Located around 80 kilometres to the south of Turichirappalli, Chettinad is a small village with a population of less that 100 people. The place is in nomination for UNESCO culture and heritage sites and preserves historic houses and a palace along with its own distinct Chettinad architecture and food. The temples in the town are another highlight along with the locally made ‘Chettinad Saree’ made from cotton, woven with a beautiful check pattern and stripes and dyed with bold and vibrant colours.

The small town was where rich Tamil merchants had built their own luxury mansions. However, in the 19th and 20th century, many owners moved to Burma, Ceylon and other South-Asian countries, leaving behind a beautiful town where time truly stands still!

Other highlights of the village include:

• The Saratha Villas which is an 8-room boutique hotel restored by 2 French architects. The place has beautiful courtyards used as dining areas during summers, a pool and a garden area. The wooden architecture of the place along with the vintage décor, use of marble and the beautiful tile-work, all capture the essence of Chettinad.
• The Kanadukathan Chettinadu Palace that is stark white in colour and is adorned with beautiful arches and terraces.
• The exclusive décor and material that make these houses so beautiful including the chandeliers and teak wood bought from Burma, Indonesian crockery and mirrors from Belgium. The limestone used to make most of these houses was glazed with a special paste made from eggs that gave the stone its beautiful sheen.
• Temples in the region including the Vairavan Kovil temple, the Iraniyur temple, the Kottaiyur Sivan temple, the Kandanur Sivan temples and the Karpaga Vinayakar
• The beautiful Aathangudi tiles that are made from local soil and glass plates and hand-crafted to form one-of-a-kind designs

The place is usually a day trip from Tiruchirappalli and you can easily spend a day here experiencing the art, architecture and the old-world ambience of the place. Before leaving the town, don’t forget to try an authentic Chettinad meal at the town that includes a variety of dishes served traditionally on a banana leaf.

• Make reservation at nearby hotels for accommodation.
• Recommended time of arrival: 7.00 am – 10.00 am

• For admission prices of individual attractions in Chettinad, visit the official website.

• Timings of individual attractions in Chettinad vary. For more information, visit the official website.

• By Bus : Government Hospital Bus Stop in Kanadukathan
• By Bus : Chettinad Railway Station
• By renting a Car/ Bike.

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