Chettiar Palace, Kanadukathan, Sivaganga
Chettiar
Palace, also known as Chettiar Mansion is located at Kanadukathan in Chettinad
region. It is a historic home of the Chettinad Raja, which has been converted
into a heritage hotel. This mansion was constructed by Dr. Annamalai Chettiar
and it took over 10 years from 1902 to complete its construction. The
rooms of this mansion are embellished using Burmese teak wood and the
furnishings of the palace have been imported from various European and East Asian
countries. There is a huge dining hall in this palace that can accommodate
around 250 people at a time. The open courtyard of this mansion has beautifully
stone-carved pillars that add to the beauty of this heritage home.
The
palace at Kanadukathan symbolizes the exquisiteness of architectural marvels,
woodwork and ancient lighting, besides the cultural ethos of the region. All
homes have one to three `mittam’, or the inner pillared courtyard. Italian
glossy tiles have been used on walls and ceilings. Burma teak, granite pillars,
stained glass, artistic grills and such exquisite materials used in the
buildings speak volumes of the quality and lifestyle of its owners and the
skilled workforce. In these houses are numerous windows and very high ceilings.
At the
entrance is a pillared veranda or thinnai, meant for receiving visitors. Heavy
ornate wooden doors lead to the main hall, decorated with elephant tusks,
antique furniture and portraits of family members. Typically, the Palace
extends further in a series of three courtyards, with the doors aligned in such
a way that, from the entrance, you can see straight through to the end of the
house. Italian marble, Burma teak, stained glass and a fusion of colour and
ornate wrought iron, handmade tiles and woodwork, light up this home. Also
visit the equally large but, unfortunately, poorly preserved Athangudi
Palace. It is just 10 km from Karaikudi. It is a main shooting spot in Tamilnadu
and lot of Tamil and Telugu films are shot in this palace.
