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Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva announced on Saturday that the party’s chief minister will not reside in Sheesh Mahal, the government bungalow formerly occupied by Arvind Kejriwal during his tenure as chief minister. The residence, located at 6, Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines, was at the center of controversy due to the extravagant renovations reportedly carried out under Kejriwal’s tenure.
Residence Seized by PWD After Audit
“No BJP chief minister will occupy the ‘Sheesh Mahal’. The future of the residence will be decided as per the law,” Sachdeva stated, referring to the title the BJP had assigned to the property.
Following Kejriwal’s resignation as chief minister last year, the Public Works Department (PWD) took possession of the bungalow from his successor, Chief Minister Atishi. The move came after a detailed audit of the residence’s interiors revealed extensive luxury upgrades. The audit findings, which included a list of opulent renovations, were widely publicized and subsequently became a major campaign issue.
Both the BJP and the Congress used the issue to target Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the election campaign. The BJP even created small replicas of the residence and mounted them on vans, which were driven across the city to highlight the alleged extravagance.
Investigations Into Cost Escalation of Sheesh Mahal
The controversy surrounding the bungalow dates back to 2022 when Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena directed the vigilance department to investigate “irregularities and cost escalation in renovation of the house” by the PWD. In 2024, a further inquiry was launched against the PWD officials involved, leading to the suspension of some officers. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the matter.
The term “Sheesh Mahal,” used by BJP leaders to describe Kejriwal’s former residence, historically refers to grand architectural structures adorned with intricate mirror work, known for their spectacular interplay of light and reflection.
“Sheesh Mahals have beautifully lit interiors, and the idea of light is very closely tied to opulence,” said Urvi Mukhopadhyay, a professor at West Bengal State University, in an interview with The Telegraph Online.
The Political and Cultural Significance of Sheesh Mahal
According to Mukhopadhyay, Sheesh Mahals often replicated paradise imagery, a central motif in Mughal art and architecture. Famous examples include the Sheesh Mahals in Agra, Patiala, and Jaipur, which closely resemble the one in Lahore Fort, Pakistan. Similar structures can also be found in Rajasthan’s Amer Fort and Madhya Pradesh’s Orchha Fort.
Beyond their architectural appeal, Sheesh Mahals hold political symbolism. Mukhopadhyay pointed out their significance in popular culture, particularly in the classic Hindi film Mughal-e-Azam. In one of the film’s most iconic scenes, the Sheesh Mahal becomes a space of confrontation, where Akbar’s omnipresence is symbolized through mirror reflections—only to be challenged by Anarkali’s defiant dance in Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya.
