A compelling mishmash of European and South Indian luxury, Chettinad’s mansions reflect their owners’ predilection for combining the old and the new. Most have typically Tamil pillared courtyards at their core, but with Neoclassical facades tacked on the front. Lashings of ornate wood carving, Belgian crystal and intricate plasterwork adorn the interiors, presided over by ancestral portraits. Your TransIndus guide will know where to find the most striking examples.

You can add this experience to any tailor-made itinerary that includes a night in Chettinad.