CHENNAI: A Dutch-era cemetery in Nagapattinam will get a facelift, courtesy the Government of the Netherlands. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will be the knowledge partner in the conservation efforts of Karikop cemetery, now in ruins.
Located adjacent to St Peter’s Church, under which it comes now, the cemetery derives its name from Dutch word ‘Kerkhof’. Over the years, the name acquired a Tamil slang and was pronounced as ‘Karikop’, heritage experts said.
In 17th century, several villages near Nagapattinam came under the control of Dutch East India Company, with the town of Nagapattinam also serving as the headquarters of the Dutch colony, having been shifted from Pulicat.
Speaking to Express, S Suresh, State convenor, INTACH, said, “Though the town was subsequently taken over by the British, the cemetery primarily contains the graves of Dutch people.”
Centuries later, the cemetery now is in a dilapidated condition, partly owing to the apathy of local officials. There are several tombs in the cemetery, both big and small. “It is the bigger ones, of which one belongs to the wife of a local Dutch administrator, that need urgent repair,” Suresh said.
The tombs have developed cracks and many of them have broken down. The entrance archway is also in a dilapidated condition. Besides, there is thick vegetation in the place, he said.
The Karikop cemetery does not figure in the list of monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India or other government authorities.
But all that is set to change soon. The INTACH, which has done an architectural listing of Nagapattinam, was recently contacted by the Dutch.
Following this, steps were taken to draw up a conservation and management plan for the cemetery. “We brought a team of Dutch experts to Nagapattinam. They interacted with all local stakeholders, including the administration,” Suresh said.
The conservation plans, for which no date has been set so far, will be spearheaded by the Netherlands with the co-operation of local officials. “A blueprint has been prepared for the project, with the finance coming from the Dutch side. We will be assisting them through knowledge-sharing,” Suresh said.
When asked about the keen interest shown by the Dutch, Suresh said the cemeteries were not only a subject of interest for historians, but also have an emotional value. “There are many foreigners who come down to see the graves of their ancestors. They have great attachment to these cemeteries. While some cemeteries are in good shape, others are not,” Suresh said.