Chettinad, a unique and little known cultural region Chettinad is a semi-arid zone of 1,550 square kilometers in the heart

of Tamil Nadu, inhabited by some 110,000 Chettiars who are spread over two cities and 73 villages. Since the time the community was founded, the Chettiars have upheld a vision of urban planning and development which makes this area an outstanding cultural region. The Chettiars belong to a lineage of wealthy traders and financiers who made their fortunes by extending their business to the whole of Southeast Asia, particularly during the 19th century when they were at the peak of their economic power. As a result of their travelling, the Chettiars integrated diverse influences into their traditions which contributed to their uniqueness. Their villages were constructed as per precise and sophisticated rules of urban planning, represented namely by orthogonal streets and specific water management system, which are also directly linked to the Tamil tradition with rectangular plots and houses with an inner courtyard. The economic pressure and land speculation in the big cities of Tamil Nadu have eliminated almost all the traditional houses in the State. Chettinad is the only remaining site which bears testimony to the traditional Tamil architecture and urban planning.

Endangered Heritage Current situation in Chettinad This region went into decline about sixty years ago as a result of major economic difficulties following the independence of Burma (Myanmar) and Malaysia. This in turn led to the gradual disappearance of the urban and architectural heritage. Today, besides a few palatial homes which are still maintained by the families for the purpose of important occasions and gatherings, a considerable amount of houses have been already demolished, and those which have survived, whose exact number is yet to be determined, are in a critical state of conservation. For various reasons, in particular the lack of financial means of the owners and a joint ownership, the houses are dismantled for the purpose of sale. This could totally wipe out the living evidence of a way of life, of an extraordinary page in history, which constituted the cultural wealth of India. The dismantling of houses has led to a lucrative antiques business and many architectural elements, in particular pillars and doors have been exported all over the world from Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. In 1947, there were 96 villages in Chettinad. Today, there are only 75. What will remain of their unique heritage in ten years? Bad future Development without planning and regulations will entail the loss of Chettinads heritage. A specific regional plan will be necessary to outline the possibilities of heritage-based development which would include the following: Definition of the

heritage zone; height of the buildings; alignments; types of windows; materials and colours. Connectivity, mobility andpublic facilities also have to be considered. Massive Desertion, Demolition, Lack of Maintenance Altough Kandukathan is still a great testimony to the past glory of the communitys lifestyle, it is estimated that a large number of heritage houses have already been demolished such as shown below with red. Only the mounds on which the homes were built remain or sometimes an entrance door or a portion of wall. The disappearance of these homes is a significant loss of living heritage for the different communities in the region.
Chettinad Living Heritage Clan Temples Chettinad is a region where a strong culture has been preserved by the Chettiar community. 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 run by its own committee. 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. The season of offerings is between April and September and the ritual lasts usually 3 days. Mariamman Temples Mariamman, the Goddess of smallpox, is the deity of life, especially of women and children. She grants children and cures them. Though everyday is dedicated to her, the main festivals take place during the

months of March and April. There is great fervour during these festivities, with thousands of devotees gathering in her honour. Other Festivals Deepavali On Deepavali day, there is a grand festive lighting of traditional lamps by the achis (the Chettiar wives). The lamps are placed with other consecrated offerings on banana leaves. Navaratri The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are two very important periods of climatic and solar influence. These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother. The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar. 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 prolonged by one extra day which is the culmination of nine days and nignts of joyful celebrations when the women of a household are particularly celebrated