Dakshinchitra is an attempt to preserve some of the traditional south Indian ways of life by constructing a "living" village containing some of the various traditional homes of south India.
Situated on the eastern shore, quietly resonating with the gentle thumps of the blue water at its back door, DakshinaChitra epitomises the
South Indian cultural heritage. A breeze away from Mamallapuram, Dakshina Chitra [a vision of the South ] is a time machine taking you back 150 years to give you a portrayal of the art, folk and craft of a bygone era.
Dakshinchitra, which means "picture of the South", was established in 1996 on a 10 acre campus at Muttukadu by Madras Craft Foundation (MCF). It was meant to promote art, craft and architecture of ancient Southern Indian states. It is within driving distance from Chennai city, situated along the ECR highway en route to Mamallapuram and Pondicherry.
Source: Wikipedia