13th century Ramanathapuram temples, choultry in ruins

The dilapidated Rani Mangammal Chathiram near Paramakudi. Photo: K Ashok

A team of archaeologists, which explored the archaeological remains on both the banks of the Vaigai, has discovered two Siva temples of late Pandya period and a choultry of the Nayak period in Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts and recommended that the 13th century structures be declared as protected monuments.

Noting that the choultry, built by Rani Mangammal and the temples with important inscriptions and sculptures are in ruins, the team, headed by K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, Superintending Archaeologist of the excavation branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Bengaluru, recommended that the ASI restore and protect these three structures.

The team had recommended that the Siva temple and the choultry at Kallikottai near Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district and another Siva temple at Karungalakudi in Thirupuvanam taluk of Sivaganga district be declared protected monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010.

Giving details of the exploration on the banks of the Vaigai, Mr. Ramakrishna said the team investigated the river’s origin in Theni district, its entire course and its ending into the sea in Ramanathapuram district. It discovered as many as 293 archaeological sites in Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. The team included V. Vedachalam, retired senior epigraphist, Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department.

Mr. Ramakrishna said he had written to Rakesh Tewari, Director General of ASI, New Delhi, suggesting that the temples of Sundara Pandya period and the choultry be renovated and declared protected monuments. “They are worthy of protection,” Mr. Ramakrishna told The Hindu .

He said the DG had forwarded the recommendation to the Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Chennai Circle, in October 2014 but no action has been taken so far. “The two temples are the best examples of late Pandya temple architecture,” he said and stressed the need for conserving and protecting them.

The inscriptions and beautiful sculptures in the temples faced the danger of getting destroyed if they were not conserved at the earliest, the archaeologist noted.

The Siva temple located on the bank of a lake at Karungalakudi had no approach road and there were no villages around, he said. The Lingam was already missing from the temple.