Less than a mile from the Potomac River, tucked away on five wooded acres in Great Falls, Virginia, stands a home that looks as though it belongs in a European fairy tale.
Known as Aashirwaad — Hindi for “blessing” — the 35,000-square-foot estate of Indian American entrepreneur Anil Sharma and his wife, Anu, is a world of grand staircases, glittering chandeliers, sprawling outdoor spaces, and a hand-carved temple brought from India. Yet behind the grandeur lies a deeply personal story of ambition, family, faith, and gratitude.
The second episode of The American Bazaar’s documentary series The Grand Mansions takes viewers inside the award-winning property, revealing not only its spectacular architecture and luxury amenities, but also the journey that made it possible.
“This we built together. This [is] our dream home,” Anu says at the beginning of the documentary.
The home, a 30-minute drive from Washington, DC, is also known as Château De Rêve, French for “Castle of Dreams.” Yet for the Sharmas, another name ultimately felt more appropriate.
“First, we named this house as Château De Rêve, [which] means dreams,” Anil explains. “At the time of puja, [the] pandit asked the name of the house. We thought and we decided to name it as Aashirwaad because in reality it’s a blessings. Aashirwaad means the blessing.”
That sense of gratitude permeates every corner of the estate.
The name itself serves as a reminder that the home is more than a display of success. For the Sharmas, it is a reflection of a journey that began thousands of miles away and decades earlier.
The documentary is available on YouTube.
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A dream years in the making
The journey began long before construction crews arrived.
“We have been planning for building our dream home since quite some time,” Anu says.
The family wanted open space, privacy, and room to entertain. Finding the right property proved challenging.
“There was some requirement we were looking open space bigger lot,” she recalls. “It took like almost a year more than a year to find the lot. This was like a 5-acre property.”
Once they secured the land, the next challenge was finding the right team to transform their vision into reality.
READ | From temp worker to CEO of a government contracting powerhouse: Anil Sharma’s C-Suite journey (July 1, 2025)
“This was a … lifetime project for us,” Anil says. “It was Anu’s dream and I didn’t want to compromise anything on it.”
After interviewing nearly 15 builders, the Sharmas selected Mike and Mandy Mafi of The Building Group Inc.
“I found Mike and Mandy’s homes they built. They are truly very talented husband-wife team,” Anu says. “We felt like they would be perfect for us.”
For Mike Mafi, the project represented a rare opportunity.
“They were really involved,” she says.
“Anu and Anil both gave me a lot of freedom to create,” adds Mandy. “That’s why this house became such a magnificent artistic house.”
Construction took approximately two years.
Building grandeur
As planning moved forward, what started as a dream house gradually evolved into a once-in-a-lifetime project.
Originally, the family imagined a home of roughly 18,000 to 19,000 square feet.
Like many dream projects, however, the vision continued to grow.
“When we started talking to architect, we were thinking of 18,000 to 19,000 square feet,” Anil, the CEO of 22nd Century Technologies, one of the largest privately held government contractors in the region says. “Things keep adding. It ended up 33,500 indoor space.”
The final result includes nine bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a pool house, two gazebos, expansive outdoor entertainment areas, and a host of custom-designed features.
According to John Mafi, the assistant vice president of The Building Group, the design was guided by a singular goal. “The most important thing with building a house like this is a vision,” he says. “They knew what they wanted. They wanted this grandeur and luxury that cannot be seen in other homes.”
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Symmetry became a defining architectural theme.
“The house is very symmetrical,” Anil explains. “Symmetry is very important to show the grandeur.”
Walking through Aashirwaad, visitors encounter a carefully orchestrated blend of European classical design and Indian cultural influences. Every room appears intentionally framed, with sightlines, ceilings, lighting, and architectural details working together to create a sense of balance and scale.
The attention to detail extends from the custom-designed front door to elaborate gold leaf accents throughout the interiors.
“If you see inside the house on ceilings and walls, there’s a lot of gold work,” Anil says.
Custom chandeliers combine French classical influences with Italian Murano glass artistry.
“Chandeliers, the way I designed them, it’s a combination of French classic and Italian Morano glass designs,” Mandy explains.
Every room received its own unique interpretation.
“In each room, I kind of change the size and change the shape of it a bit and try to fit it into that room for that purpose.”
Yet for all its formal elegance, Aashirwaad was never intended to be a museum. The family wanted the house to be fun as well.
The bowling alley
Among the home’s many features, one stands out: The bowling alley.
“When we started building the basement, I asked my builder, can we have a bowling alley?” Anil recalls. “Architect and builder say yes. And then they made it wider.”
