When NDTV approached us for locating a heritage house appropriate for their story on Madras Day, Art Collector and Numismatist Raja Seetharaman's house at Chindadri pet was suggested by Satyamurthy sir. Unfortunately we do not have Raja Seetharaman with us today, who died at a young age of 40, his seeds and idea of MAdras Day has culminated into a bigger festival today.
We had a visit one day before to obtain permission from the house owner and fix the d-day for the shooting. Last Sunday, we did the shoot and it is shown in the later part of this news reel shown below:
Thanks to the fighting spirit of these 2 women, mother Sulochana and her daugther Lakshmi, who shared their experiences with us. we wish NDTV shows this again during Madras Day.
Dear friend, It is breakdown of ;Joint family ' concept and migration of Young family members that compels people to dispose their big mansions.
I remember visiting Annamaliyar's 'palatial house during a shashtiyapthapurthi function of the eldest member. Gorgeous nearly two century old traditional structure,elegant. Old, seasoned timber has high value. Some times they are removed as whole pieces of pillars and doors. Land value is most attractive feature.
Dakshin chithra on East coast road have made an apology of such chettinadu culture. the colour wash and painting distort the traditional aesthetic value.
some efforts were made to declare kanadukathan as a heritage village.
Kanadukathan, pallathur and kottayur in sivaganga side, konapattu, athangudi in pudukkottai side alone may survive since many families are well to do and make a point to conduct their marriages in that hosue.
biggest casuality is karaikkudi town, which is loosing its chettinadu quarter to modern buildings.
In My childhood, one ofthe rich family in kanadukathan, who settled in Malaysia asked us to stay in their house and take care. It was a request.It is as late as early 80s.
We engaged 3 servants to maintain. But as we children grew, we moved to Karaikkudi town and built our own in the developing subramaniapauram asa wise economical decision and he we continued to maintain the kanadukathan hosuse by engaging workers till we left for chennai.
Not only doors, the walls with the egg yoke and lime quotes, tiled floarings all are wonders.
That is one reason, i never stayed in the city and went to a suburbun which resembled karaikudi at that timebut now it also is turning in to a jconcrete jungle.