The world’s most expensive home is sitting unused and abandoned because its owners believe moving in will bring them bad luck.
The billion-dollar 27-storey building in Mumbai, called Antilia, is reportedly not in line with vastu shastra – a Hindu version of feng shui.
Antilia was built for India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani – who ranks in ninth place on the Forbes rich list with a fortune of $27 billion – and was completed last year.
But speculation has been rife as to why Mr Ambani, his wife Nita and their two children have not yet moved into their lavish new home.
According to the Daily Mail, the Ambani family is concerned the building – which has three helipads, six floors of parking and a series of floating gardens among other luxury features - fails to conform with the ancient Indian architectural principles of vastu shastra, and has refused to move in out of fear the home will curse them with bad luck.
Film screenings have been staged in the home’s state-of-the-art theatre and dinners have been held in its grand ballroom, served by trained staff.
But oddly enough at the end of each party, its owners return to their previous family home and never stay the night in their new home.
Vastu, a philosophy that guides Hindu temple architecture, emphasises the importance of facing the rising sun – and despite the exorbitant amount of money spent on Antilia, the building’s eastern side does not have enough windows or other openings to allow residents sufficient morning light.
So instead of moving into their new luxurious home, the Ambanis still reside in the more modest, 14-storey apartment building in the city which they share with the rest of their extended family.
Last year, as Antilia was nearing completion, many Mumbai residents criticised the building as an ostentatious display of wealth in a country where most people live on less than $2 a day.
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