Uh-oh! Were you looking for something about the Ispahani Centre in Nungambakkam? That's a johnny-come-latey, having been around only for about ten years or so. This building, in Begum Ispahani's name, has been around for a whole lot longer.
The name itself is supposedly Persian in origin. Given where this is located, it is more likely that this branch of Ispahanis merely passed through Iran on their way to Madras from Armenia a couple of centuries ago!
I had always assumed that the name 'Ispahani' was Parsi. Are the descendants still lurking out somewhere there, close-by?
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Susan
@Susan: Yes, there are still quite a few Ispahanis in Chennai...
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