Ankushraj at 06:21, 7 March 2026

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{{Short description|Official residence of the Nawab of Arcot}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Chepauk Palace
| location = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| building_type = [[Palace]]
| image = File:Chepauk Palace, the heritage building and former official residence of the Nawab of Arcot in Chennai 06.jpg
| caption = Chepauk Palace, c. 2006
| architectural_style = [[Indo-Islamic architecture]] [[Indo-Saracenic architecture]]
| completion_date = 1768
}}
'''Chepauk Palace''' was the official residence of the [[Nawab of Arcot]] from 1768 to 1855. It is situated in the neighbourhood of [[Chepauk]] in [[Chennai]], [[India]], and is constructed in the [[Indo-Saracenic]] style of architecture.

== History ==
After the [[Carnatic Wars]] Nawab [[Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah]] of the [[Carnatic Sultanate]], an ally of the British and was dependent on Company troops for his protection. So, in 1764, he thought of constructing a palace for himself within the ramparts of [[Fort St George]].<ref name="srinivasacharip181">{{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari| year=1939| page=181| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras}}</ref> However, due to space constraints, Wallajah was forced to abandon his plans and instead constructed a palace at [[Chepauk]], a few miles to the south of the fort.<ref name="srinivasacharip181" />

Known for its intricate carvings, wide arches, red brick walls and lime mortar, Chepauk Palace was built by the engineer [[Paul Benfield]], who completed it in 1768. It was one of the first buildings in India to be built in the [[Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture|Indo-Saracenic]] style. According to historian [[S. Muthiah]]: "Paul Benfield, an [[East India Company]] engineer turned contractor, made buildings to last, a reputation that made him rich."<ref name=ramkumar-pratiksha>{{cite news |last=Ramkumar |first=Pratiksha |date=21 Sep 2013 |title=Once crown of Chennai, Chepauk Palace now falling to pieces |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Once-crown-of-Chennai-Chepauk-Palace-now-falling-to-pieces/articleshow/22832940.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204012909/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Once-crown-of-Chennai-Chepauk-Palace-now-falling-to-pieces/articleshow/22832940.cms# |archive-date=4 February 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

When the principality of Carnatic was abolished in 1855 as per the [[Doctrine of Lapse]], the Chepauk Palace was brought to auction to pay off the Nawab's debts and was eventually purchased by the Madras government.<ref name="srinivasacharip243">{{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari| year=1939| page=243| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras}}</ref> The palace functioned as the office of the revenue board and the [[Public Works Department]] (PWD) Secretariat.<ref name="srinivasacharip243" />

The palace comprises two blocks, namely, Kalas Mahal and Humayun Mahal. Kalas Mahal was the official residence of the Nawabs from 1768 to 1855.<ref name="Hindu_AnIconicStructure">{{Cite news
| last = Lakshmi
| first = K.
| title = Chepauk Palace, an iconic structure
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| publisher = The Hindu
| date = 22 August 2017
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chepauk-palace-an-iconic-structure/article19536184.ece
| access-date = 1 October 2017}}</ref> Humayun Mahal, the northern block, was virtually rebuilt between 1868 and 1871 by [[Robert Chisholm (architect)|Robert Chisholm]] when assigned the work of creating a new records office and building for the [[Department of Revenue (Tamil Nadu)|Revenue Board]] by Governor [[Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier|Lord Napier]].<ref name="muthiah">{{cite book | title=[[Madras Rediscovered]]| last=Muthiah| first=S.| year=2004| author-link=S. Muthiah| publisher=East West Books (Madras) Pvt Ltd| isbn=81-88661-24-4|pages=166–168}}</ref><ref name=muthiah-s>{{cite news |last=Muthiah |first=S |author-link=S. Muthiah |date=17 Feb 2013 |title=The Mahals of Chepauk |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-mahals-of-chepauk/article4424925.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629165338/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-mahals-of-chepauk/article4424925.ece# |archive-date=29 June 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Originally Humayun Mahal had been single story<ref name=muthiah-s/> with the Diwan-e-Khana Durbar Hall<ref name=ramkumar-pratiksha/> in its middle over which there was a dome. To transform Humayun Mahal, Chisholm removed the tower, added a first floor and Madras terraced roof. He also added a facade that matched the Khalsa Mahal, which can be seen from the [[Wallajah Road, Chennai|Wallajah Road]]. To compensate for removing the dome he also added a new eastern entrance, also in the style of the Khalsa Mahal, that faces the beach. Rather than being part of the Humayun Mahal, this new entrance was built as a square block in front of the Mahal and was called the Records Office.<ref name=muthiah-s/>

