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| All pics by Suvashis Mullick |
Back in 1960s the then Calcutta was a
thriving city where many bungalows were being designed and built for officers
of several foreign organizations setting up shop in the land. One such was the
White House designed and built by the famous Ballardie Thomson Matthew
Architectural Firm for the countryhead of the just opened Australia New Zealand
Bank. A huge property in the upscale Alipore Road, it garnered praise because
of its beautiful interiors and structure as well as large green lawns and
gardens. In 1983, when the Swarup family were house-hunting they wanted a space
that would be cosy and at the same time be organic and filled with old trees.
“This house perfectly matched our sensibilities and we moved in,” says Parul
Swarup about her stunning home.
While the old property was divided into
several bungalows, some of which have been razed completely and built from
scratch, the bungalow that the Swarup family lives in, is a 60-year old
structure, with a few changes here and there. “My children, Devina, Mahima and
Karishma, were very particular about not switching on lights during the day.
So, I put in large windows and doors to let in natural light. The verdant lawns
are visible for every room in here. The garden is not manicured or systematic
yet it is beautiful in its wilderness, with a character of its own. Our boundary
walls are not high, but the old, huge trees filter the noise and dust,” says
Parul, wife of Gaurav Swarup the managing director of Paharpur Cooling Towers.
Parul, popular in Kolkata’s social circles
for her penchant for breathtaking floral arrangements and
her knack in dressing
up spaces with natural plants and flowers, has converted her home into a green paradise.
Every nook of the bungalow flaunts pretty flower arrangements or a bonsai plant
that give its location a veritable uniqueness. The house proud woman inherited
this knack for doing up spaces with plants, candles and flowers from her
mother, who always did up her home with fresh flowers and candles. It was this yen
in floral art that took her to the Horticultural Gardens right after she moved
to Calcutta in 1983. “I came across a flower show put together by the Pushpabitan
Friendship Society founded by Uma Basu and loved what I saw. Next year I joined
them and have been upgrading my knowledge about floral art by constantly
reading up on it,” says Parul, who has also travelled to several countries to
learn about different floral art techniques. She has also done a course in the
US on the innovative and modern techniques of floral art.
The interiors of the house are minimalistic
so that the plants and flowers make a statement. The white walls are a perfect
canvas to the creative art of plants, bonsais, driftwood and flowers. The large
living room is done up with simple furniture with rust hued upholstery and dark
mahogany furniture. Paintings by Prasenjit Sengupta, Suvaprasanna, Chandra
Bhattacharya and Puran Jhala adorn the walls. The corridor walls connecting the
living room and the dining space are dotted with beautiful flower paintings by
Parul’s mother-in-law, Gyan Swarup. Little frog figures from Hawaii, vases from
Japan and giraffe figures from South Africa add an interesting element to the
space. Two marble jaguars, gifted by a
dear one, catch our eye too.
The most beautiful room, which is also the
most favoured room, in the house is the garden facing
room that opens up to a
patio, where the family sits out for a winter breakfast and dinner. “At all
times this room is calm, airy and generates good vibes and it is filled with so
many pretty plants. It has an immediate connect with all of us,” says the
gracious lady.
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