The Chettiar Mansions of Karaikudi.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OJMoZn3dAkEQxPXm1xlmMr4t7P0CvBpVZ86rwJqTvbZQEqQ6ou0LWyHVBZqVONJsbp_hUINiff_kgRed21FrfOa4ERf4WftPvBCeNxZXanNh-kbv2Lwf4JQbPnfnPeDBusC7u_9GIwfS/s1600-h/c1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074417475829533106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OJMoZn3dAkEQxPXm1xlmMr4t7P0CvBpVZ86rwJqTvbZQEqQ6ou0LWyHVBZqVONJsbp_hUINiff_kgRed21FrfOa4ERf4WftPvBCeNxZXanNh-kbv2Lwf4JQbPnfnPeDBusC7u_9GIwfS/s640/c1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Karaikudi is a city in Tamilnadu which is known as the homeland of Nattukotai Chettiars. Chettiars are a prosperous banking & business community many of whom migrated to Burma, Sri Lanka, Malaysia etc .<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8XYWxkuj9zx6Hepr2_AYyXSBgmxDurIkRvjPazoqGE-YO6xTAxB5Nfdy0LEpEMtuo_5vud1dKKpg0MMrB779NyTKdab_FYR2LN0mtEL2jpnW4Xtpde0PxZTz7G-cYZ-WW5pA3qHXxDeX/s1600-h/c2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074417480124500418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8XYWxkuj9zx6Hepr2_AYyXSBgmxDurIkRvjPazoqGE-YO6xTAxB5Nfdy0LEpEMtuo_5vud1dKKpg0MMrB779NyTKdab_FYR2LN0mtEL2jpnW4Xtpde0PxZTz7G-cYZ-WW5pA3qHXxDeX/s640/c2.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a> We visited a mansion of one of the Chettiars who welcomed us into their home with open arms.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTu9XSo-LVNr2QzNUjUT7KUc_-YCO9GXqn6TOJMPayb73rkJParC9U0qohJLVGWDu-g-GgEei8ySGWb-t0PdkW4PQP3akoYJGug7WFSNjTYvMVCI9a3vUPj4ppH6k9cm1mUTgl_zLa_GW/s1600-h/c4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="491" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074417484419467746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTu9XSo-LVNr2QzNUjUT7KUc_-YCO9GXqn6TOJMPayb73rkJParC9U0qohJLVGWDu-g-GgEei8ySGWb-t0PdkW4PQP3akoYJGug7WFSNjTYvMVCI9a3vUPj4ppH6k9cm1mUTgl_zLa_GW/s640/c4.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a> Intricate carvings on the door just took my breath away. <img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074417810836982274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVpjG8se_lim3YX8fDazsjmw-4XWcpJkyt5t_7ejts6iVxve4bVJc7bXaG1r4XGLH8MNwyORUvrkb1DnccbVgK1Ttfy9fTGN_6x5Ug0gZmV4ztkZSVTbisoRerDV4fFMTaD0ZcZ91e5kO/s640/chettinad_doorcarving.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /> Close-up of the carvings in one of the main doors.<img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074418725665016338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_Q2AjXccLm7hTrEPbiEN6uDyCg1UFmr-jUFR7oeO2m76SmotBicX8LsuREJZWplK89sPFxFLkbl7yBRs4BWqtQ6Bjcymnf9H97G6iSCpWKyAc2lO_OI44rne3r-ju7MiZYf4hB0QMOis/s640/c6.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" />The design is typical of traditional south indian village homes...there is an open courtyard in the centre through which natural light fills the whole house.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWatTqhDjzujviXyDX38VDFacL6M-Dc0oyAzlbPNWILPAf6ukkCkKTreZiFcmwP8M9TDzJX6Sg8heCyZ3f837gCflFrTxNcL4OkSZU7VzegLsfv5lNFKgDz5AR9zFDovyENnMq7npqsX3/s1600-h/c5.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074417484419467762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWatTqhDjzujviXyDX38VDFacL6M-Dc0oyAzlbPNWILPAf6ukkCkKTreZiFcmwP8M9TDzJX6Sg8heCyZ3f837gCflFrTxNcL4OkSZU7VzegLsfv5lNFKgDz5AR9zFDovyENnMq7npqsX3/s640/c5.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a> Beautiful stone-carved pillars line the courtyard. Colourful handmade floor tiles called Athungudi tiles demarcate the various sections of the house.<img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074418729959983666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjDMZueBvusaKrwKObjYWEW0xwA64K98qYaAlk-Gy6qltqd2fHj5oYnrtpYHc5EBTOR9t6EItBszUkBjjXD4sEddJUi_MxQEcgI4q1prD345kHv_rj7bXP7M5-9oPpgG1QQ5o-iFtjBj7/s640/c8.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" />This entrance room had a chess board floor design.<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="472" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074418725665016354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpug_BooDSJL54EnlGHyi04tACn34zwu_gdvIGjCPZEMy2ADZAlyMGeiW_eGVzlq2glOoclIHXWzkYukw_jbZJDtD_gcJTluMejQafpU1gpJD3oSDDOuLOgqYxWRxiwWsQR9NMX2aFsT5J/s640/c7.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" />Just loved this space dedicated to the black & white pictures of their ancestors. Lovely!<br /><br />The highlights:<br /><br />* Intricately carved doors in Burma Teak.<br />* Carved stone & wooden pillars and beams.<br />* Handmade Athungudi floor tiles.<br />* Carved wooden furniture with antique tiles.<br />* Antique furnitures, enamel, lacquer & wooden vessels from Burma, Srilanka, Malaysia etc</div>

The Chettiar Mansions of Karaikudi.

Karaikudi is a city in Tamilnadu which is known as the homeland of Nattukotai Chettiars. Chettiars are a prosperous banking & business c...

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