CHETTINAD’S PALACE , KANADUKATHAN.

Chettinad is a region located in Tamilnadu state, known as the

land of the Chettiars or the Nagarathars; this community consists of 75
villages and Karaikudi is the the capital of Chettinad; Chettiars are known
for their inborn talent for trade, they took a important part in development
of business during the Chola Empire, in particular in the trade of rice, salt,
ship chandler with all the area; the wealth accumulated is found nowadays
in the architecture and the arts and crafts; luxurious Chettinad Mansions,
the several temples, the famous Chettinad cuisine, the heritage of this
banking and business community tht suffer during the foreign settlements,
is well worth a visit.
Location Map

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 Location Map
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CHETTINAD SETTLEMENT STUDIES

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 Streets in grid pattern with compund walls running around the properties are aligned of with the street axis, the
houses are set back from this alignment and built with common height which seem to be inspired by both the Tamil science of
space organization, the Vastu Chastra and by the layout of the colonial cities. Even if the facades of the mansions bear witness
of personal extravaganza of rich merchants, the Chettinad villages stand out with their remarkable unity in architecture and
urban planning.
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 CHETTINAD PALACE
The Chettinad Raja’s Palace, home of the Dr.Annamalai Chettiar family, was built in 1912. He is founder of Indian Bank
and Annamalai University.

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 Chettinad palace are 9 kms from kanadukathan ,
India.

Colourful Public Bus on Broken Road in the

street of Kanadukathan chettinad, India
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 CHETTINAD PALACE
As you arrive in the small village you
must take still some walk from the
busstand to discover this view of the
façade of the chettinad palace like in
the middle of nowhere as a lonely with
island in contrast to the surrondings.

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 CHETTINAD PALACE
The 110-year old Chettinad Palace in
Kanadukathan village is the oldest surviving
building of this style, built by Dr.Annamalai
chettiyar , was given the honorary title of
“Raja” as he was the owner of 90 villages,
which comprised the area called Chettinadu.
Chettinadu extended 25km from the north
to south and 15km from west to east.

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TYPICAL GROUND FLOOR PLAN OF CHETTINAD PALACE

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TYPICAL GROUND FLOOR REFLECTED CEILING PLAN OF CHETTINAD PALACE

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TYPICAL FIRST FLOOR PLAN OF CHETTINAD PALACE

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SECTION THROUGH THE COURTYARDS

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 1. Thottam (Garden)
2. Well
3. Mugappu (Entrance)
4. Thinnai (Raised Platform)
5. Kanakupullai Arai (Accountant’s Room)
6. Nadai (Passage)
7. Mudhal Vasal (First Inner Thinnai)
8. Vendunthal (Worship)
9. Alamari (Cupboard)
10. Muttram (Courtyard)
11. Padi (Staircase)
12. Arai (Room Storage)
13. Dining
14. Mutram (Women’s Courtyard)
15. Mutram (Kitchen’s Courtyard)
16. Aduparai (Fire Place)
17. Samayal Arai (Kitchen)
18. Wash
19. Kazhivarai (Toilets)
20. Maadi (Terrace)

D - Kathavu (Door)
W - Jannal(window)
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 SECTION THROUGH THE COURTYARDS

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AERIAL VIEW OF RAJA’S PALACE
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 Entrance ( Mugappu )
The Basic style of architecture
is that traditional Chettinad ,while the
construction material, decor items and
furnishings were mostly imported from
east Asian countries where the Raja
had spread his sprawling business and
also from Europe.

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 PRIVATE ENTRANCE
The Private Entrance of the palace where
still the authentic family of the chettiars live.
There are several ornamental pillars leading
to the inside of the palace.

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 INNER LANDSCAPE NEAR ENTRANCE
(Carved pillars and wooden roofs ; welcome notes in Entrance)

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INNER COURTYARD
 STAIRWAY TO THE TERRACE
(Spiral shaped – space saving, with brass material)

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 ENTRANCE HALL ( THINNAI )
The Pillars around the courtyard are in Burma
Teak , and there is picturesque combination of
scarlet tiles and sloping woodwork.

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 ENTRYWAY
Looking in from the main threshold , your eye travels in a straight line
across a series of inner courtyards, each a diminishing rectangle of light ,
leading out to the back door.

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 FRONT DOOR
The huge elaborately Carved Teak Front Door , with image of Lakshmi
carved over the head and navaratna or nine precious gems buried under
the (vasapadi) threshold. These entrance doors, with carved panels and
double doors were mostly made of Burma teak and Neem.

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 DINING HALL
Dining hall where at least 250 people
can dine in the traditional style, that is , by
squatting on the floor. Two massive mirrors
fitted to the walls are meant to help those who
are serving to find out who needs more
helpings, without actually walking up the length
of the hall to the guest.

