Tourist places in and around Karaikudi

Chettinad

The house of Raja Muthiah Chettiar is in the village of Kanadukathan in the Chettinad region, 12 km away from Karaikudi. It's still in occasional use by his descendants, but open to the public. Next door, one floor of the raja's brother's house has been converted into a kind of museum that showcases ornaments, vessels, saris and other objects of daily use in a typical old Chettiar home. The palace is open to walk-in tourists, but The Bangala will arrange a tour on request for their guests. About 2 km away, at the Chettinad Railway Station, is the raja's Rest House, built exactly adjacent to where the first-class coach used to come to a halt. The raja would walk off the train and into his rest house, without having to mix with the hoi polloi! Timings 9:30 am to 4:30 pm