In recent years, the Chettinad area has seen an uptick in tourism, as new hotels have opened in restored mansions and the nearest airport expanded. Kanadukathan, a village roughly a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Tiruchirappalli airport, offers visitors a glimpse of rural South India with cows grazing along dusty lanes, temple pools for ritual bathing, and artisan workshops for weaving and woodcarving. What surprises many, even seasoned travellers, is the sheer scale of the local architecture: streets lined with colossal historic mansions.

The village’s mansions, organised in neat grids, feature Italianate balustrades, castle-like turrets, marble columns, Burmese teak doors, and Hindu statuary. Kanadukathan is just one of 73 villages in Chettinad, which is home to an estimated 10,000 such residences. Many are abandoned or in disrepair, yet each tells a story of a mercantile community’s wealth, refined tastes, and eventual decline.

Tourism in the region began growing after the opening of well-serviced hotels, which adapted historic mansions for modern visitors. The Bangala, opened in 1999 by Meenakshi Meyyappan, was the first such property, converted from a private family home into accommodation. More recent openings, like THE Lotus Palace run by THE Park Hotels group, showcase lavish restorations with vibrant facades, Renaissance arches, and ornate statues. Courtyards once used for family rituals and business meetings have been transformed into dining areas, pools, and guest spaces, maintaining the mansions’ ceremonial grandeur.

The Chettiars, a mercantile community dating back to the 13th century, originally built these homes. After relocating inland following a tsunami, they thrived as moneylenders and traders, establishing trade links across Burma, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indochina. Their wealth was displayed in imported marble, glass mirrors, and cast-iron columns, often combined with traditional Hindu motifs, including statues of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. Many homes even feature figures reflecting British colonial influence.

The community’s fortunes waned in the 20th century due to World War II, Indian independence, and domestic taxation. Subsequent generations redirected wealth into education and professional careers, leaving the mansions neglected. Many architectural elements—teak doors, carved columns, and painted safes—have been salvaged and sold in local antique shops, highlighting the fragility of this heritage.

Tourism now offers a way to revive Chettinad’s cultural legacy. Visitors to THE Lotus Palace can explore nearby artisan workshops, including the Venkatramani Thari Chettinad handloom and Athangudi tile factory, as well as shops selling Chettinad cotton sarees. Guests can also experience traditional feasts, such as the Raja Virundhu meal, served on banana leaves with dozens of meticulously prepared dishes, or high tea in the palace’s Burmese-themed Red Room.

As tourism grows, these restored mansions provide more than luxury stays—they offer a window into Chettinad’s rich mercantile history, its architectural extravagance, and culinary traditions. For travellers, the area combines historic splendour, cultural immersion, and rural charm, ensuring the legacy of the Chettiars remains alive for generations to come.