Kota House-naval officers' mess (Delhi)

India / Delhi / Ni Dilli / Delhi / Shah Jahan Road
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Kota House is the former residence of the Maharao of Kota in Delhi. It is located on Shahjahan Road.
Built in an art-deco style by architects from Sattha Buta & Co, a firm from Bombay, Kota House was constructed by Maharao Umed Singh II in the national capital in 1938. Kota House went on to be acquired by the British Government during the Second World War from Maharao Bhima Singh II and was used as a base hospital for United Services. Additional modifications were made to the building to allow for services required in a base hospital. At the end of the war, the building was returned to the state of Kota. A merger of the princely states in 1948 with the Indian Union led to a handover of the building to the state of Rajputana.
Kota House went on to be acquired by the Government of India from the state Government of Rajasthan in 1961 through the Ministry of Works, Housing and Development at a cost of Rs 12,77,700/-. In November 1962, the building once again changed ownership and was handed over to the Ministry of Defense and was converted into use as an Armed Forces Hostel.
The Indian Army then went on to hand over the building to the Indian Navy in October 1983, and Kota House became the first officers' mess to be established in New Delhi. It continues to be used as Naval Officers' Mess Annexe (NOMA) after some renovation work. Presently it is under a naval officer, who is Officers in charge. There are sailors along with civilians who take care of day-to-day activities. All facilities at this prestigious place are only available to members of Kota House. However, any Naval Officer (not sailors) can stay here on nominal charges with high class facilities. Also catering is available through Kwality India Ltd. Kota House is surrounded with beautiful Front n rear Lawn. Beautiful flowers r planted around various places within the premises. Civilian/guests of officers are also permitted to use facilities at Kota House
Now a Naval Mess, earlier temporary accomodation for Defence officers, and still earlier the Palace of the ruler of Kota in the capital of British India.- Some of the officers stay in what used to be the stables !
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Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kota_House
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Coordinates:   28°36'21"N   77°13'30"E

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  • In 1946 our family stayed in the bungalows for a few months. My father was an army officer in the I.A.O.C. We ate our main meals in the main building in its large dining room, where ‘bearers’ (waiters) dressed in immaculate white uniform and coloured Pathan-type turbans served meals. A feature was the intricate patterns consisting of hundreds of grains of coloured rice with which the bearers decorated the white tablecloths – every day a new design! The front windows of the bungalows had long straw blinds to keep out the intense heat of the summer day . When it was really hot (and we experienced 112 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade) one of the servants played a water hose continually on the straw matting so as to cool down the temperature inside. Inside of course we would have the large electric punkahs (fans) revolving, but these on their own would have only circulated warm air. Delhi was an enigma in its temperature – over 100 degrees in the daytime but much, much cooler in the evening and night. At times we slept on the lawn on palangs’ (camp beds). Inside the outbuildings where we were housed one had to cope with the insects and huge flying beetles who were attracted by the electric light bulbs and, when they flew into the wall, did so with a huge thud. We used to place a big bowl of water on the floor under the lights and dozens of these insects fell into the bowl and drowned.
This article was last modified 9 years ago