Epigraphists from ASI copy inscriptions in Madurai, Tiruchi districts

ASI epigraphists copy 13th-century inscriptions in Madurai and Tiruchi districts, shedding light on land grants and historical names.

A team of epigraphists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently copied a set of three inscriptions found on the slopes of a hillock near Kambur in Melur taluk in Madurai district. These inscriptions date back to the period of Pandya King Maravarman Sundara Pandyan I, who ruled during the 13th century.

According to J. Veera Manikandan, Assistant Epigraphist, ASI, three Tamil inscriptions were found adjacent to one another on the southern slope of Veerakurichi hillock located west of Kambur. The first two inscriptions were found by a team led by C. Santhalingam, Retired Archaeologist, a couple of weeks ago. Following this, an ASI team reached the spot to copy those inscriptions, where they found the third inscription.

The first inscription mentions the donation of a parcel of land by a local chieftain named Baskaran to a Shiva temple, while the other two inscriptions have information about people of Kambur and another local chieftain named Thenna Gangadevan’s land donation for special pujas. These inscriptions also reveal that Kambur was once referred to as Kambavur and areas around Natham were called Dvarapathi Nadu, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Manikandan’s team also copied inscriptions at Thirunerkundranathar temple at Thinnakulam, a village in Lalgudi taluk in Tiruchi district. He said the ASI had already copied several inscriptions from the same temple that throws light on land grants, donation of jewels and patronage of Chola kings. These inscriptions also refer to the ancient name of the village as Thirunerkundram, located on the north bank of the Cauvery river under Poigai Nadu and the administrative division of Rajendra Simha Valanadu, he added.