Parchu: Uniquely Chetti

January 13, 2014: The Chetti community is facing a threat to their way of life by a property project adjacent to their village.

The development includes a 22-storey condominium and a 12-storey hotel.

Also in the proposed plan is an access road that will effectively split the village. This will almost guarantee the destruction of the Chetti's way of life.

Kampung Chetti is a small village of 300 inhabitants who have lived here over generations. Their ancestors reportedly arrived in Malacca from a village called Nagapattianm in southeastern India in the 1440s; during the days of the Sultanate.

The Chettis were traders and because of the long voyage home, many settled and married local Malaccan women.

Because of this their way of life is a curious mix of Indian, Malay and Chinese Baba-Nonya. And this cultural and ethnic mix permeates their food, religious symbols and heirlooms.

One custom we witnessed was Parchu Ponggal which falls on the eve of Ponggal the harvest festival, every January. This is unique to the Chettis.

Resident and committee member of 'Badan Bertindak lot 93', SK Pillai, walks us through this very special Chetti ceremony.

(Note: The Chettis ARE NOT the Chettiars who were the original money-lenders.)

Producer/writer: Shufiyan Shukur
Narration/Camera: Faidzal Mokhtar
Camera 2: Kamal Ishak