Luz House

The history of the Luz House begins with Moddaverapu Dera Venkataswami Naidu, the patriarch, was dubash to Parry & Co (whose HQ was Dare House) in the 19th century. He became enormously wealthy from his business dealings as primary translator for the British and acquired twenty acres in Luz where the Luz House already existed.

The Luz House was a part of the grounds purchased in Luz and was not so much of a house but much rather the barracks for the Portuguese armed forces from whom he had purchased the property.

It is from here, in this part of history, in exactly 1868 that Venkata Mahipathi Naidu, more famously known as Buchi Babu (the father of South Indian Cricket), was born and the Luz House came into prominence.

Luz House was in fact where Buchi Babu worked on his game, between the two mango trees in front of its large portico. In those days cricket in the city was dominated by the whites-only Madras Cricket Club (MCC) and Buchi Babu's interest in the game grew watching them play at Chepauk . He used to be taken there as a child by his two english nanny’s and one can say that the influence of cricket upon Buchi Babu was a direct result of his nanny’s. By the age of 20, fuelled by outrage over not being allowed use of the MCC pavilion, he founded the Madras United Cricket Club (now Madras United Club), which focused on taking sport to Indians in the city.

Buchi Babu’s three sons, Venkataramanjulu (Bhatt aka Buchi), Baliah and Ramaswamy became great cricketers and carried on the family tradition. With independence and subsequent legislation that acted against vast landholdings, the family was forced to sell its surplus lands.

The Luz House itself has always remained within the family. Today, great care has gone into preserving this 200 plus year old house. Though it has undergone many changes, it remains intact, standing tall and proud of its heritage. Throughout the renovation, the grounds around the house have been excavated and brought back to their original levels while the house itself has been painstakingly restored to its former grandiose.

Today, the family's intention is to create and make Luz House a destination for people interested in having events that go against the grain, unique in theme and who want to ensure that their event creates a lasting impression.