The Nagarathar’s Chettinadu �Karaikudi�

Thirumeyyam; Thirukkolakkudi; Ariyakkudi; Pillaiyarpatti �Athangudi�

Historian Pradeep Chakravarthy�presents�

2019 August ; Depart 1st night and return 4th early morning �Registration until – June 10th 2019 �

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We seek to instill a tangible pride of our glorious past and build a responsible and culturally sensitive community through heritage travel

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Chettinadu is an arid land and yet the aridness is in sharp contrast to the luxurious lifestyles of the Chettiars or The Nagarathars (‘sophisticated townspeople’; literate, cultured, well-travelled and philanthropic). Palatial houses with carved, stone and teak pillars, stained glass windows, sprawling open courtyards and verandas, Ravi Varma oleographs and lacquer ware from Burma contrast some of the region's most ancient cave temples and earliest images of Ganesha, the god we all love. ��The elite trading and banking community transformed the barren land of Sivagangai District into a web of imposing mansions, strong traditions and a unique cuisine. The region derives its name from the community that chose to make it their homeland. Though most of them have stepped out beyond their native land, the place still reflects the glory, the traditions and opulence of a bygone era. �Welcome to Chettinadu : Encounter history at the Tirumeyyam fort, experience the coconut throwing ritual at Ariyakudi, witness how the world famous Athangudi Tiles are made, learn how to whip up some of the delectable Chettinadu specialties, enjoy the influence of various countries in the art, decor and architecture of the mansions, hunt for antiques and taste the exquisite cuisine. ��Mystical Palmyra along with Historian Pradeep Chakravarthy, attempts to embrace every aspect of this marvelous land in a two day trip. We will, in this trip, trace the early temples of the region, cave temples with unique histories and rare images as well as the homes and lives of the Chettiars themselves. We will also be putting our culinary skills to test, learn a verse from ancient texts and try our hand at creating artwork inspired by the art of the Chettinad home. We have hand picked the sites to visit which cover history, architecture and craft. �

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Tirumeyyam Fort holds the secret of one of Tamil Nadu's bloodiest wars. You cant guess it when you see the serene hill with a crown like fort on the top and the two temples at the bottom. Among the oldest and most beautiful caves, they have something of interest for music lovers as well and engineers can marvel at the faultless construction that modern tools can seldom achieve. �We will also learn a verse on the temple.�

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�Chettiars were merchants who took the art of living life king size very seriously. Each home is almost a palace. They have the finest example of art work not just from India but from South East Asia as well. The successful maritime traders brought Western influences and knowledge to these remote villages — Italian marble, Belgian mirrors and Murano glass. �Empty today, in their heyday till the 1950s, they would have been bustling with large joint families where hospitality was of as high a standard as the art work in the homes. We will visit a grand house, understand the community’s unique customs, and witness a local specialty craft – floor tiles. They are found in all colors of the rainbow in the old homes and are fortunately still made today. If you want to turn your home into a Chettinad palace – this maybe your chance!�

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Ganesha or Pillaiyar as he is fondly known in Tamil Nadu is a minor deity who by about 1800 years ago, rapidly became one of this country’s favorite God. His ascent to fame was initially in the Pandya country and it is but natural that we find early images of him in stone here. The Pillaiyar image here is one of the oldest dated with an inscription. the  Shiva temple came up around the cave temple and is a fine representation of the Chettiar architectural style from about 300 years back and later.�Beside the temple is an old rest house that is also an excellent example of non-religious architecture. The temple, it's pond are well maintained and a treat to the eyes as well as a balm to our hearts.�

Completely off the tourist circuit, this ancient hill is dotted with not just an ancient Ganesha of unique form but also a cool spring of water. The inscriptions here share valuable information on trade and commerce in the region more than a thousand years back. It’s a moderate climb but the view from above will make it well worth your while�

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Chettiars have a unique "clan" system which is centered  around  nine clan temples which have a distinct architecture. Explore one such fine example at Ariyakudi. Explore the paintings of the temple, experience a unique and fun ritual and listen to the musical heritage of the town. Later leave for Karaikudi, the headquarters of the community�

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At Karaikudi, the headquarters of Chettinad, just as diverse as the community is – you will see things from Burma – where many of them made their fortune and other things from Europe whose culture they loved and of course the finest Indian traditions of wood and metal work they encouraged. � �We will potter around for antique at Muneeswaran Koil Street, check out local craft of koodais and look our for Chettinadu snacks.��

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Chettiar cuisine is as eclectic as the houses built by expert artisans with funds from extensive business in South East Asia. Their non-vegetarian and snacks are top on the list of gourmet connoisseurs the world over. Appams and Paniyaram served with Naatu Kozhi kuru milagu pirattal, Pallathur mutton masala  or a Vegetable Mandi, vegetarian meen kuzhambu. This tour will give you a glimpse into recipes, the making and of course the lip smacking food that you cannot say no to served in various settings that will take you back in time. So if you have a spare tummy, bring it along! The Bangla, Chidambara Vilas, traditional special dishes served during weddings and much much more ….

