New Delhi, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar inaugurated the ‘Golden Haveli’ Dharampura restored by former Union Minister and heritage lover Vijay Goel. The inauguration ceremony took place in GaliAnar, DharampuraChandniChowk on March 9, 2023.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stayed in the haveli for more than an hour and visited all three floors of the haveli and looked closely at rooms and courtyard etc. and also watch the Kathak performance and enjoyed the delicious food of Chandni chowk along with other guests.
Jaishankar said that every citizen of this beautifully diversified country must take pride in their heritage and conservation. “All of us today are very much committed to preserving displaying taking forward with the dedication our culture and heritage, he said.”
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Haveli, S Jaishanker said that promoting our culture & heritage, generating tourism, and expanding employment go hand in hand. In the G20 year, India is getting ‘world ready’ and the world is getting ‘India ready”. “Tourism is the most powerful remunerative industry in the world today and is also the most employment friendly industry in the world today” and the focus of the government is on tourism, employment, culture, and heritage.
In his address, Vijay Goel said informed that it took four years for him to restore ‘Golden Haveli’. ‘I used to regularly visit ‘Golden Haveli’ not only to see the restoration work but worked day and night with the workers. Goel also spoke about the religious connections that the old city of ChandniChowk boasts of. He informed me that the biggest challenge during restoration was to keep the Haveli intact, as the mansion was going down because of its overweight.
He said that passion, paisa, and patience are required for such restoration and heritage work. Goel said that the government is very serious about heritage, tourism, restoration, and conservation. He also informed that he met the Prime Minister and requested him for the development and restoration of the entireChandniChowk.
Goel who is also the president of Heritage India Foundation says that both the State and the Central Government should work together for the promotion of tourism in Chandni chowk and the development of the area, especially in terms of sanitation, and security and to stop unauthorised construction.
The elements used in the restoration were collected from across the country, said Goel, adding that one of the arch glasses is from Belgium. I had visited cities like Jaipur, Jaisalmar, Rajasthan, and Aligarh to see and procure stones and materials to be used in this restoration work so that the originality of this heritage building was not lost.
This could be seen from the two doors on either side of the wide courtyard sport tall, green doors with glass arches, and on the first floor is a balcony with green jaalis. Goel said the color highlights its ChandniChowk distinction. Built with Indo-Islamic features, paintings depicting the Mughal era and lifts with similar wall murals adorn the building. The structure’s architecture acts as a natural air conditioner and heater as seasons change. As the city gears up to host the G20 Summit, the 150-year-old Golden Haveli, along with the nearby Haveli Dharampura, which is also restored by Vijay Goel has been prepped up for housing guests from over 75 countries.