Inside the Hong Kong mansion of the Harilelas, one of citys wealthiest families

One of Hong Kong’s most storied families, the Harilelas live in a 25,000 square foot (2,322 square metre) complex in Kowloon Tong.

Built in the early 1970s, the structure is a sprawling mansion housing more than 90 people, evenly split between family members and staff.

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The family, who moved from India to Hong Kong in the 1930s, made their fortune selling textiles to British and American forces during the second world war and then the Korean war.

They subsequently developed a thriving tailoring business and went on to establish a hospitality group with properties in Asia, Australia and Europe.

Featuring an eclectic mix of design styles, the Kowloon Tong building is one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive landmarks.

The ground floor, as family patriarch David Harilela explained in a recent interview, is purely for entertainment.

The Harilelas are known for their warm hospitality, often hosting events in the round-shaped Mogul Room, which wouldn’t be out of place on a Bollywood movie set; the more intimate Function Room, which features a stunning glass table inlaid with gold leaf; and the lovely Japanese Garden.

The centrepiece of the house, however, is the temple, where family members begin and end their days by praying.

“We’re Hindus,” explains David Harilela. “But we believe that God is infinite so in our temple we respect all gods and we pay homage to Buddha, Jesus Christ, …”

This belief is reflected throughout the house, where you’re as likely to see statues of Hindu gods as sculptures of the Buddha or Chinese deities.

Keeping the family together under one roof is still a core tenet of the Harilela clan. “My grandmother wanted the family to stay together,” says David Harilela. “She told my father [George] and my uncle Hari to stay together because whether we will always be rich or poor, the strength lies in the family.”

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