PUDUKKOTTAI: A team of historians found a 17th century stone tablet in a dried pond at Velur village near Viralimalai on Tuesday. The tablet is believed to have been used to measure water level in the pond.
The tablet was found by Loganathan who was dredging the pond. Based on this information, Dr R Akila, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri and Dr M Nalini, Head, Department of History, Seethalakshimi Ramasamy College, Tiruchy visited the site.
The team found a well-raised 2.40-metre tall bund of stone and stucco mix. On the south side were three projecting stones erected to denote the water level. The granite tablet that stands on the platform is 1.30 metre in height, 34 centimetres in breadth and 24 centimetres in depth. The exposed portion measures 53 centimetres and features an ornamental lotus band at the top.
Dr R Kalaikkovan, Director of the Dr M Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, Tiruchy said, “The discovery is very significant as a record about the construction of a kalingu (weir). The tablet further depicts a male with tom-tom. The well built male figure is shown wearing armlets and bangles, necklace with a pendent and a two layered chain. The ears are elongated and his head gear is typical of Nayaks. A tom-tom is beaten with two curved sticks.”
Kalaikkovan added that this is the first time such a sculpture was found along with the notification of construction of a weir in Tiruchy district. A 16-line record in Tamil script gives the date as 22nd in the Tamil month of Ani in 1698 CE. It registers the construction of the weir during the rule of feudal lord Chinnakar Mada Srinayakkarayyan son of Muthukkar Mada Srinayakkarayyan when Manisarayappillai of Thiruvanaikkavan was the head man of the village (Maniyam). The lessee was Thirugnanasammanthampillai. The inscription ends by praying the protection of Kamatchi Amman for the maintenance of the newly built Kalingu.
Nalini, one of the historians who examined the sculpture said that a land donation record of Muthukkar Mada Srinayakkarayyan, mentioned in the new find, was discovered some time back in Chettiurunippatti of Alundur. It may be surmised that Chirappalli and Pudukkottai were under the Mada Srinayakkarayyan clan during the 17th century.
2.40-metre tall bund
The team found a well-raised 2.40-metre tall bund of stone and stucco mix. On the south side were three projecting stones erected to denote the water level in the pond