Kathika Cultural Centre
- Two historic Old Delhi havelis were resurrected and reopened as the Kathika Cultural Centre, framed around heritage and art. - Posts describe the site as an 'oasis of heritage and art' showcasing restored architecture and local crafts. - The revival is being shared as a preservation win for Old Delhi's layered history, even as civic issues persist. (x.com 1) (x.com 2)
Two 19th-century havelis in Old Delhi have been restored and reopened as the Kathika Cultural Centre, a museum-and-events space in Sita Ram Bazaar. (kathika.in) Kathika says the site was founded and curated by Atul Khanna and now occupies two havelis facing each other in the old city. The centre lists museum hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a daily “Kathika Cultural Experience” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with Mondays closed. (kathika.in) A 2023 profile in *GoodHomes* identified the buildings as Neem Ki Haveli and the Museum Haveli in Mohalla Imli, Sitaram Bazaar. It said Khanna began work on Neem Ki Haveli in 2015 and brought in masons from Shekhawati, Rajasthan, to rebuild damaged elements with traditional materials and methods. (goodhomes.co.in) The restored complex is being used as more than a static museum. Kathika and earlier coverage say it hosts performances, talks, culinary events and storytelling rooted in Old Delhi traditions, alongside displays of archival photographs, decorative objects and handicrafts. (kathika.in; indianexpress.com) That makes the project part of a larger push to keep Old Delhi’s surviving havelis in use instead of leaving them empty. In a March 2026 AFP report, Khanna said the aim was to create an “immersive cultural space” inside a restored structure while much of the surrounding built heritage remains under pressure. (news.tuoitre.vn) Old Delhi, or Shahjahanabad, was founded in the 17th century as the Mughal capital, and many of its historic mansions have since been divided, altered or abandoned. AFP reported in March 2026 that cracked facades, inheritance disputes and commercial redevelopment continue to push many havelis toward collapse. (news.tuoitre.vn) Khanna told AFP that fragmented ownership makes restoration difficult because no single heir wants to pay for major repairs. He also said bureaucratic hurdles slow conservation work and argued for a “single window” process for people restoring heritage buildings. (news.tuoitre.vn) Kathika’s own description leans on memory and place: it calls itself a “one-of-a-kind museum” built to preserve and celebrate Old Delhi’s cultural heritage. In practice, the centre now stands as one of the clearest examples of adaptive reuse in the walled city — a pair of old homes kept alive by turning them into a public cultural venue. (kathika.in; yourstory.com)
