| VISALAM | Total Rooms : 15
Star Category : 2
Southern India’s ancient tapestry hides many threads quite unknown to the casual visitor. Deep in the interior, away from the beaten track, are unimagined cultural treasure-troves - ways of life you’d never discover on a regular itinerary, yet all the more rewarding, because they are so removed from the commonplace.
In Visalam, it’s as if we found an old lamp, waiting to be burnished and relit.
And today, it illuminates for the discerning visitor, not just a land, but also a community and a way of life. The Chettiars were -and are - prosperous traders with a far-flung diaspora, stretching away even to Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. But their roots are here, in this ancient dust of Chettinad, deep in the Tamil Nadu interior. As good trading communities do, the Chettiars prospered. And Visalam is typical of the fine mid-century mansions they built in celebration.K.V.A.L.M. Ramanathan Chettiar, a respected pillar of the pre-independence Chettiar community, built Visalam for his eldest daughter. Fate decreed that the house was never used, except for occasional family weddings. Yet the family saw to its preservation with loving care.
Thus, when we set about the task of restoring Visalam, we were fortunate to inherit a fine canvas. The challenge was to paint in the details to perfection.
Our approach was one of minimum intervention. The fine Art Deco-influenced facades were not touched, but the inner halls were partitioned to create 15 spacious rooms, with en-suite baths. The old floors were relaid, using material from the same source as a half century prior.
Finally, the walls were redone with a traditional
finish using hand-ground seashell , lime, palm jaggery and egg white. This remarkable plastering, once de rigeur in Southern India’s gracious homes, has all but vanished now, due to the trouble and labour involved. At Visalam however, you can still experience its tactile, opalescent beauty first-hand.
The final secrets of Visalam are unlocked for you in another world entirely. This is the gallery kitchen, where, under Chef Thiyagarajan’s watchful eye, the fires of Chettinad are given full rein.
The cuisine of Chettinad is long famous in the region, and this interactive space allows you to see exactly how it came to be so.
Fried Murrell, Delicately spiced lamb, Robust curries with top-notes of fresh pepper and raw mango…Chettinad food is both distinctive and varied.
A fitting homecoming, and one like few others. Old Mr. Chettiar, we think, would have approved.
| | Send Your Query We Will Revert Back With Best Price | More..... | | CHETTINADU MANSION | Total Rooms : 12
Star Category : 4
Chettinadu mansion, a home with beauty was visualized part by part to incorporate the first in architectural design and utility. The mansion is huge, extending over 40,000 square feet and the rooms are embellished with the lavish use of Burmese Teak Wood, Italian Marble and English Steel. It contains several courts, halls and corridors with carved pillars. The proportions of the courts and corridors are quite sizeable, measuring up to your wildest expectations. As one enters the mansion one passes through the front yard comprising of the traditional tulasi plant and a portico. Beyond the portico there is a beautiful veranda-crossing which leads to a marble hall. Flooring is made of white and black Italian marble and the pillars are of shining black marble. This is the marriage hall. Next comes the huge main courtyard which has two floors supported by Iron pillars. The second floor houses bedrooms with picturesque walls and attached bathrooms. Each bedroom has an entry into a common long balcony overlooking the street. It's from here that you get to watch day-to-day life bloom and the other roofs of the village that paint the clear blue sky. An open air shower has also been provided in the balcony. After the main Court there is another hall, following which one enters into another courtyard called the second courtyard. And right through the middle of this courtyard runs a pathway.
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