CULTURE &ARCHITECTURE. Prepared by : Mrs.S.H.R.Jawahar Benazir, School Of Architecture & Interior Design

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1 CULTURE &ARCHITECTURE OF CHETTINAD Prepared by : Mrs.S.H.R.Jawahar Benazir, School Of Architecture & Interior Design

2 SOCIAL LIFE OF NAGARATHARS SALIENT FEATURES OF A CHETTINAD HOUSE TRADITIONS IN ARTS & CRAFTS SPACE, FUNCTION & CLIMATE RESPONSIVENESS COLUMNS, PARAPETS AND CORNICES RAJAS PALACE IN KANADUKATHAN NAGARATHAR HOUSES IN KARAIKUDI. 2

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4 CHETTINAD is a region of the Sivaganga district of southern Tamil Nadu state, India. KARAIKUDI is known as the capital of Chettinad, which includes Karaikudi and 74 (traditionally its said as 96) other villages. Since Chettinad was strategically located on the old trade route, the Chettiars to work as traders and moneylenders in Burma, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and other South-East Asian countries. They prospered, returned home & built massive homes made of Burmese teak that gave them their name, the Nattukotai (country fort) Chettiars or Nagarathars. 4

5 Nagarathars are an exclusive clan, famous for their enterprise, hard work and contributions tib ti to society. it They earned money by crossing the seas and their business acumen made them successful fland prosperous. Their social life is Unique. At the apex of the family household, is the Aachi the senior most female in the house. She controlled, if not every thing, the finances of the household. As a result of their traveling, the Chettiars integrated diverse influences into their traditions which contributed to their uniqueness. People started moving away from the money lending business in favour of other professions. Since the 1970s, many have become professionals, entrepreneurs and industrialists. While the Nagarathars still see their roots in Chettinad, over the years, they have been moving away from ancient traditions and customs.

6 CHETTINAD CUISINE Chettinad is known for its Culinary delicacies Traditionally, meals for Chettiars are served on a large banana leaf with rice, vegetables, pickles, papadams, along with meat dishes. Chettiars are very superstitious with numbers, dishes have to be served in odd numbers (i.e. seven or nine dishes per meal). Although the Chettiars are well-known for their delicious vegetarian preparations, their recipes include fish and meats also. Chettinad can be considered as the master chefs who prepare food that reflects the excellence of South Indian look for in the preparation and serving of food. Chettinad cuisine traditionally eaten on a banana leaf (vaazhai ilai)

7 The colorful Rituals in Traditional Weddings

CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS CLAN TEMPLES The community is organized around 9 clan temples. Each member of the Chettiar community belongs to a clan and each clan has its own temple.

His abodes are not necessarily temples but outdoor shrines that are filled with terra-cotta offerings.

8 CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS CLAN TEMPLES The community is organized around 9 clan temples. Each member of the Chettiar community belongs to a clan and each clan has its own temple. AYANNAR SHRINES Ayannar is the Tamil God of everything ": rain maker, god of children, cattle, villages, earth, nature and villagers. He is present in rural areas. His abodes are not necessarily temples but outdoor shrines that are filled with terra-cotta offerings. MARIAMMAN TEMPLES Mariamman, the Goddess of smallpox, is the deity of life, especially ill of women and children. She grants children and cures them. The main festivals take place during the months of March and April. There is great fervour during these festivities, i i with ih thousands of devotees gathering in her honour.

9 FESTIVALS DEEPAVALI - On Deepavali day, there is a grand festive lighting of traditional lamps bythe achis (h (the Chettiar wives). The lamps are placed with other consecrated offerings on banana leaves. NAVARATRI- Navaratri is the celebration of Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Durga, the manifestations of Shakti (Female Energy or Power). Customarily, the Navaratri festival or Nine Nights festival is the culmination of nine days and nignts of joyful celebrations when the women of a householdh are particularly l celebrated lb td.

10 Temple Festival the 5 decorated gods, Panchamurthi - the annual procession in open bullock carts Vaikasi Vik ivisakam carrying of kavadi, Fire walking & piercing the body with long needles & sharp hooks

11 Sevvai(Tuesday)Pongalcelebrated on first Tuesday of pongal, the harvest festival Puravi Edupu Horse festival beseeching the rain gods for their mercy

12 ATHANGUDI TILES Athangudi tiles are prepared by a unique process in which local soil along with cement, baby jelly and synthetic oxides are used. The tiles are cast from the locally available clay that is first burnt and then glazed. It is the play of base colours with typical conventional flora and line- drawing designs that makes them unique. It is used for flooring, wall cladding both in interiors as well as exteriors.

