Dream House | Inside India House: Diplomacy meets culture in St Andrew

We marvel at the unforgettable richness of a civilisation more than 5,000 years old – India, a country of nearly 1.5 billion people that has long been a source of adventure, romance, and spiritual enlightenment.

Today, we are the special guests of the High Commissioner of the Republic of India to Jamaica, Mayank Joshi. He and his wife, Isha Joshi, have graciously thrown open the doors to their official residence, ‘India House’.

Its presence makes a statement about how India perceives itself and wishes to be perceived. As a diplomatic mission, the residence is entitled to the special privileges, immunities, and protections afforded under the United Nations’ Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

It has been said, “Architecture is perhaps India’s greatest artistic glory”, with all its venerated buildings. This one in St Andrew was formerly owned by Alcan, the bauxite and alumina company, before being purchased by the government of India in 1978. Sited on two acres of land with its own 50-foot swimming pool and a water fountain at the front, the residence is a colonial-style edifice.

For the 22-year career diplomat and his wife, the character of the interior takes a cue from their personalities. Before entering his country’s foreign service, the High Commissioner (who is also non-resident high commissioner to the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands) was a management graduate, with later experience in international security affairs. He performs his daily prayer rituals and practices yoga. His wife is an early childhood education specialist and a Montessori teacher.

They first met each other in their home town of Dehradun, at the foothills of the Himalayas. Wedded for 22 years, they have two children and a family Shih Tzu named Maximus. They never dreamt they would be accorded the honour and privilege to be in service to their country in such a manner.

As a proud example of a most suitable diplomatic residence, the indoors, accented by plants purifying the air, displays exquisite objects of supreme creativity. Paintings, craftwork, statuettes, ceramics and artefacts all have a story to tell. These adornments represent an art form unsurpassed in purity and perfection. Also indicative of Indian decor are the vibrant colours and intricately carved furniture pieces – all expressing the faith, beliefs, traditions and ideals of their people.

Consciously designed for inside-outside entertainment, the stately, multi-functional residence includes a wooden-floored living room adjoining a bar-lounge, a separate dining room, and a verandah. The kitchen (there is also an outside one) has a service stairway to upstairs. The main mahogany staircase at the end of the hospitable entrance hall rises in elegance to the next level.

Here we find the private quarters of four bedrooms and four bathrooms, with balconies. In addition, there is a TV lounge and a meditation-prayer room.

India has been a friend to Jamaica. It was one of the first nations to formally acknowledge the island after its independence. In Indian culture, visitors are embraced with the sentiment that ‘our home is your home.’

Barry Rattray is a dream house designer and builder. Email feedback to barryrattray1@hotmail.com and lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.