U.S. Consul General Jennifer McIntyre inaugurated the restored 'Chikmagalur House' and an exhibition titled 'A Shared Heritage' at the DakshinaChitra Museum in Muttukadu on July 5, 2014. The event featured Huma R. Kidwai, author of "The Hussaini Alam House," as the chief guest. The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai funded the exhibition.
The original Chikmagalur House was constructed by K.A. Mohamed in 1914 in Aldur, Chikmagalur, representing a piece of history from Karnataka's Chikmagalur district. Mohamed's ancestors migrated from Turkey to Bijapur centuries ago before settling in Chikmagalur.
Jennifer McIntyre expressed her appreciation for DakshinaChitra, stating: “DakshinaChitra is a wonderful showcase and celebration of South India’s rich cultural texture. I have personally enjoyed each and every visit to DakshinaChitra – learning something new on each trip – and regularly recommend our U.S. visitors come here to better understand South India’s history and cultures."
Deborah Thiagarajan, President of Madras Craft Foundation (MCF), remarked: “I am very happy to have the opportunity to be able to show in a small way the history and contribution of Muslims from South India to the culture of India.”
MCF led the restoration project as part of its initiative at DakshinaChitra aimed at preserving India's diverse cultures, arts, architecture, and performing arts. The house was reconstructed using materials such as timber, stone, laterite, tiles, and other salvageable elements from the original structure. With eight rooms and exhibits, it aims to recreate a trader's life while illustrating Indian-Arabian trade history dating back before the first century BCE through early Islam.
Stephen Truax Eckerd from Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries will serve as historical educational consultant for this project.
The exhibition also highlights reconstruction procedures alongside a silent film showcasing images from Dargahs in South India within an exhibit on Sufism that includes poems by Sufis and Bhakti poetry by Andal; details Arabian-Indian trade relations; explores Deccan history along with Muslim vernacular architecture contributions; examines traditional South Indian designs interplaying with North Indian and Turkish architectural techniques.