Chettinad (Land of Nattukottai Chettiars) - Cuisine, Architecture, Religious Temples
Chettinad region comprises a network of 73 villages and 2 towns forming clusters, spread over a territory of 1600 sq km in the districts of Sivagangai and Pudukottai. ‘Nattukottai Chettiars’, as they called, belong to a group of wealthy traders and financiers who had trade relations in Southeast Asia. They were so popular during the second half of the 19th and early 20th century. As a vital component in the South India’s economy, they represented the major banking Hindu community of South India. These journeys were reflected in their distinctive architecture marked by opulent homes with global influences as well as in their delectable food varieties.
They made outstanding physical characteristics of urban and land use planning with their unique house models including the water system. The development of palatial architecture which depict a unique cultural interchange of cultures with influences from all over the World and the combination of the Tamil traditions. Their raw materials for the construction were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe, with limestone playing a major compound. Their house / mansion walls were polished with a paste made out of egg whites to give them a smooth texture.
They formed a separate living system and their mansions were used to perform the different functions, rituals and family celebrations during the course of life. In addition to the life cycle rituals, the temple and village festivals are part of the Chettiar culture forming a large set of functions. Now, Kanadukathan village represents the entire community to the tourists. There are a lot of mansions converted into heritage resorts and some for sightseeing, which gives the tourists the true experience of those communities. Bullock cart rides, bicycles are arranged by the resorts to have a glimpse of those sleepy villages with ease.
Athangudi is a small village renowned for its handcrafted terracotta tiles across the country. Since ingenious crafts and art go into making the tiles, it cannot be bought from anywhere. Athangudi tiles are the few available choices to create an ethnic ambience. In designs, finish, quality and durability, Athangudi tiles can compete with any of modern manufactured flooring materials when used in the right proportions. A visit to the factories here will give you a glimpse of the tactics they use. Chettinad is also very famous for their delicious cuisines. They are equally competent in vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes served in traditional banana leaves.