Transient Communities: A Search for Identity through Ethnicity (page 5)

When disputes between Nakarattars arose due to private misunderstanding, Nakaravitutis along with temples and Saivite monastries (matams), provided venues for extraordinary meetings of the Community to resolve disputes. These meetings Were held under the jurisdiction of a respected elder or elders in the Concerned Community and were called Panchayats - on the pan (Indian model) - although disputes were typically mediated or arbitrated by a single person.

Besides Nagarathars from different places get together attemple festivities making their affiliation to the temples and the bonding to their Pangalis stronger. These Nagarathar pilgrims stay in the Viduthis by paying any minimal amount feasible to them, as Mahamai. The Viduthis hold an Undiyal (Hundi- money Collection box), in which the pilgrims deposit their Mahamais which is used for the running of the Viduthi.

Spatial vocabulary of Nagaraviduthis in Chettinad: In the traditional context of Chettinadu, the edifice of Viduthi affiliated to the clan temples are located at a very close proximity, either adjacent to or opposite to the temple. These Viduthis have three Zones in general about a common axis. The first Zone in the front includes: a raised platform, columned, called thinnai used by men, to sit and relax or chat or sleep, split to accommodate a richly decorated door; a columned or arcaded low paved area before the thinnai, used as a transition space between the open-to-sky space between the compound wall marking the spatial definition of Viduthi and the semi open thinnai Zone; and front open space with a well.

The second zone is the ceremonial zone. It has a double floor height hall, pillared, with or without clerestory lighting, and the frieze richly painted with images depicting puranas and epics. Sometimes the ceremonial zone has a columned courtyard and many arais (rooms) are accessed from the hall or the courtyard.

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