Abandoned abodes of Karaikudi

The bewitching grandeur of the forgotten mansions of Chettinad treasures get Ami Bhat to explore their interiors

It wasn’t the turn the car took that threw me off balance. It was the sight of a street full of stately mansions. The majestic dwellings of Kanadukathan in Karaikudi compelled me to halt and set off by foot on a trail of mansion hopping. No two of these were alike. Each one had a discerning theme. Entrances with awe-striking deities competed with mansions emulating a castle with their bastion like structure. Unfortunately, the big dusty locks on the gates kept me at bay. Peeking through the crevices of the gates helped catch a glimpse of these Chettinad treasures in the form of carved pillars, stained glass windows and decorative doors.

With no person in sight, the mansion hopping continued until my curious eyes through the green gates of a dusty brown mansion locked gazes with an old caretaker. That was my “Open Sesame” moment for the gates flew open to reveal the secrets of the forgotten mansions of Karaikudi.

Back to the foundation

Karaikudi — the old Chettinad locality — turns out to be a treasure trove of architecture and artistic interiors — quite like the havelis of Rajasthan. Like Rajasthan, the ancestral veedu (mansions) was owned by the mercantile community of Tamil Nadu. Centuries earlier, the original place of settlement of these merchants — the Chettiars and the Nagarathar was the city of Poompuhar. Their aristocratic abodes were swept away by a tsunami forcing them to migrate to the drier highlands of Karaikudi. This is where they settled down as a community in 96 new villages. The gifted businessmen thrived in their ventures. Their homes became a symbol of their status and thus, came in the colossal bungalows of Karaikudi. With every trip these tradesmen made, they brought home not just wealth but artefacts to adorn their Nattukotai or the fortress on land.

Details in the door frame in one of
the mansions

Expansive courtyards

Warriors, dancers and elephants greeted me from the elaborately carved door frame. The green and blue from the windows and pillars lend colour to the dark shadows — making the mansion even more intriguing. A conspicuous, elaborate verandah, referred to as thinnai marked the front of the house.

Floored by designs

Faded murals highlighted the simple double-door windows in the courtyard. The scenes ranged from simple floral art to stories of divine deities. The walls belied its age — in fact, some corners looked as if they were polished recently. “These are made of the local limestone mixed with eggshell. The paint on these walls have lasted for years and can be cleaned,” explained the caretaker. “The limestone is called Karai and that is why this place is called Karaikudi”.

The colourful flooring along the corridors had its own tale to share. The Athangudi tiles are a handmade affair, typical of this region. The vibrant floral and geometric patterns have long graduated from being signatures of a Karaikudi mansion to being the ornamental pride of popular hotels — in India and abroad.

Athangudi tiles are typical
of this region