ONCE UPON A RICH LEGACY… UMANG HUTHEESING

With its quaint havelis, rich histories in textile and wondrous spiritual architecture, the aristocratic lifestyle in pre-Independence Gujarat is Umang Hutheesing’s favourite subject. Ensconced in a 500-year-old haveli in Ahmedabad, the land of the Mahatma (Gandhi played an important role in the artistic, cultural and political landscape of India), the cultural impresario welcomes us into his historically-rich world. When Umang talks, our imagination walks us through a blend of Indian and European architecture juxtaposed with traditional wood and stone carvings, profuse with impressive brocades, rich tapestries and BC dated sculptures and metalwork.

The Hutheesings still retain the graces and aura of old wealth, built over generations. With business networks extending across the world, the family accumulated one of the subcontinent’s most comprehensive