Chettinad is known by its spicy cuisine. The region is in the Shivaganga district of Tamil Nadu State. Chettinadu was once the center for banking and other commercial activities and Chettiars are the famous clan known to have achieved excellence in trade and marketing. People here speak Tamil. Chettinadu can be reached by road, and railways. Nearest airport (domestic) is at Madurai (90kms) and nearest international airport is at Chennai. By road Chettinadu is connected to Madurai, Tanjore, Chennai and Trichy. Karaikudi is the nearest railway station to Chettinadu. What to see Chettinadu region is famous for conventional homes, mansions, and sarees. So, the best thing to do is to visit some conventional homes or mansions to get a glimpse of the architecture and elegance. One of such is the Chettiar mansion. It is located at Kanadukathan. This mansion has been handed over to some heritage hotels now. Have a look at the wooden carvings on the door, the courtyard, and the antique furniture. There are quite a few temples belonging to Chettiar clan in the Chettinadu region. They are the traditional temples. These temples are built in a cluster around nine villages of the region. They display the artistic brilliance in the conventional Chettiar style. Every temple has its own pond (Oorani) in front of the temple. Much of the social activities of Chettinadu region are related to its temples. Chettinadu saree is another attraction for the tourists. It is unique in its kind and the fabric would be cotton. It is worn differently by the traditional women of the region. What else would be more interesting than to savor the Chettinadu cuisine in its own homeland? Chettinad Chicken curry has been quite popular across the nation. It will be spicy and will be served on plantain leaf. Vegetarians can taste the original Chettinadu drumstick sambar (Kolambu) at the local restaurants.
