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The Chettinad palace located at Kanadukathaan, built in 1912 opten to visitors Burma teak, granite pillars, stained glass and imported Italian tiles used. - similarly towns like Karaikudi, Pallathur, Athangudi, and Kothamangalam, have the most lavish houses in Chettinad.

Karaikudi: Karaikudi is located in Sivagangai district between Thiruchirapalli - Rameswaram High road. It got its name because of the famous plant called "karai" which is widely spread over this area. The famous temple Pillaiyar Patti is 12 kms away from Karaikudi. The city is known for Sri Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple, also known as Shiva temple which has 108 statues of Ganapathi. Sekkalai is located at the northeast of Karaikudi, and was known as Jain Kunda Puram. In the North-east of Karaikudi is Muthu Pattinam which is known for Muthu Mariamman Temple. At the centre is Kallukatti where the famous temple Koppudaiamman is located. The river Thennar flows through south Karaikudi. "Tamil Thai Kovil," "Kamban Manimandapam," the "Vallal Allagappar Statue," "Kaviaraser Kannadhasan Manimandapam and Statue" brings honour to Karaikudi.

Athangudi Tiles: A Superb hand made product made in the nearby village of Atangudi. It was sand, local water cement and Pigments. Its patterns are simple unique and tiles floor very cool to walk on.

Nagara Koil: The people of Chettinad moved on from their settlement to other villages not far from their first settlement and, there were nine main clusters of villages. To each of them the Pandya King granted a temple in perpetuity. The nine temples thus became the family temple for each group and each cluster evolved as a subdivision of the Chettiars or what might describe as a fraternal clan. The clan temple tradition is that a wedding is recognized only if the bride and bridegroom receive wedding garlands from their respective clan temples. The moment the wedding is registered, the bridegroom becomes a pulli.
 

Ilayathangudi: The first of the clan temples was in Ilayathangudi and it is 25 kms from Karaikudi on the road to Kunrakudi, passing Nemam, Keelasivalpatti and Avinipatti on the way. It is said to have been granted to the Nagarathars in 707 A.D. The temple is known for its great sculptural value and it has the biggest tank, "oorani" of all other temples. Legend has it, that this was the resting place of the gods and it explains the village's name with a syllable break-up that is as follows: ilaippu meaning tiredness, attru meaning to remove and gudi meaning place.

Vairavanpatti: The Vairavanpatti temple is on the Karaikudi-Madurai road, about 15 kms from Karaikudi. A splendid 19th century temple tank is testimony to Dravidian architectural skills. Behind the Nagarathar choultry Vairava Theertham, a sacred spring said to have miraculous powers. The temple has 23 bronzes, all dating to the first renovation, and 12 vahanams. The temple also has several striking wall paintings, 37 on the Vairava Puranam and 43 on the Ramayana. There are also painting of scenes from the Mahabharata. The main deities here are Lord Aatkondanathar and Sivapurandevi.

Soorakudi: The Soorakudi temple is about 10 kms from Karaikudi on the road to Kanadukathaan and the Chettinad railway station. The soorai shrub also abounds here and is given as an explanation for the name of the village. The temple has ten vimanams and two gopurams. Its rajagopuram to the east, comprises five storeys and is richly embellished. Another striking feature of the temple is the sculptured pillars on the corridor around the shrines of the main deities. This is one of the temples of the Nagarathar clan that is held in high regard for its sculptures.

Velankudi: The last clan temple is the Velankudi temple that is located on the Karaikudi-Thiruchirapalli road, about 10 kms from Karaikudi, in an area abounding in vela trees. With just 46 pullis and a membership of less than 200 in its four villages, this is smallest temple clan among the Nagarathars. A curious feature is that their numbers have not changed for over a hundred years. The result is a temple to which scant attention has been paid towards renovation. The last kumbhabhishekam for the temple was performed in 1937. The temple was granted to the Nagarathars in 718 A.D.

Iraniyur: About 25 kms from Karaikudi on the Pillaiyarapatti road, near Keelasivalpatti, is the Iraniyur temple. There are 50 bronzes here, a splendid Nataraja dating to the 12th -13th century period. One of the bronzes belong to the 16th century, another in a 5-metal alloy of the 17th century, a dozen from the 19th century and the rest from the 20th century. Two groups of beautiful paintings grace the Lakshmi mandapam. Opposite the Rajagopuram is one set of paintings done in the Vijayanagar style during the first renovation and another in the 1940s during the second renovation. The latter displays the Ravi Varma influence.

Pillaiyarpatti: The best known of the Nagarathar clan temples, Pillaiyarpatti, about 12 kms from Karaikudi on the road to Madurai. It attracts visitors in large numbers from all parts of India and abroad. The Karpaga Vinayagar here is a huge bas-relief in a cave hewn out of a hillock and is a splendid example of the art of the South India sculptor. The tall sculpture is more than 6 feet tall and dates back to the 5th Century A.D. The Rajagopuram is on the eastern entrance and rises in five storeys. The temple is rich in stone and terracotta sculptures. There are 30 bronzes in the temple that date from the 10th century. The main deities here are Karpaga Vinayagar, Lord Thiruveswarar and his consort Sivagami.
 

Mathur: The Mathur temple is a little over 5 kms from Karaikudi, that can be reached not long after passing Iluppakudi. Burial urns found in the vicinity indicate that there were settlements here more than 1500 years ago. The temple is rich with sculptures, and there is a unique piece at the entrance to the mahamandapam, where the steps, the two flanking elephants and the pedestals for the two doorkeepers have all been hewn from one stone. The nearly 70-foot tall rajagopuram here has been constructed in five storeys. The vizha mandapam or the festival hall in front of the rajagopuram or the main tower, at the entrance was built in 1949 and can seat 500 persons within the hall and another 500 around it. The main deity here is Lord Ainootheswarar and his consort Periyanayaki.

Sight Seeing places around KaraiKudi

1. Chettinad Houses KaraiKudi, Pallathur, Athangudi and Kothamangalam have the Most lavish houses in the Chettinad.

2. Chettinad Palace The Chettinad Palace at Kanadukathan ant it was buit in 1912.

3. Koviloor - 4 km Ancient Shiva Temple.

4. Kundrakudi - 9 km Arulmigu Murugan. Temple.

5. Pillaiyar patti - 12 km Karpaga Vinayagar Temple.

6. Nemam - 12 km Sri Jayam Konda Soleeswarar Temple