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Sacred to the Nagarathar Chettiars, the mutt is an example of piety and charity. Two values deeply cherished by the Chettiar community. The building and its ambience are mesmerizing and most important are a handful of exquisite large Thanjavur paintings that are rarely seen.�

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Be it weddings, festivals or religious functions or just another relaxed evening, the Chettinadu snacks have a special part to play in the day to day life to the Nagarathars. Today it has become a thriving business for many and a great source of livelihood which has made the savories and sweetmeats world famous. We will get to witness the making of these snacks , tasting some of the yummies and also indulge in buying some to munch when back home. �

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While the men travelled overseas to for business, the Chettiar women ran their huge homes. And in their free time, they utilised their sensibilities to infuse life into various local crafts like the classic Chettinad handloom cotton sarees. �Traditionally Chettinad cotton sarees used to be thick as they were meant to be absorbent during the nasty summers of the region, they are lightweight and very wearable. Chettinad sarees are known for their checks, stripes and the huge double borders. The mastery of the weavers in using contrasting colours in the warp and weft often makes these sarees seem like silk sarees. They are called 'double colour' sarees.�

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We will be staying at The Chidambara Vilas, a 110 year old heritage Chettiar home that provides an authentic showcase of the luxurious Chettinad lifestyles, architecture, furniture, glasswork, tile work and paintings of the last century. The rooms have been recreated and restored to the smallest details and subtly enhanced with all luxuries and amenities to offer a personalized experience that gives the best of both worlds. �

Day 1 �1830�Meet at Egmore Station�1915 �Leave from Chennai Egmore station – Rameswaram Express�

Day 2 �0428�Reach Chettinadu station and leave for hotel�0830 �Breakfast at hotel�1000 �Leave for Tirumeyyam Fort and temple�1230 �Cookery class at Chidambara Vilas�1300 �Lunch at Chidambara Vilas�1530 �Leave to Athangudi tile factory and house�1700 �Pillaiyarpatti clan temple and Chettiar Chathram�2030 �Dinner at Chidambara Vilas�

Day 3 �0600�Leave to Thirukkolakkudi �0800�Breakfast at Chidambara Vilas�0930 �Leave to Ariyakudi�1200 �Leave for Karaikudi Muneeswaran Koil Street/Chettinadu Saree Weaving/ Snack making �1330 � Tour of Koviloor mutt, Chettiar Museum and Lunch �1445 �Leave to Chidambara Vilas for tea and relax and enjoy a refreshing dip in the lovely pool�2000 �Check out and Leave for Karaikudi �2045 �Dinner at the Bangla, Karaikudi�2245 �Leave for Karaikudi Station�2328�Leave to Chennai – RMM Chennai Express ���Day 4 �0705 �Arrive in Madras�Bye until the next tour�

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The Fine Print!��Several places we will be visiting are places of worship and therefore we request your special attention to the following:�• Please  dress conservatively and avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless wear.  Please carry a dhothi and shawl.�• Comfortable shoes or slippers since monuments are footwear free zones�• We strongly advice carrying sun block, sunglasses and cap�• Basic medication/ first aid will be available. Please carry your specific medication if any �• Camera – Rs. 10 and Rs.100 for the usage of camera at certain places�• Photography may not be permitted in certain  places�• We would like to iterate that this is not a religious trip and therefore we all need to respect the time and interest of those who are coming to enjoy the heritage aspect of the trip. Therefore please ensure that you respect and stick to time schedules.   �• Due to unforeseen circumstances, in case we need to make certain changes in the itinerary, we request your patience and understanding. We assure you that the alternate option provided will be just as exciting�• A Tip between Rs. 50 – Rs. 200 per person may be collected for service providers based on popular consensus �

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Included � �• Train Travel by Two Tier or Three Tier AC coach on train. Incase your registration does not meet the deadline or seats are full, we shall provide an option of tatkal ticket(at additional cost) or alternate mode of transport �• Road travel on AC coach�• Accommodation in AC rooms accommodating up to 2 adults. Children will be accommodated depending on the age and hotel policy. In this Trip we will be staying at Chidambara Vilas, Kadiapatti - http://www.chidambaravilas.com�• Meals mentioned - 2 breakfast, 2 lunch and 3 dinners per person  (Request you to specify your preference if any in advance)�• 2 bottles of water per person will be provided on the coach every day. We request you to bring a refillable bottle in order to reduce the usage of plastic waste.�• Regular entry tickets where required will be provided�• Darshan at temples will be allowed if people wish to and ONLY if time permits.   �• All applicable taxes as on date � �Not Included� �• Expenses of personal nature�• Room Service�• Any other attraction/temple not mentioned in the itinerary� ��

