(Pictures from Hindu online)
Was reading about the popular tourist spots in India from one of the country's well known magazines recently and was pleasantly surprised to find that Chettinad was one among the top 5 fast growing vacation spots in India.
Karaikudi, which is the main town in Chettinad, is 80 kilometers away from Madurai, another city in South India. Personally, found myself going back in time while reading the article as i reminisced my experiences at this place. One of best friends from undergrad was a Chettiar who hailed from a very well connected affluent family and she invited me and a few other friends for a 20 day vacation to her native village of Kanadukathan in Chettinad. It was one of the most unforgetable best vacations that i've ever had.
The place is very hot during summers and is best to visit from October to March. The Chettinad palace, which is the home of the Alagappa Chettiar family, is a wonderful place to visit. Several houses in this area are huge spawning the length of a street in Chennai, with an expansive verandah, center courtyard with pillars and just a grand vision of space. Eating hot favorites of Chettinad dishes on a plantain leaf, enjoying the visits to the agricultural vayals and catching a local bus to go to Karaikudi town to watch a movie or to be treated like royals when we were the only ones who were provided with chairs in the local movie shack house, it was a truly relaxing time that i will always cherish.
8 comments:
Nice info on Karaikudi. Chetinad-na simplicity, samaiyal and super houses. There is one house in Karaikudi called "1000 jannal veedu". Nice and grand homes, but simple living people.
It is a bit dusty and hot too.. surprising to know that it is among the top 5 growing vacation spots.
My non-veg used to crave for chettinad NV dishes..
Chettinadu samayal is very famous (although I am not in a position to eat NV).
Home of a lot of famous people, their houses are always the center of attraction.
P. Chidambaram hails from there, I believe.
Good pics...
Interesting post! Did not know anything more than 'Chettiar bommais' that are displayed in the 'Golus'!
katpadi_murali: thanks-me too, have heard of restaurant Karaikudi in Chennai.
raju:1000 janal veeda-wow..missed seeing that one.
ttg:same goes-no non-veg, but great variety of dishes. P.Chidambaram hails from Kanadukathan, Sivaganga district.
vanathi: thanks.
me_too:oh...a lot of movies like kandukonden kandukonden, jeans etc were shot in the huge palatial mansions of Chettinad.
You can expect a lot more movies like 'Maja' 'Sivakasi' which are coming out.. several scenes have been shot in Karaikudi...
Is the Kanadukathan house the one which was featured in Jeans / Kandukondain Kandukondain?
The 1000 jannal house is in Karaikkudi town itself. worth a visit.
did u read the article in Outlook traveller?
nice
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