In 1859, the former Survey School became the Civil Engineering College and moved into part of Kalasa Mahal.<ref name=umadras-history>{{cite book |last=University of Madras |author-link=University of Madras |date=1957 |title=History of Higher Education in South India, Vol. II, University of Madras 1857-1957 Affiliated Institutions |url=http://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/26034/GIPE-081830.pdf |location=Madras |publisher=University of Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921124931/http://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/26034/GIPE-081830.pdf |archive-date=2017-09-21 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|246}} The college was renamed [[College of Engineering, Guindy|College of Engineering]] in 1861.<ref name=ceg-history>{{cite web |url=http://ceg.annauniv.edu/history.html |title=College of Engineering, Guindy, History |website=Anna University |access-date=20 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923143552/http://ceg.annauniv.edu/history.html# |archive-date=23 September 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In 1862 the accommodation for the college was extended to a part of the lower floor and the whole of the upper floor. The Government Carnatic Agent occupied the remainder of the lower floor.<ref name=umadras-history/>{{rp|247}}

<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="150px" perrow="4">
File:Chepauk Palace.jpg|Chepauk Palace in Chennai, c. 1905
File:Chepauk Palace, Madras - Tucks Oilette (1907).jpg|Chepauk Palace, Madras - Tucks Oilette (1907)<ref name=Tucks1>{{cite web|title=Madras Series I: Chepauk Palace|url=http://www.tuckdb.org/postcards/84466|website=TuckDB.org|access-date=24 January 2015|date=1911|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107001904/https://tuckdb.org/items/84466|url-status=dead}}</ref>
File:ChepaukPalace1.jpg|A panoramic view of Chepauk Palace
</gallery>

In 1904, a committee considering the re-organisation of the College recommended that it be moved to Guindy.<ref name=umadras-history/>{{rp|247}} This move finally occurred in 1923.<ref name=peer-mohamed>{{cite book |last=Peer Mohamed |first=K.R. |date=1996 |title=History of Progress of Education in Madras City (1854-1947) |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/103144?mode=full |location=Chennai |publisher=University of Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921133856/http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/103144?mode=full |archive-date=2017-09-21 |url-status=live |page=Ch V, p 182}}</ref>

In 2010, a roof collapsed in the Humayun Mahal and as of 2013 the [[Tamil Nadu Public Works Department|Public Works Department]], which was charged with the palace's maintenance, had not cleared the debris. Also in 2010, following an inspection, the building was declared not fit for occupation as it was structurally unstable. Commenting on this in 2013 an engineer said "We realised that it was beyond restoration."<ref name=ramkumar-pratiksha/> In 2012, a fire, which killed a member of the [[Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services|fire service]],<ref name=kumar-gp/> gutted the Khalsa Mahal.<ref name=muthiah-s/> [[K. V. Ramalingam]], Public Works Department minister, said that as only the walls remained the building would have to be demolished. A descendant of the Nawab Wallajah, Nawab [[Muhammed Abdul Ali]], called on [[List of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu|Chief Minister]] [[Jayalalithaa]] to restore Chepauk Palace.<ref name=kumar-gp>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=G Pramod |date=18 Jan 2012 |title=Chennai outraged: 224-year-old Chepauk palace gutted in fire |url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/chennai-outraged-224-year-old-chepauk-palace-gutted-in-fire-186727.html |work=FIRSTPOST |access-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119190056/http://www.firstpost.com/india/chennai-outraged-224-year-old-chepauk-palace-gutted-in-fire-186727.html# |archive-date=19 January 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Until the southern building, Khalsa Mahal, was gutted by fire, it had remained virtually as it was first built. It had at the west and south minareted entrances and was a handsome two-story building.<ref name=muthiah-s/>

In 2013, there was a further roof collapse in the Humayun Mahal.<ref name=ramkumar-pratiksha/> In 2017, Kalas Mahal was restored and will be the home of the [[National Green Tribunal Act|National Green Tribunal]], Southern Bench. Also in 2017 the PWD started the process of restoring Humayun Mahal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lakshmi |first=K. |date=22 Aug 2017 |title=Chepauk Palace, an iconic structure |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chepauk-palace-an-iconic-structure/article19536184.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822050852/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chepauk-palace-an-iconic-structure/article19536184.ece# |archive-date=22 August 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Architecture ==
The Chepauk Palace comprises two blocks—the northern block is known as Kalas Mahal while the southern block is known as Humayun Mahal.<ref name="srinivasacharip181" /> The palace is built over an area of 117 acres and is surrounded by a wall.<ref name="srinivasacharip181" /> The Humayun Mahal is spread over 66,000 square feet and has ventilators on the terrace and a connecting corridor to the Kalas Mahal.<ref name="Hindu_3BuildingsToRiseFromRuins">{{cite news
| last = K.
| first = Lakshmi
| title = 3 historic buildings to rise from the ruins
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| pages = 2
| publisher = Kasturi & Sons
| date = 13 December 2017
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/3-historic-buildings-to-rise-from-the-ruins/article21560245.ece
| access-date = 17 December 2017}}</ref>

In 2017, the Public Works Department submitted a proposal to the tourism department to restore Humayun Mahal at a cost of {{INR}} 380 million.<ref name="Hindu_3BuildingsToRiseFromRuins"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|India}}
* [[Architecture of Chennai]]
* [[Heritage structures in Chennai]]

== Notes ==
{{commons category}}
{{reflist}}

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{coord|13.063363|80.281713|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Chennai]]
[[Category:Palaces in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Heritage sites in Chennai]]

Chepauk Palace - Revision history

Ankushraj at 06:21, 7 March 2026