Tam: காரைக்குடி kāraikkuṭi

‘Karai Village’   City, Tamil Nadu

Tam: kārai, ‘shrub’ [Canthium coromandelicum, Webera tetrandra]; and kudi, ‘village’, ‘settlement (of family, tribe or people related to one another)’.

The Coromandel Boxwood is a very common coastal shrub: it is scraggy, spiny and thrives in most soils.

Canthium coromandelicum       Vengolis

 

The Karaikudi region, often called Chettinadand, is home to the Chettiar community, a powerful mercantile, banking and trading community.

Karaikudi is famous for the Chettinad palatial mansions which have earned it heritage status.

Chettinad palatial style house             Yashima