A 100-Year-Old Alternative To Characterless Cultural Venues

Photo: Sheena Sippy.

Always wondered what lies behind the mysterious wall marked 127 on Kemp’s Corner, near Om Chambers on that traffic-clogged road? Here’s the answer: beyond the lawn littered with marble statues that you can spy from the road is a near 100-year-old bungalow that houses the furniture store Camelot. The owner, Ameera Shah bought the place 20 years ago from a Parsi family, and occasionally rents it out as a venue for cultural events such as art shows, book launches and the odd dinner party. You can’t host your mehendi here though; bad experiences in the past led Shah to decide against renting out the space for matrimonial events. The 8,000 square foot house, with its columned verandah, soaring ceilings and exposed copper pipes, stands out like a rare gem in a city filled with venues with little character. Shah provides the bungalow bare, but is happy to furnish it with the Art Deco and colonial-era chairs and tables that she sells at Camelot. Email camelot127@gmail.com for rent rates and other details.