Chettinad mansions

Last updated

The Chettinad mansions are a collection of over 10,000 lavish homes of the Nattukottai Chettiar community in the region of Chettinad in South India. [1] These mansions were built with materials from all across the globe to signify the community's wealth as merchants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [2] The mansions blended global features with traditional Tamil architecture to form homes for large joint families. [3] Since World War II, conservation efforts have been ongoing to maintain these homes and draw in tourists from across the globe. [1] However, preserving the mansions has been difficult due to legal challenges and cost barriers. [4] The Chettiar community has looked to upkeep their built heritage by leasing the houses to Indian hotel chains and exploring other solutions. [2]

Contents

History of creation

A well-known Chettinad mansion - the Kanadukathan Raja Palace India Tamil Nadu Kanadukathan Raja Palace.JPG
A well-known Chettinad mansion - the Kanadukathan Raja Palace

The region of Chettinad in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu is the home of the Nattukottai Chettiar community, a prosperous merchant community known for trading precious stones in Southeast Asia. As traders, Chettiars shipped spices, rice, and gems to countries like Malaysia, Burma, and Vietnam and also served as bankers to kings and the British Raj for centuries. [5] They rose to the peak of their power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [1] As a major Hindu banking community in South India, the Chettiar community gained a vast influence and richness that allowed them to build a dense network of 96 villages within the region; however, only 73 villages remain today. [3]

Between 1850 and the end of World War II, the Nattukottai Chettiar community built over 10,000 lavish mansions in the region with many spanning tens of thousands of square feet. [5] The houses were built for joint families to live together as many houses had 70-80 residents at one time. [1] On average, every mansion has more than 50 rooms and three to four courtyards. Most span more than one acre, often covering an entire street. Given the scale, many locals refer to the houses as periya veedus or “big houses''. [5] The mansions were conceived to perform the different rituals and celebrations that occur during the course of life from birth to death such as marriage and birthday events. [3]

Architecture and materials

Example of stained glass windows and interior design of mansions Chettinad mansion colors.jpg
Example of stained glass windows and interior design of mansions

When building these mansions, Chettiars were inspired by European architecture and commissioned local architects to work with raw materials from all over the world. Consequently, aspects like marble floors, stained glass windows, and gothic facades became a common feature in every house. [1] These elements were blended with components of vernacular Tamil architecture as well. Examples of this traditional design can be seen in the open courtyards, raised verandas, carved wooden frames, and stucco depictions of Hindu deities. [1]

The Chettiar community also had a strong vision of land-use planning which connected the different urban to landscape elements, particularly for rainwater harvesting and storage systems. The slopes of the roofs allowed rainwater to be collected during monsoon season to fill up a village’s wells and common ponds. [3] Courtyards were built on a longitudinal axis and were made of thick walls of brick, lime plasters, terracotta roofing, and marble floors to limit the effects of the semi-arid, hot climate. [3]

There are countless examples of the materials that Chettiars sourced from all over the world. Materials included: teak wood from Burma, satinwood from Ceylon, marble from Italy and Belgium, tiles from Bombay, Japan, Germany, France, and England, and chandeliers from Belgium, France, and Italy. [3] Given the quality of these items, Chettiars brought in craftsmen from all over India to help with woodcarving, frescoes, egg-plastering, and other complex projects. [3]

A traditional center courtyard Chettinad houses.jpg
A traditional center courtyard

The main courtyard of any of the mansions is considered the center part of the house where the rituals take place. It operates as a temple sanctuary where priests from Chettiar temples celebrate important events. [6] The interior of the mansions conform strictly to a layout that reflects the culture’s class and gender differences. For example, it is common to find a covered area where men used to conduct business with tradesmen on two raised platforms called Thinnais that flank the front door of any house. [2]

Preservation over time

When World War II began in 1939, overseas trading took a hit that led to a decline in wealth for many Chettiars. [1] The community faced financial pressures from the British, Japanese, and other countries in key trading zones like Burma. [2] With their economic system in shards, most Chettiars left their villages to seek employment outside of Chettinad in Chennai, Mumbai, Singapore, and other places across the globe. [2] This left many of their mansions abandoned. [1]

Conservation efforts since the end of World War II have been incredibly difficult due to legal battles and cost barriers. Renovation expenses of Chettinad homes can run into the thousands and are often recurring costs to maintain the properties. [4] Numerous mansions have remained abandoned because of ongoing legal battles over ownership; this is because houses have numerous owners that are the male descendants of the original residents. [1]

Research shows that owners are enthusiastic about architectural preservation and are exploring different ways to sustain the houses. [4] One method has been to lease the homes to Indian hotel chains to generate tourist income and spread the Chettiar heritage with people from across the world. [2] One example is Chidambara Vilas, a 25 bedroom luxury hotel retrofitted from a traditional Chettinad mansion. The hotel group conducted a 3-year restoration to transform the 118-year-old mansion into a tourist destination in the village of Kadiapatti. [7] Overall, 10% of Chettinad mansions have received tourist makeovers, whereas 30% have been completely destroyed. [1] It will likely require the whole Chettiar community to come together to preserve these important examples of built heritage going forward. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karaikudi</span> City Corporation in Tamil Nadu, India

