Visalam

K.V.A.L.M. Ramanathan Chettiar, a respected pillar of the preindependence Chettiar community, built Visalam for his eldest daughter. Fate decreed that the house was never used, except for occasional family weddings. Yet the family saw to its preservation with loving care. Thus, when we set about the task of restoring Visalam, we were fortunate to inherit a fine canvas. The challenge was to paint in the details to perfection. Our approach was one of minimum intervention. The fine Art Deco influenced facades were not touched, but the inner halls were partitioned to create 15 spacious rooms, with en-suite baths. The old floors were relaid, using material from the same source as a half century prior. Finally, the walls were redone with a traditional finish using hand-ground seashell , lime, palm jaggery and egg white. This remarkable plastering, once de rigeur in Southern India s gracious homes, has all but vanished now, due to the trouble and labour involved. At Visalam however, you can still experience its tactile, opalescent beauty first-hand.