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Copper Plate Grant of Rajendra Chola I 
Found at Esalam near Villupuram
 

Welcome to the News Section of Department of Archaeology

LAUNCHING OF OFFICIAL WEBSITE


Hon'ble Minister of School Education Thiru Thangam Tennarasu launched the official website of the department and released the department publications. Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Vice-Chairman Science City, Dr.K.Arulmozhi, IAS, Member Secretary - Planning Commission and K.Chandrasekaran, Principal, Government Fine Art's College, Chennai participated in the function. The function was presided  by Dr.Shanthini Kapoor, IAS, then Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Museums, in-charge of Department of Archaeology.

An 'Exhibition in Rock Art perspective' was arranged during 19 - 25th  November 2008 as part of Heritage Week Celebrations to create awareness among the school, college students and general public.

WORLD HERITAGE WEEK
NOV. 19 – 25, 2009

           The World heritage week is being celebrated every year in the month of November between Nov. 19th to 25th [in connection with celebration of former Prime Minister Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s birthday] for a span of seven days to create awareness among students and general public to protect, preserve and conserve the heritage monuments. 

          A scheme of digitizing inscriptions of about 20000 estampages in CD format was approved and funded by Central Institute of Classical Tamil Language for a period of three years for the department of Archaeology.  The work of digitization was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for School Education and  Archaeology Thiru Thangam Thennarasu on 23-11-2009 in the presence of Dr.S.Ramasamy, Officer in Charge of Central Institute of Classical Tamil Language which was presided over by Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology

          On the same day, an exhibition on heritage monuments, excavations, epigraphy, and chemical conservation was conducted at Centenary Hall of Government Museum for the world heritage week and a departmental pamphlet was released by Hon’ble Minister for School Education and Archaeology. 

Renovated Sound and Light Show at Tirumalai Nayak Mahal, Madurai

Tirumalai Nayak Mahal was built in the year 1636 CE by the great Nayak ruler of Madurai,  Tirumalai Nayak (1627-1659 CE) This palace is considered the most marvellous secular building of Tamilnadu. It is believed that this has been constructed with the help of an Italian architect.

The present building is the main palace building where the king lived, and it used to be four times bigger than what it is today.  In those days the palace consisted mainly of two parts, Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa.  Besides these two royal residences, there were a theatre, a palace shrine, queen’s apartment, an armoury, a building for housing palanquins and royal bandstand, quarters for relatives and servants, a pond, and gardens etc., The whole complex is enclosed by walls on all the four sides. The site museum was established in the year 1980. The Mahal was renovated at a cost of Rs.3.00 crores during the year 2007-09.

          The newly renovated sound and light show of Mahal, Epigraphy Museum and open air sculpture museum were inaugurated by Thiru M.K.Azhagiri, Hon’ble Minister for Fertilizers and Chemicals, Government of India. He also released the book “Tirunelveli Mavattak Kalvettukal – Volume I” and Brochure on Tirumalai Nayak Mahal in the presence of Thiru N.Suresh Rajan, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Thangam Thennarasu, Hon’ble Minister for School Education and Archaeology, Tmt. A.Thamizharasi, Hon’ble Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare, Tmt.G.Thenmozhi, Madurai Mayor and other local MPs and MLAs. Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology delivered welcome address and Mr.R.Madhivanan, IAS, Collector, Madurai proposed vote of thanks.

          A thematic museum on Epigraphy has been established in the queen’s private apartment.  Ancient Tamil Brahmi inscriptions are available in fourteen places in and around Madurai.  Models of Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, and development of script are displayed in this Museum.   Hero stones of Vatteluttu inscriptions, Tamil inscriptions, inscriptions from Sattur, Vadipatti, Kulasekarapuram, Aenaathi, Tiruvidaimarudur, Natham, Koilpatti, Samuthirapatti, Royapettah [inscriptions which indicate the history of 22 wells dug by Ellis Durai, inscribed Tirukkural shows his love for Tamil  are also well displayed.  A separate open air Sculpture museum which contains the various collections of the department at different times will be of great value and interest to the research scholars and public.

