Chennai is blessed with a very good cultural museum on the outskirts of town called Dakshina Chitra. Interestingly it was founded by an American woman who married an Indian and settled in the area. The museum features traditionally built houses from a variety of regions, including the homes built by the wealthy Chettiars, a Tamilnadu group who loaned money before banks were established. They built magnificent homes with huge teak and granite pillars and items imported across the seas from Southeast Asia.
The museum offers regular cultural performances, including many folk dances from the area, as well as dance and other art classes. Here’s a short video of a female troupe from Kerala and a folk dance class for modern folk.
