Traditionally, every Chettiar home is said to have a Pettagam, an iron chest used to store family's valuables. Now Pettagam, the newly opened private museum in Chettinad, unlocks that legacy for the world, spotlighting the glittering global odyssey of the Nagarathars, Tamil Nadu’s fearless seafaring business clan.
Chettinad may already be famed for its palatial mansions and fiery cuisine, but its jewellery—bold, symbolic, and breathtakingly intricate—has long stayed out of the spotlight. Enter Meenu Subbiah, founder of Meenu Subbiah Diamonds, who created Pettagam to honour, conserve and celebrate the region’s forgotten jewellery heritage. “Growing up here, I developed a deep affinity for Chettinad jewellery,” she says.
Inside, every motif feels like a message. The crab on the Kazhuthuru necklace nods to the community’s swift sea routes; age-old ornaments mark every rite of passage. The collection spans millennia, with designs dating back to 3000 BC, each jewel a miniature time capsule of aesthetics and identity. A dedicated display of original close-setting tools offers a behind-the-scenes peek at the painstaking craftsmanship. And with the museum’s rotating exhibits, Pettagam promises that no two visits will ever be the same.It’s not just a museum—it’s Chettinad’s jewellery soul, unlocked.