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Hailing from Tirunelveli and moving on to international exposure through KFI, MCC, JNU (Delhi) and LSE (London) in his academic years, Pradeep Chakravarthy has always had a passion for the history and Heritage of Tamil Nadu with special focus on the role that it plays in society then and now. Having a background in HR/leadership development and coaching through his assignments in TVS, Cognizant, Infosys and McKinsey, he constantly explores methods of constructively employing out of the box techniques of exposure to fine elements practiced in ancient times to motivate and hone ones inherent skills. He pioneered temple walks in Madras. His deeply invested interest in the music, food, literature of Tamil Nadu allows him to present succinctly and simply even the dreariest topic in history. He has authored several books and has over 300 articles in The Hindu, Marg magazine, India Express, Times of India etc., to his credit. He has lectured in several prestigious venues like IIC (Delhi), IC (London) and is an awardee from the Tag Foundation.� �

Embassy Travel and Tours has been in the business of tailoring unique and memorable travel experiences for the past four decades. �A part of the Airlift Group of Companies, we adhere in a personalized manner to all travel related services that one might require be it guidance, documentation, reservations, currency exchange etc. �Customization and luxury travel is our forte, which ensures the utmost comfort for our clients whether it is outbound, inbound or domestic travel.�Mystical Palmyra is the heritage vertical we take pride in adding to our existing array of experiences extended by us. We are proud to showcase some of the neglected treasures of a bygone rich era that are just around the corner. We assure you that the w h o l e e x p e r i e n c e w i l l b e a n a b s o l u t e luxurious insight into our glorious past.� �

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² Over 18 enchanting tours in 4 years�²  500 heritage enthusiasts and counting �²  Performance appraisal consistently outstanding�²  16 out of 33 districts explored in Tamilnadu �² Our tour circuits within the State is unmatched in any other part of

India.�² Our appetite for heritage stretches beyond particular District, State or

Country�² Over 100 locations experienced�² Our canvas includes Architecture, Food, Craft, Traditions and more…

Nothing evades our vision�² Our Variety is limitless and with few to match the wholistic menu that

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"This temple trip was different from others. It was not about religion, not about mythology, not even about history. It was about the evolution of human civilization. What was even more interesting, was how Pradeep was able to connect the past to the current way in which we think and act to survive , synergize with others and form strategies to connect with the rest of the society. It would be brilliant, if we can use this knowledge and 5000yrs of history into our management practices. ” - Vinod Dasari, CEO, Ashok Leyland��We have never felt that Priya and Pradeep are organizers and we are just travelers. Over the years we have become one family, every body making everyone feel at ease and comfortable – Mythili Chandrasekaran, Ex SBI��The call was for refreshing “degree”�But the Mystical Palmyra pedigree�Ensured it was so much more --�Places, People, food and tales of yore�Priya and Pradeep pack so much fun�The initiated will seldom shun�Their trips planned with such care�I proudly proclaim they are beyond compare. – J Krishnan, Logistics Industry ��I had a very insightful trip and my appreciation and awe of Indian history and culture is being expanded with each trip.  It is also an eye opener as to how a warped version of our history is being taught in schools whereas such phenomenal achievements of our ancestors are being glossed over – Shailesh Vummidi, Jeweler��It was our first trip with Pradeep and Priya. We never had to think or be concerned about anything. Every little detail was taken care of. Living in Delhi, we are surrounded by monuments/tombs reminding us of the Mughals, British and India’s independence. One always thought that all history was in the north. This trip opened my eyes to history in the south – Sudha Rajendran, Delhi� � � � �

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Contact:�Sridharan Lakshmanan; sridhar@embassy-travels.com; +919282119040�Raji Kumar; raji@embassy-travels.com; +919840471127 �Address: 23, Thanikachalam Road, T. Nagar, Chennai – 600 017�Bank Details: Ours is a Current Account�

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Minimum age: 15 years (Between 15-18 yrs they must be accompanied by an adult and above 70 years they must be accompanied by a younger person)��Per person Package cost :�- INR 24,300 on twin sharing basis (We will not be pairing guests. This is for those who are travelling as couples or with known people. At the time of registering you may check with us for other participants looking to share the room)�- INR 29,800 on single occupancy basis ��Registration: �Before June 10th 2019 by way of Full payment at the time of registration to ensure confirmed participation in the tour � �Cancellation and refund:�- 30 days before commencement of tour – 50% of tour cost will be refunded�- Less than 30 days before commencement of tour – no refund �- I n c a s e o f n o n - p a r t i c i p a t i o n d u e t o rescheduling of tour by the organizers due to ANY REASON, 75% of tour cost will be refunded�-Incase of cancellation of the tour by organizers – full refund including registration fee� �C

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