The Hindu Business Line : Homing in on Chettinadu heritage

The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department is kickstarting an ambitious plan that will see it evolve the famed houses of Chettinadu into a major tourist attraction.

The State's Tourism Department is right now helping owners of some of the ancient houses in the region restore their properties and convert them into heritage hotels.

The 19th century houses of the prosperous Nattukottai Chettiars in the Southern part of the State are known for their striking architecture, characterised by elaborate teak/granite pillars, enclosed courtyards around which the family rooms are built, painted stucco work on the ceilings and doorways with intricate carvings replicating those in temples.

According to an official, the Tourism Department's plans envisage a situation where tourists can actually experience the magnificence of these houses by staying in them, partaking of their delicious cuisine and getting involved in their cultural traditions.

The Department recently mooted Chettinadu as a destination rich with tourism prospects at WorldTravel Mart in London, where, the official said, the concept was met with enthusiasm. Tourists, both domestic and foreign, can use Chettinadu as the base camp and visit the popular tourism destinations of Rameswaram, Tiruchi, Madurai and Tanjavur, he said.

Meanwhile, armed with a Rs 27-crore budget this year, the Department is in the midst of a major exercise to promote the State as the complete tourism destination for the discerning tourist.

On offer, it pointed out, is a State with sun-kissed beaches, cloud-capped mountains, magnificent monuments, wildlife, loads of awe-inspiring architecture and soul-stirring culture.

In addition to branding the State `Enchanting Tamil Nadu,' a multi-city road that is under way will woo tourists from Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Indore, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla and Bhubaneshwar, among others. The Department has also kickstarted a comprehensive rail-cum-road project from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad; response on this front has been encouraging, it said.

It has identified a number of popular tourism destinations and is looking for help from the union government for integrated development. Places like Mahabalipuram, Kancheepuram and Kanyakumari will soon boast of improved infrastructure, including better roads, parking lots, restrooms, high-standard toilets and ample accommodation. "Work on these priority places is expected to be completed in the next 3-5 years," an official said.

The Department is also betting that work on the second phase of the existing 350-km-long East Coast Road, which will provide high-quality access up to Kanyakumari, will attract more people to explore the State.

The influx of tourists in the State has been going up in the last few years, with the number of domestic tourists increasing from 248.8 lakh in 2001 to 279.6 lakh in 2003. The number of foreign tourists in the corresponding period went up from 7.7 lakh to 9 lakh.