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" Art & Architecture !! "
 
           To speak of Chettiars, in reality were rich people. This could been seen in their Art & Architecture. They spend lavishly, I think in building their houses and temples. Huge houses to visit. Their engineering skill are just something  to be noted. In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century there were no cement in use for construction. The Chettiars built huge Bungalow type houses in those days using Lime, Sand and u won't believe Egg yoke. Does that sound weird ? To learn more about Chettinad Houses Click Here.
            Other then Spending on Houses and Temples they also backed the growth of Music and Art. This is known to us from the painting that have been tinted on the walls of the Temples, Marriage halls etc. It is believed that we are the only community still to have in store the Painting of Ravi Verma.
             Don't you all feel that its our duty to preserve these ancestoral property before they turn out to be history. Now a days most of the people, finding it difficult to preserve them sell it at outrates to businessmen who then make it a profitable business by selling them in the world market as antique pieces.
            Coming to music, even today all their functions in chettinad are carried on only on the arrival of Mela Kaaran (Musicians) They encouraged music and dance to flourish in their olden days. All function in chettinad start off with Music i.e. Music is considered to announce the beginning of any function in the house or in town. The Chettinad people are very well known for the Peocock Dance. Dances are conducted for all temple functions in Chettinad. Panaiyapatti Vinaitheerthan Chettiar, S.V.S. Alagappan, Sangeethabhooshanam Soma Ramanthan Chettiar, Mr.Lakshmanan (Mridungum - Pallathur) were few of the prominent figure from the Nagarathar Community in Music and Mr. Lakshmanan ( Devakottai ) was considered to be the Best Peocock Dancer in Town.
            Now taking up acting and drama. Nagarathars use to stage dramas for all temple functions and had really very well talented actors and directors. Nagarathars happen to shine in all the fields of Film making i.e. Direction, Distribution, Screening, Production etc. Most of the Film Production Companies in the olden days were run by the Chettiars in the Tamil Industries. The famous once among them are A.V.M ltd, A.L.S Films, Chettiar Films, Madras Films, Ajantha Pictures etc. and some of the famous studios in town were A.V.M studio, Saradha Studio, Shyamala Studio etc. Few famous cine directors from Nagarathar community are A.K.Chettiar, A.V.Meyyappa Chettiar, Muthuraman etc.
            I would be not fair to the Achis if I don't mention about them in this page. With their husbands out of the country in foreign land for business, the Achis looked after the household work, along with which they managed to even spend time for weaving, knitting and other curricular activities. The ladies in Chettinad were real famous for their hand work. They used to weave out baskets made of Cane, Wire etc and also practised knitting on the cloth which now a days is commonly termed as Cross stitch, half stitch etc.
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