Karaikudi is the largest city in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Karaikudi Urban Agglomoration is the 21st largest urban area of Tamil Nadu based on 2011 census data. It is part of the area commonly referred to as "Chettinad" and has been declared a City Municipal Corporation by the Government of Tamil Nadu, on account of the palatial houses built with limestone called Kaarai veedu. For this reason, the place is sometimes called Kaarai Nagar locally. The newly formed Karaikudi Municipal Corporation spreads about 94.31 km2 (36.41 sq mi) which undergoes major developments as part of Government Schemes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nagarathar</span> A Hindu mercantile caste

The Nagarathar or Nattukottai Nagarathar is a Tamil caste found native in Tamil Nadu, India. Nagarathars are a mercantile community who are traditionally involved in commerce, banking and money lending. They use the title Chettiar and are traditionally concentrated in modern region Chettinad. They are prominent philanthropist who funded and built several Hindu temples, Choultries, schools, colleges and universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chettinad</span> Region in Tamil Nadu

Chettinad is a name that collectively refers to a locality that comprises 56 villages in the Sivaganga district and 20 villages in Pudukottai district, which was historically ruled by the Ramnad kingdom of Pandya Nadu. It has a small portion extending into the Pudukottai District in Tamil Nadu; Karaikudi is the major town of this area and is considered the urban center for the Chettinadu villages.

<i>Haveli</i> Traditional house in the Indian subcontinent

A haveli is a traditional townhouse, mansion, or manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word haveli is derived from Arabic hawali, meaning "partition" or "private space", popularised under the Mughal Empire, and was devoid of any architectural affiliations. Later, the word haveli came to be used as a generic term for various styles of regional mansions, manor houses, and townhouses found in the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devakottai</span> Town in Tamil Nadu, India

Devakottai is a first-grade municipality in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Located in the Sivaganga district, the town is situated close to the Karaikudi, near Rameswaram National Highway Road (NH-210). It is one of the major cities comes under the Chettinad area with rich heritage of houses built with limestone called "Karai Veedu". This Region is one of the towns in Chettinad belt. The town is famous for its ancient temple Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple also known as Nagara Sivan Kovil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alagappa Chettiar</span> Indian businessman and philanthropist

Sir Alagappa Chettiar was an Indian businessman and philanthropist. He received the Padma Bhushan, third highest civilian award of India in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chettinad cuisine</span>

Chettinadu cuisine (Setti Nadu in tamil) is the cuisine of a community called the Nattukotai Chettiars, or Nagarathars, from the Chettinad region in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu state in India. Chettinad cuisine is perhaps the most renowned fare in the Tamil Nadu repertoire. It uses a variety of spices and the dishes are made with fresh ground masalas. Chettiars also use a variety of sun-dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the region. Most of the dishes are eaten with rice and rice based accompaniments such as dosas, appams, idiyappams, adais and idlis. The Chettiars, through their mercantile contacts with Burma, learnt to prepare a type of rice pudding made with sticky red rice. The chefs of manapatti village near Singampunari are experts in cooking Chettinad cuisine. They always used to cook in bulk orders for marriage functions, political functions, etc. though manapatti cooking is portrayed as madurai cuisine because it is located near to madurai district, it comes under chettinad cuisine only and it also comes under the chettinad region of sivagangai district. The entire village people is famous in the art of cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puduvayal</span> Town in Tamil Nadu, India

Puduvayal is a town in Karaikudi taluk, Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a town located in the Chettinad region of the Sivagangai district. On road, it is 12 km away from Karaikudi and 21 km away from Aranthangi. This town is famous for its rice mills. Puduvayal is the 2nd largest rice producer in Tamil Nadu. Puduvayal is an important commercial centre for trade in the Sivaganga district and part of the suburban region of Karaikudi. The town is famous for its Veerasekara Umaiyambigai Temple. Nearby Kandanur is famous for Kandanur Sivan Kovil—which is a replica of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple—built by Nagarthars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sivaganga district</span> Place in Tamil Nadu, India

Sivaganga District is one of the 38 districts in Tamil Nadu state, India. This district was formed on 15 March 1985 by trifurcation of Ramanathapuram district into Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts. Sivaganga is the district headquarters, while Karaikudi is Big City the most populous city in the district, administered by the Karaikudi Municipal Corporation. It is bounded by Pudukkottai district on the Northeast, Tiruchirappalli district on the North, Ramanathapuram district on South East, Virudhunagar district on South West and Madurai district on the West. The area's other larger towns include Sivaganga, Kalayar Kovil, Devakottai, Manamadurai, Ilaiyangudi, Thiruppuvanam, Singampunari and Tiruppattur. As of 2011, the district had a population of 1,339,101 with a sex ratio of 1,003 females for every 1,000 males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. Rm. M. Annamalai Chettiar</span> Indian industrialist and philanthropist (1881–1948)

Diwan Bahadur Sir Satappa Ramanatha Muthiah Annamalai Chettiar, Raja of ChettinadKCSI better known as Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar was an Indian industrialist, banker, educationist and philanthropist from Tamil Nadu. He was the founder of Annamalai University in Chidambaram and one of the founders of Indian Bank, along with his brother S. Rm. M. Ramaswami Chettiar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. A. Chidambaram</span> Indian industrialist and cricket administrator (1918–2000)

Muthiah Annamalai Chidambaram was an Indian industrialist and cricket administrator. He was the youngest son of Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, Raja of Chettinad.