13 STREET VIEWS

14 ARTS & CRAFTS OF CHETTINAD

15 The arts & crafts of Chettinad occupy a distinct position in South Indian folklore. Wood carving, silver embellishment, bllih woven saris, palm-leafleaf baskets, gold jewellery, hand-made tiles, architectural styles, refined cuisine and egg plastering are among their hi more visible iibl contributions i to the wide-ranging repertoire of Indian arts and crafts. Chettinad baskets has a special attraction as they have intricate patterns made with date-palm leaves. Traditional Jewellery Traditional thaali - Marriage necklace Intricate wooden carved doorframe Twin Chettinad baskets woven in fine silver 15

16 Ornamental wooden carving Spitoons- Echilpanickam Palmyra leaf Baskets Kottans & Koodais Kandanghi sareeshand woven Kidarams-big water storage vessel Sombu - Brass vessel Crafted aruvamanai 16

17 The Traditional Wooden Dolls The Chettiar & The Achi Use of Burmese teak and multi-color tiles for cupboards. A special feature of any chettinad house is the decorative art of "Kolam" practiced everyday at dawn on the cleansed threshold of the house. During auspicious days and especially on lifecycle rituals like birth and marriage related celebrations, this art form on the floor takes on a special meaning and is very elaborately done. Nadu veetu kolam 17

18 ARCHITECTURE OF CHETTINAD

19 TYPICAL NAGARATHAR HOUSES Most Chettiar mansions comprised of a public reception area abutting the street. The basic floor plan of a Chettinad house consists of an outside verandah (thinnai) for guests, with a room for conducting business on one or both ends; an interior courtyard to be used in ceremonies, with a raised seating area at one or both ends; a series of small double rooms opening off the main courtyard, for storage, prayer and sleeping and a small courtyard behind for cooking and for the women to socialize. The Chettinad houses were usually tilefd with a small two-storeyedt tower at both ends of the front roofed elevation. They later expanded vertically into twostoreyed structures, and horizontally through the addition of numerous halls and courtyards that could accommodate guests at marriages and other ceremonies. The rear hall served as the women s domain where the women of the community reared children, engaged gg in food preservation and went about other domestic activities.

20 Chettinad architecture stands out for its use of large spaces in halls and courtyards, ornate embellishments like Belgian glasswork, intricate woodwork, spectacular ceramic tiles, stone, iron and wooden pillars like nothing else thatt can be seen in this part of the world.

21 CHETTINAD HOUSES Chettinad houses are signs of successful joint families that existed in the older days. Buildings are divided into portions - Kattu. Each house in chettinad is made up of Mugappu, Valavu, Irandankattu, Moonankattu & thottam Mugappu gpp The reception; entrance of the house Valavu Living area of the house In the valavu, there are 4 platforms that are called as Pattalai, each at 4 corners of the valavu. Pattalai Living halls of each family Along with Pattalai, valavu consists of numerous Irattai veedu. Irattai veedu rooms used by each family to keep their belongings(2 rooms connected by a single door) Mugappu" held by pillars made of granite Nadai Corridor Irandankattu used for dining / with storerooms for storing crockery/kitchenware Moonamkattu Kitchen(adukala) Thottam Garden Stables, cowsheds etc.,

22 The magnificent mansions in Chettinad are the finest examples of combinations of vernacular architecture & amalgam of South East &European architecture. The source of inspiration derived from can be attributed to their connection with Trade, Travel, Temples, Taditio Tradition adtaste and Taste. From birth to burial, the Nagarathars observed numerous ceremonies. All such functions were held within their own premises as many of their hi palatial l bildi buildings have Marriage Halls ( Kalyana Kottagai ) and Banquet Hall ( Bhojan Hall or panthi kattu). The pillared corridors around the 'valuvu' (courtyard), lead into individual rooms, each meant for a married son. The long corridors second kattu-usedused dining of for

23 Their villages were constructed upon precise and sophisticated rules of urban planning, represented namely by orthogonal streets and specific water management systems, which are also directly linked to the earlier Tamil traditions of rectangular plots and houses with an inner courtyard. The houses, which evolved over two centuries, are veritable palaces. On the ground floor, the architecture is typically Tamil, while one can see Western influences on the higher floors. This reflects the Chettiar way of life, a combination of their vibrant traditions with the global economy. The marble was brought from Italy, chandeliers and teak from Burma, crockery from Indonesia, crystals from Europe and wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium. The woodwork and stonework was inspired that of the houses in France and other European destinations. The walls of Chettinad Nagarathars buildings are embellished with Chettinad plaster whose other names are: White Vellai poochchu ; Egg plastering; Muthu Poochchu Such walls were coated with several layers comprising mixture of lime base, ground white seashells, liquid egg white, etc.

