Janardan Nagu Alkunte
Remembering Pune’s Construction workers








Janardan Nagu Alkunte’s grandfather, Yalappa Pandu Alkunte, was especially known for his ability to chisel fine stone facade ornaments. Originally from Bijapur, he moved to Poona in 1929, when a general contractor named Ajit Mehta called upon him.

Yalappa Alkunte first worked on the premises of the erstwhile Governor’s House (now Pune University). He then added several other colonial landmarks to his portfolio, including the Deccan College, Shivajinagar District Court building, and Wadia College. After India’s independence he directed a team of stonedressers on the building site of the National Defence Academy. As a skilled subcontractor, a so-called petty contractor, he was often so busy that he had “no time to eat”.

In 1948, Yalappa Alkunte was one of the founding members of the Wadar Housing Cooperative Society. The Society bought a 7-acre land which was divided in 62 plots, each plot housing a small twin bungalow. Janardan Nagu Alkunte’s bungalow is perhaps the only house of the Wadar Cooperative Housing Society that has not been expanded.

Built in 1963, it is a three-room stone masonry house with glassless windows protected by wooden shutters, art-deco window grills, and a concrete chajja (eaves) that wraps around the block.

A Hanuman temple that was already present on the Society land was extended with a porch (mandapa) in the 1970s based on Yalappa Alkunte’s design. He made individual handdrawings for each of the columns and stones that had to be cut.

Janardan Alkunte still has his family’s set of stoneworker tools: chisels and hammers in various sizes, the smallest one, less than a hand tall, being reserved only for the finest work.

Image credits: Sarah Melsens