Walk through Chettinad’s bustling lanes, and you will be welcomed by heritage mansions featuring intricate handiwork, ponds with lotus blooms, and ancient temples with ornate facades. The region once helmed by the Nattukottai Chettiars, was known for its opulence in every realm: architecture, culinary heritage, art and craft, and more.
While only 11,000 mansions remain today (half of what existed 50 years ago), with a majority in ruins, Chettinad yearns for a revival. Which is why a few individuals working on projects designed to highlight the region’s riches: from cultural festivals to large-scale hospitality ventures, there is a lot happening in Chettinad today, away from the public eye.
We bring you a lowdown of what makes the region perhaps the next big cultural revival project in the country.