24 Thinnai kitchen 3 rd Courtyard 2 nd Courtyard 1 st Courtyard TYPICAL PLAN OF A CHETTINAD HOUSE Kanakupullai s room The open aired 'valavu' (courtyard) with wooden-pillared corridors on each side. The pillars were made out of Burmese Teak. 24

25 The most important characteristic features of Chettinad Buildings are 1) Cluster Houses, with 16) Edges of the passages are lined with ih cut 2) (Mostly)East West orientation stone slabs known as vellaikkallu, 3) High rise compound wall (front side) 17) The stone pillars meant for supporting the 4) Entrance Arch with stone steps roof 5) Elevated plinth, 18) Sloping clay - tiled roofs 6) Tiled Portico, 7) Facade with stucco sculptures, 8) Verandah Thinnai (two Platforms), 9) Wooden Pillars on it, 10) High door frame with ornate wood work, 11)Double main door, 12) pattalai or pattasalai (smaller version of the thinnai- i platforms), 13) Open Courtyard ( Mutram Valavu ), 14) Second /third courtyard/s, 15) Passage on all the four sides around the The color-glass arch flanked by pillars on Mutram, is called Suththupathi, either sides

26 19) Square flat tiles floor of the mutram will have rectangle stone slabs on all the four corners to bear the brunt of the falling rain 27) All the mediums used in making columns viz, water, wood, stone, brick, and iron, 20) Small single / double rooms on one side 28) First floor facade is invariably adorned by or either ih side of the passage ( suththukkattu ) hh length wise, colonnade made of stone, wood, and bricks, 29) Window niches and arches above are decorated 21) Kitchen on the last kattu, with stucco work or paintings. 22) Staircase on one or two or all the four corners, 30) Designed for collecting / harvesting rain water (especially in courtyard (Mutram). 23) Banquet Hall Bhojan Hall Panthi kattu on the side of the first kattu, 24) Floors laid with -Italian marble Black and White, Granite & Athangudi tiles - Pookkallu, 25) Japanese and Spanish tiles were both used for side walls 26) Beams, pillars, brackets, capitals, frames all made of Burma teak,

27 Chettinad is rich in cultural heritage, art and architecture, and is well known for its houses, embellished with marble and Burma teak, wide courtyards, spacious rooms, and for its 18th century mansions. Local legend tells that their walls used to be polished with a paste made out of egg-whites to give asmooth texture. The construction material, decorative items and furnishings were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe. The Reception area - Chettinad House with imported Italian Marble flooring Extensively carved Wooden Ceiling of a Chettinad mansion

28 The Hall Moonamkattu the kitchen courtyard The Pillared Verandah courtyard

29 RAJA S PALACE KANADUKATHAN

30 The Chettinad Raja s Palace, home of the Chettiar family, was built in The pillars around the courtyard are in Burma teak, and there is picturesque combination of scarlet tiles and sloping woodwork. The construction material, decor items and furnishings were mostly imported, from east Asian countries and also from Europe where the Rj Raja Chettiyar had spread his sprawling business. The woodwork and stone work were inspired by French and other European architecture.

31 Mugappu -belgium glasswork The elegant wooden bracketing

32 Imported Italian chandeliers- decorated wooden columns Unique The Central courtyard is used for weddings and religious ceremonies.

33 The third courtyard Entrance Hall The elegant Dining Hall

34 PARAPETS, CORNICES & PILLARS / COLUMNS

35 Use of animal motifs for brackets intricate i t poetry on wood-richly ihl Elaborate wooden ceiling in a mansion carved doorway Wooden carvings 35

36 Pillars/Columns 36

37 The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices across the houses of chettinad Parapets/Cornices 37

38 The colorful Belgian Glasswork Windows 38

STUCCOWORK Stucco work was used on the interior & exterior walls; stucco sculptural work was employed on the entrance tower, façade, railing wall & compound wall.

39 STUCCOWORK Stucco work was used on the interior & exterior walls; stucco sculptural work was employed on the entrance tower, façade, railing wall & compound wall. The icons of Gods/Goddesses- Gaja Lakshmi, Meenakshi Sundareswarar,Shiva Parvathi on Rishaba bull was often a repeated theme in Chettinad. Images of God, goddess, angels, flora and fauna are generally portrayed by using the medium of stucco. Gajalakshmi symbolizes protection and prosperity; Shiva Parvathi pair represents happy family life. Stucco Work- Architecture cum Sculpture Stucco-work 39

40 CLIMATE RESPONSIVENESS MAIN COURTYARD Prime place for interaction ; Since, Chettinad is a hot and semi-arid region, The climate was taken into consideration in the design of their homes and the materials used. The houses were built around an East/West central courtyard which brings shade, light, coolness and air to the entire home. BUILDING MATERIALS USED - The materials used for construction and the essential components of this luxury ROOFING - The roof is terracotta tiled which helps home are brick and lime plaster walls, terracotta tiled roofs, stone pillars, teak in shutting out the immense heat; as chettinad is a hot and arid region. columns, and marble and stone floors. 40

41 BIBLIOGRAPHY chettinad-chettinadarchitecture.blogspot.com The Chettiar Heritage, S. Muthiah, Meenakshi Meyappan, Visalakshi Ramaswamy 41

About Devakottai. Near By Tourist Places. Karaikudi 13 KM near Chettinad 22 KM near Madurai 84 KM near Rameswaram 103 KM near

About Devakottai. Near By Tourist Places. Karaikudi 13 KM near Chettinad 22 KM near Madurai 84 KM near Rameswaram 103 KM near About Devakottai Devakottai is a city in the State of Tamil Nadu. The closest tourism destination to Devakottai is Karaikkudi. Other close by tourism destinations include Chettinad, Ilayangudi and Madurai.