An Idea For the Delhi CM: Stop Copying Sainik Farms for Interior Decoration

The Wire

5 days ago

The Delhi government has cancelled a tender of Rs. 60 lakh for renovation work at Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta's new residence: Bungalow Number 1, Raj Niwas Marg, for CM No. 1. The official explanation is 'administrative reasons', which, on the face of it, seems like a face-saving phrase. It's a phrase as meaninglessly meaty as 'we will look into the matter and strict action will be taken against guilty.'
A more likely reason: the optics of the renovation exercise was so obviously jarring, given the BJP's vilification of Arvind Kejriwal's so-called 'Sheesh Mahal' – the common man's messiah living in an opulent palace. People aspiring to live in over-decorated and over-equipped glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
A fascinating read
The PWD tender makes for a fascinating read. Making lists is one of the highest forms of literary activity (think Joan Didion's essential packing list); the best fiction cannot beat this. The Siasat Daily reports: 'The tender will draw bids for the installation of 24 two-tonne air conditioners, 23 premium energy ceiling fans, 115 sets of lamps, 16 wall fans, 14 air conditioners, 10 LED flood lights, six geysers, three grand chandeliers, four 55-inch 4K ultra HD LED smart TVs, one 65 inch 4k ultra HD LED smart TV, a gas top with electromagnetic burners, a 20 litre microwave, an LCD display toaster grill, chandeliers, electric chimneys, wall lights, hanging lights, washing machines, dishwashers, and an RO water plant with a processing capacity of 50 litres per hour.
The PWD will also acquire 16 round large flush-ceiling lights with nickel finish, 8 brass and glass lanterns, 7 brass ceiling lanterns, 6 LED bulbs and 2 smaller units and one large brass frame glass chandelier.'
The Siasat Daily goes on to quote from the PWD tender; the lines on the lantern and chandelier could have been written by Proust: 'This (brass and glass lantern wall lights) unit is the epitome of timeless elegance. Crafted with exquisite attention to detail, this stunning fixture effortlessly combines classic brass with delicate glass panels, creating a breathtaking ambience in any professional setting.
The chandelier exudes sophistication, while the delicate glass shades cast a warm and inviting glow throughout the room'
I've always believed that the nonsense that binds us as Indians far outweighs the nonsense that separates us. The obsession with the chandelier as a symbol of class and sophistication, cutting across party lines, is a glittering example of this. I'm guessing it comes from some idea of royalty as it used to be: kings, queens and their palaces. In reality, the chandelier is one of the ugliest expressions of interior aesthetic, whose natural companion is the multi-coloured water fountain in the garden, the ugliest form of external aesthetic.
I remember a hostel election in my college back in the 1990s, when the winning candidate won on a simple plank: tubelight in every room. He delivered on the promise. Delhi CMs have extended the idea to a chandelier in every CM house.
I also feel this is a very Delhi phenomenon. The city has long been associated with vulgar displays of wealth (and power). A chief minister is first and foremost a Delhiite, not immune to his or her surroundings. It's only human to copy what the neighbours are doing. Unfortunately, in Delhi, the CMs have fallen prey to the idea that their houses should mirror the best of Sainik Farms, or any Mehrauli farmhouse for that matter – the worst concrete manifestation of black money.
Doubling a colossal waste
Even before Rekha Gupta had been named chief minister, the BJP made it clear that the new CM wouldn't be living in 'Sheesh Mahal'. Gupta, once appointed, said she would like it to be turned into a museum. The moral high ground implied that the little Indian should be able to see for herself the gulf between the ruler and the ruled.
This is only doubling a colossal waste, which shouldn't have been allowed in the first place. Now that the CM's house has been built with public money, why not use it. It makes no logical sense to reinvent the wheel. It was always the CM's residence, not Kejriwal's personal address.
Forget about chief ministers, even heads of state around the world have tried to do things differently. The official residences of Scandinavian PMs are not as grand as other world leaders. Hypocrisies might lurk underneath, but at least the attempt is to underline simplicity and public service as the qualities that matter most, and the official residence embodies those virtues.
Rishi Sunak, despite owning several expensive properties in the UK and elsewhere, moved into a small flat above 10 Downing Street, instead of the larger 11 Downing Street Flat occupied by previous PMs. Justin Trudeau lived in Rideau Cottage, a modest two-storey brick house in Ottawa, formerly the residence of diplomatic secretaries. And Canada would count itself a wealthy nation.
I once had the good fortune to visit Manmohan Singh's official residence when he was finance minister. It was like going from one middle-class home to another. The same smell of mango pickle in the dining room; the same moodha chairs scattered around the verandah.
Some interior design suggestions to the CMs of Delhi
I would like to take this opportunity to offer some interior design suggestions to the CMs of Delhi, the capital of a predominantly poor country.
Eschew chandeliers, come what may. Remember the old campaign promise: a tubelight in every room. Like the telephone, tubelight technology has evolved enormously. Check it out.
Don't look to Sainik Farms and gated Gurgaon for ideas. Instead, look to crafts emporia, Dilli Haat and the National Crafts Museum in Pragati Maidan. I'd take a step further down that road and tell them to stay away from Fab India – it's become expensive, not what it used to be in the 1980s, when someone told me that those who cannot afford Benetton go to Fab India. That's another funny story for another occasion.
Buy chatais from different states, not designer tiles. Choose bamboo furniture over lavishly upholstered sofas. Cut down on air conditioners, buy more pedestal fans and desert coolers. A double rod heater should suffice in winters.
Cycle to work. Then you'll realise why the city needs cycle lanes. When the streets get flooded during the monsoon rains, you can take a day off work and contemplate. Cycle, breathe in the pollution, then do something about it.
Most importantly, get a green parrot in a powder-coated metal or stainless steel cage. Every day, listen to the parrot. When you start speaking gibberish in your gilded cage, the parrot will repeat it, and make you realise how far you've strayed from the concerns of people you're supposed to represent.
The writer is the author of The Butterfly Generation: A Personal Journey into the Passions and Follies of India's Technicolor Youth, and the editor of House Spirit: Drinking in India.