The ‘pettagam’ (storage chest) was essential in the ‘kittangi’ (Chettiar shophouse) for storing business documents, cash, accounts and personal belongings. The ‘kaipeti’ (hand-held box), ‘mejai peti’ (table box with slanted top) and the cotton bed roller for sleeping would be placed on top of the ‘pettagam’ when the Chettiars closed the shop at the end of the day. The Chettiars of Singapore operated their money-lending business up to the late 1970s at Market Street.
