Stop by the new Kala Ghoda outpost of Moorthy’s and Pooranwalla

Last year after over three decades in Tardeo the Moorthys found themselves in need for a new home for their antiques warehouse as their property readied for redevelopmentldquoWe looked around for a whilemdashitrsquos hard to find a spacious place with an approach road wide enough to accommodate moving trucksrdquo points out RK Moorthy as he welcomes us through a breezy walkway flanked by frangipani trees This is the new atelier he shares with his wife Jacinta which houses their stores Moorthyrsquos and Pooranawalla respectivelyA castbronze diya from Kerala echoing the form of a banyan tree with its hanging aerial roots A tricky skill would have been required to craft this pairing the correct weight with the type of alloy to hold such a grand piece togetherLocated in the historic Examiner Press Building on Dalal Street in two spaces that once upon a time housed its eponymous printing press the sprawling atelier with high ceilings displays their sizable collection The mezzanine balconies above store their burgeoning lot of antiques and objets drsquoart and a shed outside has been converted into a workshop An adjoining shopfront is being prepared for smaller keepsakes and artefactsldquoThe art district of Kala Ghoda is a happening and soughtafter space steeped in historyrdquo beams Jacinta as she shows us around ldquoand we were thrilled to be a part of itrdquo ldquoThe place was neglected for 15 to 20 years Everything had to be restored or reinforced but we havenrsquot made any structural changes We managed to get it up and running pretty quickly sometimes even taking on two shiftsrdquo chuckles MoorthyA statue of Nandi displaying a rare method of casting and repousseacute within the same sculpture which was found mainly in the north eastern part of Andhra PradeshAs we peep out of the restored floortoceiling doors and windows repainted in soothing seafoam itrsquos hard to envision what the space was like a year ago as the couple describe it with crumbling iron grills and collapsing gates Sunlight floods each room The original steel girders and wooden columnsmdashonce strong enough to hold up the printing machinerymdashnow create mood spaces where the couple choreograph furnitureldquoUnlike the previous spacerdquo says Moorthy ldquowhich was also massive everything is more curated and displayed to be more visible Wersquove purposely tried to not overcrowd any cornerrdquo The new place is also more accessible to a younger audience something he and Jacinta bore in mind while designing ldquoAnyone who walks inrdquo he continues ldquobe it an experienced collector or an ardently interested newcomermdashwill get the chance to explore discover and see each detail and story of pieces from all over the country This is what always sparks an interestrdquoPart of a pair of midcentury Scandinavian low teak chairs from the 1950s the thick rope weave makes these extremely comfortable for sitting ldquoThe European furniture designers of that era were keenly aware of elegance and style and revolutionised chair designs as they were tired of heavy wooden seating which according to them was overly decoratedrdquo says Jacinta right A cast bronze bust of the Hindu goddess Durga which displays silver inlay eyes with painted pupils The head and torso have been cast in two parts in KarnatakaWhile the younger generation leans towards mass produced goods bought at the click of a button Jacinta is quick to point out that a generous number of them are exposed to the older ways of crafting things finding value in preserving a piece of history in their homes Through her Instagram account pooranawalla collectorsmdashsome in their late 20smdashare fed a steady stream of long forgotten techniques which craft artefacts in a methodical loving and even curious wayldquoI think we donrsquot give the younger generation much creditrdquo says Jacinta ldquoThey bring a fresh perspective to old things come with very little baggage are happy to be straightforward and ask lots of questions They think out of the box arenrsquot as stuffy about learning new things and share their ideas and thoughts along the way Wersquore not in the business of lecturing people about historymdashwersquove created a space for talking dialoguing exchanging views and discovering stories that echo onersquos personality or heritagerdquoJacinta and RK MoorthyAs we look around at the treasure trove that one can only compare to Aladdinrsquos Cave of Wonders wersquore captivated by Moorthyrsquos storytelling of each piece and his complex knowledgemdasha walking oral museum While his wife calls him the Maestro pointing out that most of this information is largely undocumented Moorthy humbly says ldquoItrsquos handson experience When yoursquore interested in something you pay more attention to it What makes it special Is it the style the material or age Irsquove learnt a lot while travelling to the remotest parts of the country over the decades speaking to craftsmen and kaarigars If you sit with these pieces long enough yoursquoll be able to uncover their stories Therersquos also no prototype for restoring each piece they require individual treatments or preservation methodsrdquoIn a world thatrsquos so fastmoving the atelier is holding a stitch in time ldquoIrsquove always said we are not sellers we are custodiansmdashthatrsquos how it will always berdquo says Jacinta ldquoEventually the people who buy into the history of a piece become the custodians Itrsquos a story we pass on Itrsquos very different from retail therapyrdquoLooking to the future her eyes light up as she shares how the space will bring likeminded people together through book clubs tastemaker gatherings and hopefully collaborations with other arts ldquoWersquove had the most memorable run for over four decadesrdquo says Moorthy ldquoand in a way this new space is our swan song bringing together the volumes of all our workrdquo What to look out for if yoursquore interested in antiques1 Never rush into buying anything or picking up the first piece you see Take your time to know its history the materials it is made of the style and why it is priced at a certain value2 Always buy from a reputed dealer A seasoned dealer will be straightforward about their collection and have an open and patient dialogue You should never feel pressured into buying something or be shy about asking the price3 Antiques are valued at a certain price for a reasonmdashthe materials age restoration process and the intricacy of craftsmanship A dealer should be able to educate you about this4 Always look for a piece that resonates with you personally or echoes your heritage5 Never buy something to recreate a look or worry about it fitting in your home If you love an antique you will always find a place for it