Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu | Photo source: B. JothiRamalingam
Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu (also holds a portfolio of archaeological works) announced at the conference on Thursday that a total of 12 historically important locations will be announced. He also announced that an inscription museum will be established on the World Tamil Sangam campus in Madurai.
The Tamili inscriptions in Mannarkoil in Tirunelveli district, rock-cut caves in Aralipatti in Sivaganga district, Koothapoondiyan Valasu in Dindigul district, V. Kottaiyur in Pudukkottai district, Avoor in Tiruvannamalai district, and Nayanur in Villupuram district will be among the locations to be declared protected monuments/sites, he said.
The Thirupullani Palace in the Dolmens, Mallachanthiram district of Krishnagiri will become a protected site. Maraiyur Choultry and Boulder and Meenakshipuram of Rajapalayam Taluk, old Mandapam of Mamsapuram and Meenakshipuram and Cave Paintings of Pillayar Natham will all join the Virudhunagar District.
The state government will develop a plan to publish the cultural history of Tamil Nadu in 18 volumes to capture the history of various regions in the state.
Korkai’s exceptional function
In a policy note proposed by the House, Mr. Tenarrasu said that during a maritime reconnaissance investigation into the sangam-era port in Korka, a sonar investigation and a diver’s inspection were conducted to determine the “abnormal function” but not further introduction.
He added that the survey has been expanding to Poompuhar since February with side-scan sonar coverage, during which time “some new features have been identified.” He said the work is underway and will be completed this month.
The minister said, “This huge 150 million chronological span of this archaeological evidence near the Poondi reservoir in the Tiruvallur region confirms that the existence of human beings in Tamil Nadu “has a history of about 1.5 million years ago.
publishing – April 18, 2025 12:31 AM IST