DakshinaChitra is a living-history museum in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, dedicated to South Indian heritage and culture. It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the south of Chennai. Opened to the public on 14 December 1996, the museum was founded and is being managed by the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF). The MCF was established in 1984. Deborah Thiagarajan, an Indian art historian of American origin, governs the museum. The museum is built on 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land taken on a 33-year lease from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Located at Muttukadu, on the East Coast Road connecting Chennai and Pondicherry, the site overlooks Bay of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kottaiyur</span> Sub Urban in Tamil Nadu, India

Kottaiyur is a northern suburb of Karaikudi as well the part of Karaikudi City Municipal Corporation .The town is famous for Kottaiyur Sivan Temple, one of the master pieces of the Chettinad region. The temple and the area's old lime stone heritage buildings give Kottaiyur a unique identity. Kottaiyur is well developed and famous for its reputed educational institutions. Kottaiyur panchayat administration including the villages of Velangudi and Alagapuri is due to be merged with Karaikudi as part of the municipality expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karpaka Vinayakar Temple</span> Temple in Tamil Nadu, India

Karpaka Vinayaka Temple or Pillaiyarpatti Pillaiyar Temple is a 7th-century-CE rock-cut cave shrine, significantly expanded over the later centuries. It is located in Pillayarpatti village in Tiruppathur Taluk, Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian vernacular architecture</span> Buildings of local styles and materials

Indian vernacular architecture the informal, functional architecture of structures, often in rural areas of India, built of local materials and designed to meet the needs of the local people. The builders of these structures are unschooled in formal architectural design and their work reflects the rich diversity of India's climate, locally available building materials, and the intricate variations in local social customs and craftsmanship. It has been estimated that worldwide close to 90% of all building is vernacular, meaning that it is for daily use for ordinary, local people and built by local craftsmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. A. Muthiah Chettiar</span> Indian banker, politician, philanthropist, socialite and cultural activist (1905-1984)

Sir Muthiah Annamalai Muthiah Chettiar, Rajah of Chettinad KCSI better known as RajahSir Muthiah Chettiar was an Indian Industrialist, banker, politician, philanthropist, and cultural activist who served as First Mayor of Madras city (1933) and Minister of Excise and Education (1936–37) in the provincial government of Madras Presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Tamil Nadu</span> Overview of the architecture of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is known for its ancient temple architecture. Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38,615 temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples are located in Tamil Nadu. Studded with complex architecture, a variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.

Sivaganga Palace is a palace in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, southern India, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Madurai. It is an old royal palace, with many historical connections. The palace was used as residence by queens Velu Nachiyar (1780–90), Vellacci Nachiyar (1790–93) and Rani Kaathama Nachiar (1864–77). No remains of the original Sivaganga Palace exist, but a new palace, known as "Gowri Vilasam", was built by Padamathur Gowry Vallabha Thevar (1801-1829) in the year 19th century. A heritage site of Chettinad, it was the property of Rani Velu Nachiar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little India, Ipoh</span> Ethnic enclave in Perak, Malaysia

Little India Ipoh, is one of the major business centers of Malaysian Indians in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanadukathan Palace</span> Palace in Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu, India

Kanadukathan Palace is a palace situated in Kanadukathan in Sivaganga District, in Tamil Nadu, India.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "India's 10,000 forgotten mansions". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hass, Nancy (May 17, 2017). "India's Lost Party Mansions". New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Rajivkumar, Seetha; Kesavaperumal, Thirumaran (2018-10-02). "Investigating the residents' attitude towards the preservation of palatial houses built heritage in Chettinad region, Tamil Nadu". Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage. 5 (4): 250–265. doi:10.1080/20518196.2018.1529549. ISSN   2051-8196.
  5. 1 2 3 Pasley, James. "Inside India's 15,000 extravagant, abandoned mansions, built by spice and gem tycoons and left to decay". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  6. ↑ Rajivkumar, Seetha; Kesavaperumal, Thirumaran (2022), Mohareb, Nabil; Cardaci, Alessio; Maruthaveeran, Sreetheran; Cavalagli, Nicola (eds.), "Identifying the Character-Defining Elements in the Traditional Houses of Chettinadu Region, Tamil Nadu, India", Cities’ Identity Through Architecture and Arts, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 57–72, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-99480-8_5, ISBN   978-3-030-99479-2 , retrieved 2024-04-10
  7. ↑ "Discover Chettinad | Chidambara Vilas - A Luxury Heritage Resort". www.sangamhotels.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.