The Great Chettinad

Karaikudi and 74 other villages comprise Chettinad, the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars. The Chettiars were a prosperous banking community who ventured overseas to do business in South and Southeast Asia in the 19th and early 20th centuries

The Nagarathar Community originated in Cauvery Poompatinam under the chola kingdom. Even though this community is small in size their achievement is great.Basically the community concentrated on business, especially money lending business

Nagarathar give great importance to music, Dance, and Paintings. the nagarathars were very much intersted in architecture (some of the Houses contains 1000 windows).This houses have marvelous interior design. So many tamil movies are taken in this houses (Particularly for NATTAMAI’s & PANNAIYAR’s)

Cettinad food is very famous for its taste and varieties like Ukkarai, Kandarappam, Karupatti Paniyaram, Kavanarisi, Pal Paniyaram, Thenkulal and Seepu seedakai

They actively involved in Tamil development activities in all over the world. Major part tamil’s are belongs to Chettiar’s in Singapore, Malaysia and Srilanka.

Chettiars are one of the Indian communities that still practice traditional aspects of arranged marriages.

Money lending is the primary business for Nagarathar, But they involved in several other business and showed their excellence. Three banks are established by chettiars include the Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of cettinad and Bank of Madurai.

We can find many schools, colleges and General hospitals in cettinad region which shows their involvement in social development activities. They spent part of their profit for Temple constructions and tamil development.

Here I mentioned some of prominent persons known to me.

Dr. Alagappa Chettiar founder of many education institution like A.C.Tech.Chennai (Part of Anna university), Alagappa Chettiar institute of Techonology & Politechnic and CECRI.

Dr. Annamalai Chettiar founder of Annamalai university.

Dewan Bahadur A M Murugappa Chettiar, Murugappa Groups

Karumuttu Thiyagarajan Chettiar founder Thiyagarajar Institutions & Mills

Mr. Meyyappa Chettiar fonder of AVM studios.

Kaviarasu Kannadasan

Mrs. Manoram ,Actress( More than 1000 films)

Mr. A.C Muttiah Spic group.

Mr. P.Chidambaram – Finance Minister of India