We are greatly enamoured with the small region known as Chettinad or Chettinadu. As the locals like to say, Tamil Nadu is the land of the Tamil people, Chettinadu is the land of the Chettiars. There are few places in south India where a subculture with so many distinctive features has developed and thrived. While Chettinad is still very much a part of Tamil Nadu, several things peculiar to this region make it well worthy of investigation.

Historically the Chettiars were a sub-caste of bankers and merchants whose business acumen led them into a role as bankers and facilitators of trade for the British and other parties with an interest in trade in southern India throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their talent for deal-making and propensity for hard work led many families in the district to amass significant fortunes and during the early part of last century many of the villages of Chettinad were transformed through the construction of vast mansions.

Using an array of architectural and design elements as well as materials from the different countries with whom the Chettiars were commercially linked, these buildings rapidly mushroomed from large homes to something more palatial, such were the number of elements the erstwhile builders wanted to include. Some of the diverse materials used include Italian marble, steel pillars from Sheffield in England and Burmese teak. Stylistic elements were lifted from China and other parts of East Asia. The result could’ve been a terrible clash of too many different styles but somehow it all works together and the mansions are genuinely remarkable.


What makes this area of note is the existence of a very select group of heritage hotels- 2 in the village of Kannudakathan, one in the district headquarters at Karaikudi- which allow the visitor to stay in the great comfort while ‘living’ in the heart of a Tamil village. This type of experience can be found in many places in other parts of India- Rajasthan springs immediately to mind- but in the south it is not so prevalent and this is one of the reasons we recommend Chettinad so strongly.

The main town of the region is Karaikudi where you can enjoy a relaxing walk around the central water supply tank, along narrow streets hiding sumptuous dwellings at every turn, before eventually ending up in a street dedicated to antique shops. These shops specialise in selling materials- doorframes, windows, mantelpieces and more- from the old homes in this area which are slowly being dismantled. Many of the historic homes in the region are no longer occupied by the families which own them and there is a huge amount to be removed from each one as it is demolished. In addition to the larger parts of the homes there are gaudily painted safes, small wooden statues and a vast array of paintings. There’s also a fair smattering of the highly unusual- if you’re in the market for 40’s style retro sunglasses, a bizarre selection of old windup toys or even a stuffed mongoose on a skateboard, this is the place to head.

All in all Karaikudi is a very easy and safe place to get around- there is not too much traffic meaning you can walk around and get a good feeling for the place, interact with the locals and experience life in a large Indian village at first hand.

Of all the homes in Chettinad, the biggest and grandest of all is the fabled Chettinad Palace- a vast place well over 4000 square metres in floor area. The palace represents the culmination of Chettiar construction and style and houses a significant collection of memorabilia. It is also possible to have your astrology ‘told’ by a parrot in Kannudakathan! This is a Tamil tradition with its roots in antiquity and involves a trained parrot selecting a card from a deck shuffled by its ‘trainer’, who then interprets the pictures on the card while consulting a book of wisdom.


Nearby, about 20 minutes drive away, is the area famous for the local industry of tile-making. This is a genuine cottage industry with most of the ‘factories’ being situated in a gardens behind people’s homes and the working taking place in a shed or thatched hut.

The origins of this region as a centre for ceramic tile making are not hard to ascertain- all the materials required were traditionally sourced locally (some colours and dyes are now imported from other parts of India) and the hot, dry climate allows tiles to be dried in the sun in a matter of days. The skill of the tile makers is spellbinding- like any great craftsmen they make what they are doing look so simple that many people try it for themselves- it is definitely not something which can be picked up easily!

Chettinad cuisine is further testimony to the myriad influences from across Asia which played a part in the development of life in the region. The use of spices is quite unlike that in the food of the rest of Tamil Nadu, and the careful blending of these flavourings gives a ‘layered’ effect to the taste of the food.

It has elements in common with the Moghul cuisine of north India in terms of the richness of the sauces, but the ingredients, including curry leaves, fenugreek, tamarind and coconut, are akin to those used in Keralan and Tamil food. Many places around south India offer Chettinad style dishes but few prepare it as well as the real locals in Chettinad itself.






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