Heritage walk through Karungalakudi village, an important trade route during Pandya rule

A walk tracing the historical aspects of Karungalakudi and neighbouring villages in Kottampatti block in Madurai district was organised by the Dhan Foundation on Sunday.

A walk tracing the historical aspects of Karungalakudi and neighbouring villages in Kottampatti block in Madurai district was organised by the Dhan Foundation on Sunday.

During the walk, organised in collaboration with Intach and Travel Club Madurai, the participants were taken around the ‘Karungalakudi Heritage Circuit’ that comprises Karungalakudi, Thirusunai, Tharukakudi and Chokkalingapuram villages located near the Madurai-Tiruchi Highway.

Guided by historian G. Sethuraman and renowned epigraphist and archaeologist V. Vedachalam, references to how these villages were part of an important trade route between the Chola and Pandya kingdoms, as well as the link to Thondi and Rameshwaram found in the Pandya-period inscriptions in these villages were discussed.

“There are references to essentials such as salt, paddy, honey, pepper and sandal that have been traded along these routes in the inscription found at a temple in Piranmalai in Sivaganga district. The inscription infers that tax collected from trading these goods were used for temple purposes. The circuit has similar references in several inscriptions since it is located in the northern border of the Pandya kingdom,” said Mr Sethuraman.

Mr Vedachalam explained that the bas relief sculpture of Lord Mahavira seated on a lotus from 10th century C.E. in Karungalakudi is an important aspect. “The words ‘Achanandhi Seivitha Thirumeni’ in Vattaezhuthu (one of the oldest Tamil scripts) is found beneath the structure which refers to the Jain monk named Achanandi who sculpted it,” he said. He added a rock painting of a bull in red ochre from circa 500 B.C.E. located above a Tamil Brahmi cave is another important slice of history.

References to a community of martial arts practitioners named ‘Vaalilaar’ mentioned in an inscription from the 13th century found in Thirusunai were discussed. Mr Vedachalam noted that a system prevailed during the Pandya rule wherein the residents of villages bordering the kingdom can enjoy a tax concession and lands on the condition that they would aid the king’s army in times of war.

S. Karthikeyan, coordinator of Kottampatti Vattara Vayalaga Kootamaippu, supported by Dhan Foundation noted that only when heritage literacy was promoted among the community members and locals, were the stakeholders more inclined in preserving them. “It is also a way to boost local tourism,” he added.