Grandeur In Magnificence.

I snatched an opportunity to pop into a beautiful mansion, built in the early twentieth century in a a tiny hamlet Kadiapatti , in Chettinad.The family, who owns the house , are our close associates . The father , who is in his late eighties ,is a good friend of my dad. My Dad passed away recently. His daughters , who are in the U.S are more or less the same age of my sister and myself. We used  to spend days together in Chennai and in Madurai , during our  holidays, but never bothered to see this marvellous edifice. 

I usually criss cross the area once in few months, but could not make it to this fine piece of architecture . This time, I resolved to get into the place.As I ienterd into the portals of this ebullient expression, I was struck by the beauty . The chaste, stylish decor,halted  my  forward move. I could not shift my perception.i was astounded.

In astonishment , I  took the next step. More ornate pieces of art were got caught by my eyes..  The  third and fourth steps brought the sheen and glow of the lounge. The mesmerising enthrallment was experienced once I climbed up the seventh step.The  wood work  is intricate and closely designed. The polish is immaculate. The shine in the doors and wood panels are so wonderful. The frescoes are in good shape and the designs are innovative  The entrance doors are decorative. The top part of the doors depict the various dance poses of Lord Nataraja, the dancing God. The side part of the doors are filled with chiselled  images,small rudrashaksas,and the  small wooden pillars with swans atop are fixed to the door enriching the galore.. The  lounge has got  cute  thinnais or raised platforms , with black and white marble flooring . The platforms are enriched by black granite pillars. The lobby has a  balcony atop  , which  has a fine barricade  with stunning , finely crafted wooden banisters. The barricade is held aloft , by the flying horse , painted in white and soft blue. There is also a row of decorative wooden piece of art , shaped as a plantain flower . The sharp edges of this flowers are made of silver.They glisten as the sunlight falls on them.

The furniture in the lounge are in perfect harmony to the place. The wooden centre tables with excellent workmanship,the chairs with elegant stature, and the long chair with  tasteful inlaid work add charm to the decked place. There is also a long, high panel of mirrors  affixed to a frame of exquisite design , which make us gape in wonder.

The pillars and the mirrors are covered  by cloth , to keep them away from dust and rough handling.The lobby ,alone posed  a magnificent  grandeur.It is a peep into the past. It is a resounding echo of the skills of the artisans. It is an imperious adventure of the  ardent lover of art. It is a pursuit of excellence and magnificence.In  a nutshell ,it is ravishingly beautiful.