Carved wooden columns, Athangudi tiles and stone surfaces reflect the craftsmanship and material richness of Chettinad’s heritage homes.Chettinad’s mansions were built by the Nattukottai Chettiars, a banking and trading community that made its fortune across Burma, Ceylon, and Southeast Asia. The homes were meant to display that prosperity and to house large joint families under one roof. At the heart of every plan was the courtyard, or mutram. Because special occasions and everyday family life unfolded around it, the houses were organised as a sequence of courtyards. The grander the house, the larger and more finely finished its courts, with carved teak columns and imported tiles and glass.ALSO READ | Inside Madhuri Dixit and Dr Shriram Nene’s 5,500-sq-ft Mumbai penthouse with sea views and M F Husain artWhy the design was so elaborateThe elaborate design had many reasons, says Venkat Rao, Design Head (South India), Petros® Stone LLP, and the courtyard served several purposes at once. He further explains the following:Climatically, the open-to-sky court drew hot air up and out, pulled cooler air through the rooms, and brought daylight deep into the house.Sloping roofs channelled rainwater inward for collection, which was valuable in a dry region.Socially, houses were planned as a sequence of courtyards, from the public front verandah to private inner spaces, so large wedding gatherings and women’s everyday domestic life could coexist with privacy intact.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. The courtyard was also the showpiece of status: wealthier families competed in craftsmanship, using Burmese teak columns, Italian marble, Belgian glass and ornate tiles.It held spiritual meaning too, as a sacred, auspicious centre open to sun and rain, aligned with traditional planning principles. Stone anchored it all. Granite pillars and paving, handmade Athangudi tiles and lime plaster kept interiors cool and have lasted for generations with little replacement. The mutram, or central courtyard, was the heart of traditional Chettinad mansions, bringing together family life, rituals and architectural grandeur. (AI-generated image)How the courtyards have evolved todayRao says the courtyard is being reinterpreted today for a different way of living.“While compact open-to-sky courts, light wells, and skylit atriums bring the same light and airflow to urban homes where land is scarce, many homeowners now want a courtyard for greenery, a water feature, or quiet gatherings rather than ritual alone,” he explains.Materials have changed as well.“Textured stones such as limestone and sandstone, in leathered or flamed finishes, are used in open areas for their grip and weather resistance, while engineered quartz is chosen for low-maintenance interiors,” he adds.The principle, however, endures: a home that breathes and gathers the family around a shared centre.Story continues below this adDISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.