
VILLUPURAM: Villupuram, a region steeped in ancient history, has recently witnessed a remarkable discovery – artefacts dating back to centuries – as the banks of the Sankaraparani river were washed away by cyclone Fengal.
“Within this short span, the Chief Minister’s announcement to pursue further research has brought immense happiness to us,” said T Ramesh, professor of history at the Aringar Anna Government Arts College in Villupuram.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced 11 key schemes for Villupuram district, including archaeological research at Thennamadevi and Aiyankoilpattu villages in Vikravandi taluk. The efforts of history professors, students, and Tamil welfare forums in the district had drawn attention to this issue, said Vikravandi MLA Anniyur A Siva, who spearheaded the move to bring government action at short notice.
Speaking to TNIE, Siva said, “For many years, several archaeological findings in the district had been undertaken by multiple groups, but they were not platformed properly. However, the artefacts found after cyclone Fengal in Vikravandi were directly brought to my notice, and I took the initiative to start serious research in the region to connect the history of Tamil Nadu with the rest of the state, especially with the Keezhadi excavation. It is crucial that pieces of history from the South Arcot region are uncovered to provide a holistic understanding of Tamil culture and civilisation.”
Meanwhile, Professor Ramesh emphasised that the research should not be limited to the Sankaraparani river belt but should include other parts of the district where archaeological evidence has been found in the past.
“We are delighted by the announcement. So far, archaeological excavations have mostly been conducted in southern districts, with little attention given to the northern districts. Through this research, the history of the Pambai river, which was sung about even 1,500 years ago by poet Thirugyana Sambandar in the Devaram, will come to light. This will be an important milestone in the history of Villupuram, uncovering many unknown cultural, demographic, and archaeological facts from the region.”
The demand for Pambai river excavation was also raised during the Marudham Cultural Festival held in Villupuram on Pongal. The two-day event, held on January 14 and 15, focused on the centenary of the discovery of the Indus Valley civilisation and the discourse on unravelling the ancient history of South Arcot in this era. Ravikarthikeyan, organiser of the event, said, “The announced research will uncover many unknown aspects of our heritage, and we cannot wait to learn more about our native land.”