Marble from Italy ,wall to wall mirrors

from Belgium, crystals from Europe. The
woodwork and stone work were inspired by
what Dr.Chettiyar had seen in France and other
European destinations.
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 COURTYARD
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 COURTYARD
The door leads into the first open air courtyard, with pillared corridors
running on each side that lead into individual rooms, each meant for a
married son, each with a triangular slot cut into the wall for the evening
lamp. The houses are built on a rectangular , traversal plot that stretches
across two streets, with the front door opening into the first street and
the back into the second.

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 COURTYARD
After First courtyard , then comes the second courtyard with large dining
spaces on either side. The third courtyard was for the women folk to rest
and gossip, while the fourth, or nalankattai comprised the kitchens,
leading out to the backyard with its women’s well and grinding stones.
The courtyards have tiles placed exactly under the storm water drain
pipes so that the stone floor is not damaged.
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 COURTYARD
The courtyards supply ample light and air ( pickles and papads were dried
there) but leave the rest of the house in deep and cool shadow.
Underground drains run right through the house, with stone stoppers
carved exactly for their mouths. Large stone vats for water and wooden
bins for firewood line the inner courtyards.

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 THIRD COURTYARD
The Third courtyard has several
small rooms around it. They were
meant to store crockery,food and
other kitchen items. There are
two kitchens in the third
courtyard.
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 INNER COURTYARD
The servant’s quarters are situated at the far end at a proper
distance from the residential area of the family. But they were
close to the kitchen where the ladies of the house required
their services.
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 ATHANGUDI TILES
Athangudi tiles are prepared by a unique process
in which local soil alongwith cement, baby jell
and synthetic oxides are used. The tiles are cast
from the locally available clay that is first burnt
and then glazed. It is the play of base colours with
typical conventional flora and line drawings that
make them unique. It is used for flooring, wall
cladding, both interiors and exteriors.

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 ATHANGUDI TILES
Named after the place of the manufacture in chettinad, Tamilnadu, come
in a myriad of colours and patterns. These tiles are a testament to the rich
cultural heritage of the Chettiar community, who effectively adapted
many influences to their own brand of local craftsmanship. The designs
and colours used in Athangudi tiles are still those of a bygone era.
However, of late, new designs and patterns are being incorporated . The
Athangudi tiles are hand made.

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 CLIMATIC RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE

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 Due to the fact that they settled in a
hot and semi arid region, the chettiars
took the climate into consideration to
plan the villages, design the palatial
houses and in choosing the materials
to use. They had a vision of land-use
planning which has shaped a unique
landscape.

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 The materials used for construction also
respond to the climatic requirements : thick
walls of brick , lime plasters, multiple layer
of terracotta tiles roofing, marbles and
stones floors are essential components.

The slopes of the roofs are important and

allow the collecting of rain water during the
monsoon season. The collected water
serves for household use and to fill up the
wells; the overabundant water flows into
the drainage system of the village which
feeds the common ponds and tanks.

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 WALL PLASTERING
Local legend has it that the walls were polished with a paste made out of
eggwhites to give them a smooth texture. The walls of the building were
embellished with “Chettinad Plaster”, whose other names are white –
vellai poochchu, egg plastering – muthu poochchu . Such walls were coated
with several layers comprising mixture of lime, base, ground white
seashells and liquid egg white.
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 STUCCO WORK
The houses in chettinad are well sculptured work too. Such as Stucco work can be seen at the entrance tower, compound wall
and the façade. The theme is mostly Gods and Goddesses – Shiva Parvati, Gajalakshmi. Gajalakshmi symbolizes protection and
properity, while shiva Parvati represents happy family life. These are portrayed by using stucco work as the medium.

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 BELGIAN GLASSWORK

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 CARVED PILLARS
Intricately carved pillars of teak, granite, marble, and iron
that add grandeur to these houses stand testimony to the
wealth of each family. The Raja palace is the most imposing of
the houses with pillars made from a single piece of wood
standing more than 10 feet tall. Old residents of chettinad
claim that moneyed chettiars filled the hollow columns of the
wood and granite pillars with valuable gems in the last
century.
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 TOOLS FOR THE KITCHEN
The food is still prepared in the traditional style
with freshly ground spices. Eleven firewood
overs are lined along the kitchen wall and there
are also two teak wood cupboards . It is said
that all the Chettinad people have cupboards for
provision, regardless of their financial status.

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 PALACE KEY
The key of the palace still preserved and
it’s 1 feet long . It is made by Brass
material with antique look.

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Windows from the Exterior Coloured pillards in courtyard Mirror in Palace Elephant Tusk
Outside view from Entrance Carved wood in Roof structure Carved wood in Door Frame panel Ornament supports Roof

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Belgium Glass window Door carvings Imported chandeliers View through the window grills

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 THE HIGHLIGHTS
• Intricately carved doors in Burma
Teak.
• Carved stone & wooden pillars and
beams.
• Handmade Athangudi Floor Tiles.
• Carved wooden Furniture with
Antique Tiles.
• Antique enamel,lacquer & wooden
vessels from Burma, srilanka,
Malayasia etc.,
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Before Revive After Revive

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THANK YOU

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