Chettinad also known as Chettinadu is a region located mainly in the Sivaganga district of TamilNadu historically ruled by Ramnad kingdom of Pandya Nadu. The name literally means “land (nadu) of the Chettiars. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many residents of Chettinad were trading in South India and Southeast Asia, particularly Burma, Ceylon, Vietnam and Malaysia. By 2010, only 78 villages remained of the original 96,organized in clusters spread over a territory of 1,550 square kilometres (600 square miles) in the districts of Sivagangai and Pudukottai, dominated by the prosperous Nattukotai Chettiar community of businessmen and bankers.
Karaikudi is the region’s principal town. It finds itself in the UNESCO nomination for palatial house sites of historic and cultural value. Famous for it veg/non-veg cuisine, architecture, and temples. Chettinad is the home of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar), a prosperous banking and business community and for high hierarchy, non-Brahmin Vallambar (Vellalar) feudal community with an aristocrat title Nattar – Ambalam. Some well-known local dishes that popular for beinfg spicey are Chicken Chettinad (spicy chicken curry), Vegetable Chettinad (a vegetable curry) and dishes featuring seafood.
as well as ooked lentils, Brinjal curry, drumstick sambar, ghee for flavouring rice, and sweet meals like payasam and paal paniyaram. The Chettinad region is well known for its 19th-century mansions, whose wide courtyards and spacious rooms are embellished with marble and teak. Construction materials, decorative items, and furnishings were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe. The marble was brought from Italy, chandeliers and teak from Burma, crockery from Indonesia, crystals from Europe and wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium.. It is estimated that 11,000 such mansions still remain—about half the number that existed 100 years ago.
Many of these mansions were built using a type of limestone known as karai. As most Chettiar families moved to cities such as Chennai. Their palatial homes were left in the custody of caretakers, who maintained them for those rare occasions, such as weddings or Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, when the family came to visit. The better-maintained homes see a smattering of curious tourists A few mansions have been converted into elegant heritage hotels. Originally built by early Tamil dynasties like the Cholas, the temples of Chettinad stand testimony to the spiritual beliefs of local people.
Temples are built per Vaastu Shastras and Agamas as the Chettinad wealthy sponsored the buildings and the shilpis after the royal families declined. On the side note, traditional houses were also built per ancient text on an architecture called Vaastu Shastras. Among the many famous temples are: Vairavan Kovil, Iraniyur, Karpaga Vinayakar, Kundrakudi Murugan, Kottaiyur Sivan, and Kandanur Sivan temples, with each having its own unique deity. Vinayagar Chathurthi is celebrated every year, with ferver. The cotton sari, also known as kandaangi, is unique in its dramatic patterns and colors. Its vibrance and weight are its distinguishing factors is very popular shopping item.
Athangudi tiles, named after the place of the manufacture in Chettinad, come in a myriad of colours and patterns, and are made by a unique process using local soil and glass plates, is another product sought after. History buffs and art collectors can buy antiques from shops on Muniswaran Koil Street in Karaikudi Also worth buying are wood carvings, silver embellishment, woven saris, palm-leaf baskets, gold jewelry, handmade tiles., Well connected by rail, road and air through Madurai the best time to take a tour to Chettinad is from October to March.
Tourism in Chettinad is not limited to mansions and cuisine, other places worth visiting are Thirumayam Fort was built in 1687 by a local ruler, Sethupathi Vijaya Raghunatha Thevar. Also worth visiting is Pillayarpatti Temple. Tourist can also visit museums in Chettinad namely the Kamban Mani Mandapam and the Kaviarsar Kannadhasan Mani Mandapam, built in honor of late poet-laureates have an amazing collection.
Chettinad Palace is also worth visiting. Artefacts, traditional jewellery, clothing, huge copper vats and grain bins take you to the olden days. Devakottai has a typical setting of the olden Chettiar community especially the Periya Minor’s Veedu There are numerous hotels, heritage hotels, guesthouse and lodges that provide luxurious, mid range and budget accommodation. The restaurants of Chettinad huge variety of lip smacking spicey Chettinad specialty dishes .A visit to Chettinad is a enchanting tour of history.
