Inside Kunal Kemmu's ancestral Kashmir mansion: Untold stories behind the wooden balconies, stone walls and family home they left overnight

For most families, an old house is just a building. For others, it is a place where every wall, staircase and window holds a memory that time cannot erase. That is exactly what unfolded when actor Kunal Kemmu's family recently returned to their ancestral home in Srinagar, decades after they were forced to leave it behind. The emotional visit, shared by Kunal's sister Karishma Khemu on Instagram, was far more than a nostalgic house tour. It became a walk through childhood, family history and the painful memories of displacement. As the family stepped inside the sprawling mansion, every room seemed to bring back stories that had been waiting quietly for years to be told.

Why did Kunal Kemmu's family return to their Kashmir home?

Sharing the video on Instagram, Karishma Khemu documented the deeply personal visit as she and her family reached the ancestral house in Srinagar after several decades. Walking through the familiar streets, she reflected on how the family had once been forced to abandon everything overnight.

"Jo ek raat me chhodna padha tha aaj saalo baad hum phirse unn Srinagar ki galiyon me se hote huye ghar ki daheleez tak pahaunch gaye," she said in the video, describing the emotional experience of returning to a place that had remained only in memories for years.

Her mother accompanied the family through the house, pointing out rooms that once formed the backdrop of their everyday lives.

What makes the family mansion so special?

The ancestral home is a classic example of traditional Kashmiri residential architecture. Although age has left its mark, the house still reflects the craftsmanship of an earlier era. Some of its striking architectural details include:

Years of neglect are visible throughout the property. Faded paint, cracked plaster, weathered timber and slightly sagging wooden beams reveal just how much time has passed since the family last lived there.

Which childhood memories came flooding back?

As the family explored each floor, the house slowly transformed into a living album of memories. Karishma pointed towards different rooms while recalling who occupied each space during her parents' younger days. "This was my mom's room. Dad used to study here... we used to sit here. Every room is a childhood memory," she said.

Her mother smiled while remembering that after her marriage, she and her husband used to sleep on the upper floor of the house. Another memory surfaced when she pointed towards the staircase and recalled how her sister had once fallen from those very steps.

These small family anecdotes turned the house tour into something far more intimate than a simple property visit.

What has changed inside the house over the years?

The mansion that once accommodated one large family has undergone a significant transformation. Karishma revealed that the property has now been divided into several smaller rented units. According to her, every room now serves as a separate home for tenants. She also mentioned that many rooms remained locked during their visit, while the staircase had no electricity, making parts of the house difficult to explore. Despite these changes, the emotional connection to the property remained untouched.

Did you know Kunal Kemmu spent his early childhood in Srinagar?

Many people associate Kunal Kemmu with Mumbai, where he built his acting career, but the actor was actually born in Srinagar. Here are a few lesser-known facts:

For the Kemmu family, the old mansion is no longer just a structure of stone and wood. It stands as a reminder of their roots, their childhood and the life they once shared under one roof. Through Karishma Khemu's heartfelt Instagram video, viewers were not only given a tour of a beautiful heritage home but also invited into a deeply personal chapter of the family's history, proving that some houses never stop being home, no matter how many years have passed.