F/A series - 7

This is an unique example of the chandlier's / Lightings at Chettinadu Mansions. The lights, glasses used to come from Belgium, predominantly Europe in those days.

Chettinadu in The Hindu

Today's The Hindu carries an article about Chettinad hospitality ...... check it out .....

Flickr pool

The Flickr pool about Chettinad has grown phenomenally to 50+ pictures from photographers across the globe.

Check Eric, Coffee on the house, FabIndia for some lovely shots of Chettinad .....

F/A series - 6

The doors are having a tale of its own in Chettinad, the ones what i'm posting here are not exactly the inner / intricately carved varieties, but the simpler, exterior, backyard doors.

Posted both the BnW & Colour versions of the same.

F/A series - 5

The window glasses are also very unique in this part of the country ....

a few examples here ....

F/A series - 4

The Knob .....

A very interesting piece of the architectural splendour from Chettinad, the Knob. These ornamental knobs are seen at the main door, room doors (arai).















shown here are knobs on different doorset's .....










P.s. : what's an antique? what the Grandfather buys judiciously, Dad sells at throwaway price, the Grandson buys it back at a fancy price .... :-)

F/A series - 3

நிலை or Nilai :-

This is the entrance design in the main door. The "Nilai" shows the grandeur of a someone's home. These are also done in the main rooms entrance too. Especially in the 1st "kattu" or கட்டு or the main "Valavu" , the rooms are the main அறை, for which they decorate with such an artistic Nilai.
Normally they depict a scene from Hindu mythology. Will follow this with more such closeup's on the Nilai.

Furniture / Architecture series - 2

In short, henceforth, F/A series ....

Check this out .... மனை or Manai ...














As informed earlier, these manai's are used predominantly in the marraiges, on which the Bride & the Groom get married to each other. These designs are almost simlar in every household in this area. The base made out of wood and the seat made of tiles, which are placed delicately over these base wooden planks.

2 more days to go

i'm kicked to think that i'd be carrying the new toy to Chettinad and might be able to click a few snaps for this blog as well the Flickr group ...... hopefully we find time among the 2 marraiges to be attended in 2 days ... :-)

Furniture / Architecture series - 1

Like the easy chair shown earlier .... there are some unique chairs, furnitures, utensils pertaining to this topogragphy ..... will be covering them too soon in this space .....

I hope to capture quite a bit of live examples when i'm travelling to Chettinad on Jan 27th & 28th,07.

For now ......

Marriages @ Heaven - 2

I'd be filling details on what happens post the wedding in the morning ....

What follows is a grand feast (called lunch), which normally has a plantain leaf used as a Thaali, which has a spread which is mouthwatering and yummy. Normally it's a vegetarian fare and includes about 12-14 variety of dishes ..... though some show their money power by going upto 20-22 varieties .... just think about it !!! (..mmmm)

Post the lunch the "mega-serial" item happens .... yes the 'tears' scenario .... the bride bids adieu to her folks, uncles etc ..... and the closest family and the girl breaks into tears while bidding "good-bye" ..... the immediate family (normally the bride, groom, groom's parents, bride & grooms uncle and a younger sibling / cousin of the bride) leaves the bride's village to their village (the groom's place).

The group doesn't reach their home straight but an annointed home (their neighbours, relative) closeby. Then in the evening the entire bus-ful of relatives of the bride reaches and then the bride & the groom are taken to the grooms home. This is called the "Penn azhaippu", where the girl is brought to her home.

After a few small formalities like spotting the ring out of three pots etc (to make them comfortable) the newly wed and their relatives settle (again) for a dinner feast at the groom's home.

Hope i've covered quite a bit ....... (for want of the right picture have added an upcoming movie still about the chettinadu weddings)

Marriages @ Heaven

The marraiges at Chettinad are elaborate, with customs & procedures totally different from the other Hindu marraiges. I'm trying to give a detailed account of the customs and procedures here .......

The 1st day (the day prior to the wedding day) evening starts with family, relatives of the groom or the bride visiting the home. (Normally the marraige happens at the brides home in the native village). Formalities of the "Thaali" (mangal sutra), making the yellow rope, including the main dollar of the thaali etc are done by the grooms "pangali" (the relatives of the ancient familial tree, who are part of the same temple). At the same time the women folk at the brides home build the marraige manai (the platform in which the marriage happens).

The next morning the groom moves to the brides village and brought to the brides home where the marraige happens with the traditional "nagaswaram, melam"and its called the Mappilai Azhaippu (Inviting the groom). Once the pundit performs the pooja, the elders of both families come together to the "manai" and call for the bride to come to the stage and they announce the marraige and the groom ties the knot.

Then it follows the customs of the bride and her sister-in-law and mother-in-law.

Will follow up in the next post about the events which follow later till the evening .....

the lifestyle ....

Everything Old is new again ..... people talk about retuired life.

The best way to enjoy the same is ....... yes, look at these chairs.

Very relaxing, you could have a snack or a chaai on the extendable arms.

The old chettiars (even now) have these placed at the valavu in an angle where they can see both people coming into their home's and whats happening at their back yards.

Visualise !!!

Just not Brick & Mortar

When u say house and when you say home the feeling associated with these words change quite dramatically.

Same way wherever you settle and whichever cities you travel to, the heart warms immediately at the mention of your native village, town, "gaun", "Ooru" .....

These actually inspired me the sleeping urge to contribute to the LEGACY of CHETTINADU and its Architectural Splendour.

Hence this blog.

P.s. : the place is famous for their recipes too, will try and publish some of these age old secrets too ....