Finance Minister ThanGam Thenarasu | Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
A total of 12 significant historical locations will be declared monuments/protected sites, Finance Minister ThanGam Thenarasu (which also has the archeology portfolio) announced in the Assembly on Thursday. He also announced that a registration museum would be established on the World Sangam World Campus in Madurai.
The registrations of Tamili in Mannarkoil in the District of Tirunelveli, the rock cutting caves in Aralipatti in the Sivaganga district, Kothapoondiyan Valasu in the district of Dindigul, V. Kottaiyur in the district of Pudukkottai and Naruvanamalait between the locations that are declared in monuments/protected sites, said.
Dolmens in Mallachanthiram in the district of Krishgnagiri, the Palace in Thirupullani in the Ramanathapuram district must be protected sites. The Maraiyur grunt in Narikkudi and Boulder and Cave paintings in Meenakshipuram in Rajapalayam Taluk, the old mandapams in Mamsapuram and Pillayar Natham, all in the Virudhunagar district will join the list too.
The State Government will formulate a program to publish the cultural history of Tamil Nadu in 18 volumes to capture the history of several regions within the State, said Mr. Thennarasu.
Anomalous characteristic in Korkai
In a policy note presented at the house, Mr. Thennarasu said that during a high seas recognition survey of a Sangam age port in Korkai, conducted with sound surveys and diver inspections, “an anomalous feature” was identified, but did not explain anymore.
The survey extended to Poompuhar since February, with lateral exploration probe coverage, duration that “some new features have identified,” he added. The work was in progress and would be complete for this month, he said.
When affirming that the archaeological evidence of Atiramakkam, near the Pondi reservoir, in the Tiruvallur district, confirmed the human presence in Tamil Nadu “that dates back to approximately 15 Lakh years ago,” the minister said the Lakh Lakh Lakh
Published – April 18, 2025 12:31 am isth