Amir Mahal is now back to dazzling visitors.

"The darbar hall is looking very nice," says a beaming Syed Yusuf, who has been living at the premises and working for the Prince of Arcot for the past three decades.

The 144-year-old Amir Mahal, situated in the bustling Royapettah, was built by the British to house the Prince of Arcot, his family and successors after the abolition of the Nawabship of Carnatic. "The British engineers took two to three years to complete the two-storeyed main building," says Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, the present Prince of Arcot.

Reliving its long hospitality tradition, the lit-up foyer of the Amir Mahal was once again teeming with dignitaries as Governor Surjit Singh Barnala cut the ribbon to formally launch the renovated premises.

N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said the restoration of the Amir Mahal, which had as its three components the reception, durbar and banqueting hall, was a major challenge. Though well preserved, the structure needed radical repair and restoration. he said.

Outlining the origins of the Amir Mahal, the Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali — who is the eighth Prince — said the monument had undergone its first major renovation in its 150-year-old history.

The work of restoring the historic monument was a delicate task undertaken by the Central Public Works Department, especially as the premises had nearly 600 residents, he said.

N. Ravi, Additional Director-General, CPWD (Southern Region), said "Great care was taken throughout the project to retain the heritage of the building," he said.

Source: The Hindu & TOI