Gulisthan Bungalow boasts of a long history

Kozhikode: Gulisthan Bungalow, now a convention centre in  Burnassery cantonment in Kannur district, has a long history. It was one of the largest bungalows in the  cantonment , constructed in the beginning of 19th century and occupied by British bureaucrats, including collector, defence officers and judges.

The building’s  architecture  is hybrid, a blend of British planning and Indian construction.  Its present owner Prof.  Nisar, a  member of Arakkal family, said, “what makes the bungalow special is its location enclosed within a  walled compound and consisting of a vast area, which   was a symbol of status and pomp among the British officials.”

“It is in this way the British showed their hierarchical system like the complex caste system in India,” he  said. “With the end of British rule in India, the  bungalow was handed over to the Arakkal family which later came under my ownership,” he said.

Regarding its architecture, Mr Pravin Chandra,  who recently renovated the building, said, “long, low classical lines and detailing, spawning building with pitched roofs and richly carpentered details, including  ‘monkey tops,’ are  some of the most attractive features of the bungalow. With all these facilities, the building serves as a convention centre and a hall for marriage functions,” he  pointed out.

The bungalow was constructed keeping  all the standard British norms without compromising on any features. But there is Indian style too because the workers were Indians. Every building in the cantonment area is single-storeyed due to height restriction.