The decision became one of the home’s signature attractions.
“I think somebody comes to his house and leaves, one thing they would remember is the bowling alley,” Mike says.
Even for a builder who has worked on numerous luxury properties, it was memorable.
“I’ve done many houses with different elements, but bowling alley is something that was pretty, pretty different that I’ve done.”
The lower level also includes a large theater, golf simulator, exercise room, sauna, steam room, and recreation areas.
For son Nikhil Sharma, son of Anil and Anu Sharm, it is unquestionably the best part of the house.
“My favorite part of the house is definitely the basement because I just love having my friends over,” he says.
He also helped shape several design elements, including the golf simulator and a striking New York City skyline mural.
“We both love the city,” Meghna Sharm says of herself and her brother Nikhil. “So, we were like, ‘Let’s do a skyscraper type of wall.'”
Rooted in heritage
While luxury is visible throughout Aashirwaad, the documentary makes clear that the home’s spiritual dimensions are equally important.
In many ways, the home’s emotional center is not the theater, golf simulator, or grand entertaining spaces. It is the mandir.
For the Sharmas, the puja room is the heart of the home.
“[The] most important part of the house is mandir for us,” Anil says.
The family traveled twice to Jaipur, India, to oversee its creation.
“We witnessed the whole process starting from getting the marble to make it into such a divine shape what you see today,” he says.
Designing the temple required as much effort as designing the house itself.
“We were making the plan of the puja room,” Anu recalls. “It almost took like the same time for us.”
Indian influences appear elsewhere as well.
A custom Ganesh motif adorns the center of the home’s exterior, while peacock-themed design elements pay tribute to Anu’s roots in Rajasthan.
“I’m from Rajasthan back in India. So, and I have the love for peacocks,” she says.
Designed for family
Throughout the documentary, a recurring theme emerges: despite its scale, the house was designed to bring the family together.
Despite its scale, Aashirwaad was designed first and foremost as a family home.
The kitchen was intentionally created as a gathering place.
“I wanted like a big, open space for us to spend the time in the evening together,” Anu says.
The outdoor spaces were designed with equal care.
The property includes one of the largest backyards The Mafee Group has ever created.
“We actually had a party of 600 people here, and it was comfortably done,” Mike says.
For the family, those outdoor spaces have become favorite gathering places.
“The backyard is definitely my favorite place,” Meghna says. “It’s just a very nice peaceful place to sit.”
Anil shares that appreciation.
“[We] wanted a house where outdoor living is natural, where we can sit and lounge, watch the greenery and enjoy it,” he says.
A blessing beyond expectations
Perhaps the most touching moments in the documentary come when the family reflects on how far they have come.
Nikhil Sharma remembers the contrast between their previous life and their current home.
“We came from a regular house in Illinois,” he says. “So, it’s definitely a big leap to coming here.”
Anil reflects on the family’s early years in America.
“When we initially moved from India here, we had like a one-bedroom apartment there,” he says. “The smallest room also here is bigger than that what we lived in.”
The home has since earned widespread recognition, winning seven awards in a regional home competition, including Best House in the Washington, D.C., area.
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Yet the family’s perspective remains grounded.
“With a humble beginning, we have never dreamed that we will build a house like this,” Anil says.
That sentiment ultimately explains why the family chose the name Aashirwaad.
“Getting something like this is truly a blessing,” Anil says.
By the end of the documentary, viewers understand that Aashirwaad is not simply a luxury home. It is the physical embodiment of a family’s journey—from a one-bedroom apartment after immigrating to America to one of the most celebrated homes in the Washington region.
The estate’s awards, custom architecture, and lavish amenities are impressive. But what gives the house meaning is the story behind it: a couple who dared to dream, a family that built together, and a deep appreciation for the opportunities that made those dreams possible.
READ: Inside Norton Manor: Potomac’s neoclassical home where design, memory, power converge (January 17, 2026)
“Getting something like this is truly a blessing,” Anil says.
That sentiment may be the most fitting description of Aashirwaad. More than a mansion, it is a monument to perseverance, faith, family, and gratitude.
“It’s truly a blessed feeling to get something, which we have never imagined or dreamed,” Anil says.
The first episode featured in The Grand Mansions series is Norton Manor, the sprawling Potomac, MD., residence of Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank F. Islam and his wife, Debbie Driesman. With Aashirwaad, the series continues its exploration of remarkable homes that reflect not only architectural excellence but also the personal journeys, values, and aspirations of their owners.