The Rich Heritage of the Chettiars
Words by Ruba
While the cuisine of Tamil Nadu is known for certain staple ingredients such as rice, lentils, coconut, tamarind and chilli, this southernmost state of India boasts a diversity of regional cuisines that use them in different ways. Most renowned is Chettinad cuisine that originated with the Nattukottai Chettiars, a community of wealthy traders that migrated inland in the 13th century and formed a settlement around the city of Karaikudi that became known as Chettinad. The Chettiars traveled extensively across South East Asia picking up ingredients such as Malabar Tellicherry, Ceylon cardamom, Madagascar cloves, Vietnamese galangal, Indonesian nutmeg and Burmese black rice that they incorporated into local Tamil cuisine.
Chettinad cuisine is known for its aromatic and complex flavours, standing out for its unique blend of Chettinadu masala that combines spices such as fenugreek, star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin, peppercorns and kalpasi, and is always ground fresh for immediate use. The cuisine also features the generous use of onions, tomatoes, coconut, ginger and garlic.
In January 2025, Cin Cin enjoyed a 3-night stay in Chettinad, as part of a 9-day culinary journey through Tamil Nadu. Accompanying Cin Cin was Sumeet Nair, chef and co-author of The Bangala Table: Flavours and Recipes from Chettinad. Sumeet provided a compelling narrative throughout the journey that enriched the understanding of Chettinad cuisine beyond just the flavours and recipes.
Guests stayed at The Bangala, a heritage boutique hotel that originally served as a gentleman’s club when it was purchased in 1917 by a prominent Chettiar family. In the 1990s, two women from the family, including Meenakshi Meyyapan, who co-authored The Bangala Table with Sumeet, transformed The Bangala into a heritage hotel. This pioneering move began to draw foreign visitors and led to a handful of other heritage homes following the same path. Today, the formidable 91-year old Meenakshi, continues to run the property as an extension of her home and has dedicated herself to the preservation of her Chettinad heritage.
Cin Cin guests enjoyed typical Chettinad breakfast dishes at The Bangala including paniyaram (fried dumplings made from fermented rice and lentil batter and served with tomato and tamarind chutneys) and Chettinad kavuniarisi (pudding made with black rice, coconut and cardamom). Lunch hours were spent under the large jackfruit tree in the property’s garden where Sumeet held cooking demonstrations that showcased the best of Chettinad cuisine. A highlight was the cuisine-defining Chettinad Chicken – a fiery curry laced with onions and coconut. A lovely dinner took place under the pillared pavilion adjoining the garden, its walls lined with antiques from the local market that is filled with treasures salvaged from Chettinad homes.
The highlight of the stay in Chettinad was a lavish dinner hosted by Meenakshi Meyyapan at her family mansion. This was a special invitation extended to Cin Cin solely on account of her personal relationship with Sumeet. Guests took a step back in time to relive the lavish dining halls of the Chettinad mansions that once held extravagant feasts of a renowned cuisine. Amongst the many Chettinad dishes served were Chettinad paya (goat trotters soup) and Chettinad mutton chops.
During the height of their power at the end of the 19th century, the Chettiars accumulated great wealth through trade, and brought their fortunes back home to Tamil Nadu where they built over 1,000 architecturally sophisticated mansions. When India came under British rule and it became difficult to compete with British traders, they sought new business opportunities and assumed the role of moneylenders in the new British colonies of Southeast Asia where British bankers were not willing to take risks. When their moneylending activities began to decline with the onset of WWII, the Chettiars were forced to abandon their settlements and seek business opportunities outside of India. Their mansions, once glamorous and imposing symbols of power, now mostly lie in ruin and neglect. Meenakshi Meyyappan is an avid supporter of the renovation and conservation of these mansions. Her own ancestral home is an over 150-year-old masterpiece of Chettinad architecture.
Cin Cin also spent a morning shopping at the Karaikudi antique market and visited a local Athangudi tile factory where they witnessed the unique production of these handmade tiles that were once patronized by the Chettiars for their mansions. By going beyond the surface to fully engage with the culture of the Chettiar community, Cin Cin was left with a nuanced understanding of, and deeper appreciation for, the rich heritage of the Chettiars.