Lucknow’s iconic Butler Palace getting back to shape

LUCKNOW The historic three-storey Butler Palace, left in ruins for decades, is on the path of transformation. The edifice’s outer structure now has a new look and 60% of the heritage structure’s renovation has been completed in the first phase. The project is expected to be completed by September or October, said officials of LDA, the agency undertaking the facelift.

After the Indo-Pak War in 1965, Butler Palace was declared as an ‘enemy property’ by the government of India. This is one of the 361 such properties in Lucknow alone, with many originally belonging to the Mahmudabad family.

The restoration work was started by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) in 2023 with the government planning to turn it into a tourist destination. HT revisited the progress of work and the challenges faced by those involved in the facelift. According to locals, the structure was deserted for many decades and fell prey to unruly elements who made it a spot for smoking and liquor consumption.

“About 85-90% of the structure was in bad shape and its restoration was a huge task for us,” said Lucknow-based conservation architect Ashish Srivastava who took up the project.

“The plaster of the building was ruined and there were no windows and doors. The structure remained neglected for over 25 years. As part of restoration efforts, unwanted plants that had grown on the walls were removed. The traditional lime and surkhi were used for its plaster. Both the domes on the structure were restored along with the stucco work,” he said.

According to Srivastav, a dysfunctional British-era lift is being replaced with an advanced one. “We tried repairing it but could not do so. Along with the plasterwork, the old windows and gates are being conserved while new electrical wiring has also been done. The underground water tank is being used for fire-fighting equipment,” he said.

“To preserve its old aesthetics, we are looking at old documents as a reference to recreate the entire structure. I have been documenting the structuring since 2010 and using it for restoration. Old photographs are one of the tools in it,” said Srivastava.

The palace has a ground floor along with two floors. There are 12 rooms in the entire palace and each floor has four rooms. The budget of the project is ₹3.78 crore, said LDA assistant engineer Praveen Kumar.

According to the development agency, about 60% of Butler Palace’s renovation in the first phase has been completed and the project will be fully completed by September or October.

He said the LDA was given NoC only renovate the palace and not to bring about any infrastructural changes as it is an enemy property.

The palace, originally built as the official residence of the commissioner of Avadh, Harcourt Bulter, in 1915, was owned by the family of Rajas of Mahmudabad. According to their accounts, the family migrated to India in the 13th century and settled in erstwhile Avadh (current Lucknow) in the 16th century, and owed allegiance to the Mughals.

Mohammed Amir Ahmad Khan, the raja at the time of Independence, migrated to Pakistan, while his son Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, stayed in India as a citizen, fighting a legal battle over several properties, including Butler Palace.