TIRUCHY: In a routine exploration trip, researchers from Arignar Anna Government Arts College
in Musiri found what was said to be a Chola period sluice near Timmayampatti of Pudukkottai district.
M Paramasivam, a research student, made the discovery and informed his guide R Akila.
After the discovery, the stone was studied by M Nalini, Head of the Department of History, Seethlakshmi Ramasami College, Tiruchy and Selvi, a research scholar from Srirangam.
R Kalaikkovan, Director, Dr M Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, in a statement said it was revealed the two granite pillars were installed on the inner side of the village tank, locally known as Kurunkulam.
They were said to be erected on either side of the sluices (madai), which regulate or divert water for agricultural needs.
They were deeply planted and had a Tamil inscription, Kalaikkovan noted as being from the Chola period (10th century CE).
On their physical structure, the one from the northern side was rectangular in shape with a circular top standing 1.43 m in height and 25-cm-thick.
The southern pillar was like a tall linga with an octagonal shape. It had a rectangular base with a height of 43 cm. The pillar measured 1.48 metres, they recorded.
He observed the pillars were called Neerazhikkal (stone that lets out water) in the inscription, but Kalaikkovan noted that were locally called aanaiyadikkal.
The inscription recorded the first water to the right of the pond was assigned to a certain Kilavan Pavalakkunru alias Kandankusa Velan at the north pillar and Vaikai Churri alias Uttamacholan, the headman of Urattur Nadu, in the south pillar.
Nalini in her statement said such pillars with inscriptions are found in good numbers in many parts of TN , but those with Chola records are a rarity.
Local student R Muttandi of higher secondary school there and history enthusiast P Loganathan helped the study.