A lpana’s,

facin g page

, fo n d n ess fo r T anjore paintings is evident in h er

space. Fam ily p ictu res h u d d le to g e th er o n a table.

A p o rtra it of A lpana, done by S atish Gujral, ad o rn s a wall, w hile a

m other-of-pearl coffee table ad d s glam our,

above.

O ne of th e m any S atish Gujral’s scu lp tu res th a t d o t th e house,

right.

tru n k , sta in e d glass painting, an d an an tiq u e m irro r, is reserv ed fo r en te rta in in g

b u t w h en th e g ath erin g is large, d in n e r is laid o u t in th e garden.

S h o rt stairw ays lead yo u u p an d dow n th e v ario u s levels o f th e ho u se, each

d efin ed by a ch a racter o f its ow n. W h ereas som e areas are d o n e u p w ith w o o d en

flooring, in so m e ro o m s sto n e o r m arble have b ee n used. F or A lpana, h e r

favourite p a rt o f th e h o u se is h e r den. T his space has all A lpana’s beloved

th in g s— a p o rtra it o f h e rs d o n e by h e r fa th e r occupies p rid e o f place, w hile a

quirky B uddha head, candlesticks, p ain ted o stric h eggs (A lpana g o t th e se from

S o u th A frica) add in te rest. W h a t catches y o u r eye are th e M aharaja hand-

p ain ted cushions th a t A lpana b o u g h t fro m a n e x p o rte r in H yderabad. O n e area