Karaikudi is the capital of the Chettinad region, home to the Nattukotai Chettiars or Nagarathars, a highly prosperous community with strong business acumen. P. Chidambaram, India's finance minister is from here. In the 19th and early 20th century many migrated from this region and went to South East Asia. Upon their return they arrived with extremely high quality wood, especially Burma teak and built many houses. Today many of these grand houses are being used in TV serials.
This is the entrance to the Chettinad Palace in Kanadukathan, a palace of outstanding Chettinad architecture built in the 19th century by Dr. Annamali Chettiyar, founder of the Indian Bank.

For more pictures of Karaikudi - http://www.pbase.com/yardbird/india_tamilnadu_karaikudi