On the Chettinad Trail

An immersive tour of Chettinad at Chidambara Vilas - Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu

Aug 29, 2023

Season: October 2023 - March 2024

Introduction

Chidambara Vilas is a remarkable heritage hotel in Chettinad, situated in the historical city of Pudukkottai. The hotel is located in a 110-year-old Chettinad heritage home built by the renowned Krishnappa Chettiar Dynasty. Today, the property has been restored and is managed by the Sangam Group. This heritage Chettinad Mansion offers a glimpse into the opulent Chettinad lifestyle of the 20th century, combining historical charm with modern luxury amenities.

The Chettiar homes are a significant symbol of the Chettinad era, and Chidambara Vilas embraces this heritage. The hotel's design incorporates vintage elements like the famous 'Athangudi' tiles, wooden paneling, Burmese beamed roofing, Belgium mirrors, chandeliers from Daman and Diu, French clocks, and Italian tiles, among others. These elements reflect the culture, heritage, and lavishness of the Chettiar dynasty, creating an immersive experience that transports guests to a bygone era.

Notably, Chidambara Vilas received the NDTV Design and Architecture Award in 2014, highlighting its exceptional design and architectural significance.

The hotel's location is about a 90-minute drive from Madurai Airport and approximately 7 hours by road from Bangalore. With 25 rooms and banquet spaces for special events, Chidambara Vilas offers both accommodation and event hosting services.

Overall, Chidambara Vilas seems to be a unique and charming destination for travelers looking to experience the rich heritage and luxury of Chettinad as well as their delicious cuisine in a beautifully restored historic setting.

Itinerary

Land in Madurai

Day 1

Arrival and check in at the hotel with traditional welcome with refreshments
Guests have lunch at the experiential leaf dining restaurant
Rest for a few hours
Guests can join the evening Puja and be taken for a visit around the mansion where they will be given a guided tour of the mansion and the history of the family that created it. They can check out the Raja Ravi Varma oleographs which is available at the resort.
Heritage Village Walk - Step out after tea for a guided walk around the village where the guide will explain the history of the Pudkottai area
Guests can enjoy a sumptuous dinner at the Fine Dining restaurant. Chettiars also played host to British visitors from the time of the Raj, and a similar setting is recreated for dining at Chidambara Vilas, through the use of vintage lighting, cutlery and ornate furniture. The pillared columns, ornate lighting, woodwork and the double height ceilings bring back the ambience of British era luxury, creating a perfect setting for savouring the Chettinad cuisine

Day 2

Chettinad Breakfast at the Interactive Kitchen. Chidambara Vilas provides a rare glimpse into the traditional Chettiar Kitchen through the interactive kitchen concept where local chefs cook Chettinad food with locally sourced ingredients and traditional techniques. Visitors can interact with the chefs through a translator to learn about the origins of this world famous cuisine. The open kitchen allows visitors to try their hand at traditional techniques that bring an added dimension to the flavours and textures that are found nowhere else. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the traditional Chettiar kitchen and savour the unique dishes that it has to offer
Visit to the Clan Temples in the first half -Pilayarpatti, Vairavanpatti, Iranikovil, Soorakudi
Lunch at “The Bangala” (Extra from the package)
Visit to the mansions of Kanadukathan Village - Kanadukathan is home to the historic Chettiar mansions, which were built in the early 1900s by a group of wealthy merchant families native to this part of Tamil Nadu. The Chettiars’ successful business ventures as merchants funded these impressive structures
Visit to Saree Weaving Centre
Karaikudi Antique Market - Around Muneeswaran Kovil Street with its many lanes, you will find Karaikudi’s best-kept secret – it’s around 18 shops selling a mind-blowing array of antiques. These antique shops can throw up some real gems in the form of antique clocks, snuffboxes, furniture, brassware, wooden spice boxes, imported enamel kitchenware, antique locks, mirrors, over-sized radios, table fans, photo frames, etc. The list is literally endless and time spent puttering around these shops is never enough for the avid antique shopper! You will find things here that are from as far away as Sweden, Austria, Germany, Belgium, England and even Czechoslovakia. Sadly, most of the items come from the abandoned majestic mansions that are slowly going to ruins.
Thirumayam Fort - Thirumayam Fort is often called as Oomayan Kottai. It is representative of history which dates back at least 300 years. Constructed by the Raja of Ramnad, Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, this fort was an important stronghold in the Polygar Wars. Located on rugged rocks on the Pudukottai road in Tamil Nadu, the Fort has three entrances in three directions. Each of these entrance is dedicated to Hanuman, Sakthi, Ganapathi and Karuppar. Enjoy as you visit the aesthetics and architectural brilliance of the fort
Athangudi Tile Making Factory -Athangudi has become one of the most enterprising villages in Karaikudi where tile making has become the most distinctive local art. Tile making in Athangudi was a derivative of the affinity of the Chettiars who imported expensive and great-looking tiles from foreign countries, especially European countries. The Athangudi tile factory is the place where you can observe the famous tiles are being made. Witnessing the same, you will have all the answers you need to convince yourself why the tiles are the best. With over 200 years of experience, the factory still boasts as one of the best places where the local craft is its best form
Athangudi Palace - Though there are over a thousand of these huge mansions lining the streets of the Chettinad region, one of the most famous is the Athangudi mansion. With over a hundred rooms, it’s also known as the Athangudi glass palace due to the rows of Belgium mirrors lining its central hall. The sheer grandeur of this mansion will take your breath away with its mind-boggling beauty. It has an eye-catching highly-ornate ceiling lined with magnificent tiles with patterns that appear to pop out of them
Dinner by the poolside with a dance performance (Bharatnatyam)* on extra charge

Day 3

Interactive Chettinad Breakfast
Leave the hotel in the morning after breakfast around 10:30 am and drive to Madurai
Visit Meenakshi Amman Temple. Dedicated to Parvati (known as Meenakshi) and Shiva (addressed as Sundareswarar here), this temple is one of the most revered ones for Tamilian Hindus
Lunch at the Courtyard by Marriott
Visit to the Madurai Market and return to Chidambara Vilas
Dinner at our fine dining restaurant

Day 4

Interactive Chettinad Breakfast
Experience an authentic Chettinad Cooking Class and learn Chettinad delicacies while guests build up an apetite for lunch
Experiential Lunch – “The Chettiar Feast” The process of dining is an experience in itself and the staff at Chidambara Vilas are at hand to guide you on the traditional method of partaking the meal, including how the various dishes are traditionally paired with each other for the best experience. It is also encouraged to eat with the hand as is the custom, and the staff themselves dress in the traditional “mundu veshti” when serving at the Lunch hall
At Chidambara Vilas, you can truly experience the combination of historical settings, traditional presentation and authentic flavours to understand the best of what this world famous cuisine has to offer
Departure and drop to Madurai or Back to Bangalore