One-day Seminar on “Protecting Monuments for Posterity”

The Tourism and Culture Department, Government of Tamilnadu has organized one-day Seminar on “Protecting Monuments for Posterity” on 4th August 2009 at Hotel Residency Towers, Chennai.
The aim of the seminar is to discuss the following objectives :

  1. Create awareness among departmental officials, tourists and general public about the conservation of monuments, archaeological sites and objects of heritage value;
  2. Identify technical, administrative and financial issues relating to conservation and protection of monuments;
  3. Facilitate agencies towards better protection of monuments from vandalism and misuse;
  4. Encourage various agencies to inculcate heritage values for the benefit of posterity.

Thiru K.S.Sripathi, IAS, Chief Secretary to Tamil Nadu inaugurated the seminar and highlighted the purpose of the seminar in his address in the presence of Dr.V.Irai Anbu, IAS, Secretary to Government, Tourism and Culture, Government of Tamil Nadu, pointed out the necessity of promoting heritage tourism in his keynote address.
Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary/Commissioner of Archaeology focused the objectives of the seminar in his theme address and Dr.A.C.Mohandoss, IAS, Director of Tourism briefed the importance of heritage tourism.
Ms.Sathyabhama Badhreenath, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, observed the various practices of conservation for protecting their monuments. Thiru P.R.Shampath, IAS, Commissioner, HR&CE explained the methods adopted in conservation of ancient temples.
The Chief Engineer [Buildings]PWD Er.S.Karunakaran mentioned the practical difficulties faced by them while conserving the ancient monuments.  Dr.P.Senthil Kumar, IAS, Director Municipal Administration discussed the role of local bodies / community in heritage preservation. The NGOs REACH, INTACH, friends of museum, Aadinams, Senior Prince of Thanjavur actively participated in the seminar and shared their experiences.
Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology and Thiru Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Commissioner, Rural Development chaired the Plenary Session I and II.
The objectives are discussed in detail with power point presentation and the practical difficulties faced by the executing officials and the steps to be taken up by various departments to overcome the problems.   Totally, the discussions made in the seminar are valid and effective to the eminent participants of various departments.

MONTHLY LECTURE

Angkorwat – A World Heritage Centre

            

Monthly lecture by Dr.Prema Kasturi,
Former lecturer of Women Christian College
Date : 25-11-2009
Venue : Conference Hall, State Archaeology Dept., Halls Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008

            

COPPER PLATE EXHIBITION

            



 

Copper Plate Exhibition was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for School Education and Archaeology on 28-10-2009. Dr.V.Irai Anbu, IAS, Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department presided in the presence of Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology and Museums and Dr.R.Nagaswamy, Former Director of Archaeology.

Monthly lecture by : 
Dr.R.Nagaswamy,
Former Director of Archaeology
Topic : Copper Plate Grants
Date :
29-10-2009
Venue : Conference Hall, State Archaeology Dept.
             Halls Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008

HERITAGE AWARENESS PROGRAMME

As a part of heritage awareness programme, the department conducted a lecture on 12-08-2009 at Madurai Tirumalai Nayak Mahal for the benefit of students and local public.  The lecture was delivered by Dr.K.Sadasivam, Retired Professor, History Department of Tirunelveli Manonmaniam Sundaranar University on the “Importance of preserving heritage monuments”.

AUGUST 2009 BOOK RELEASE AND MONTHLY LECTURE


Thiru Natana Kasinathan, Director [Retd.] released the following books : 
1. Chennai Maanagark Kalvettukal [Reprint]
2. Kalvettu Quarterly Journal – Issue 77

Monthly lecture by Thiru Pradeep Chakravarthi
Topic : Madras temples in song and inscriptions
Date :
21-08-2009
Venue : Conference Hall, State Archaeology Dept.
             Halls Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008

MONTHLY LECTURE
MEDIEVAL TRADE IN TAMIL NADU
 

Monthly lecture by Dr.N.Marxia Gandhi,
Deputy Superintending Archaeologist [Retd.]
Topic : Medieval trade in Tamil Nadu
Date :
24-07-2009
Venue : Conference Hall, State Archaeology Dept.
             Halls Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008

 

MONTHLY LECTURES

WORKSHOP ON PRESERVATION OF ART TREASURES OF TEMPLES

On 24.04.2009 at 10.00 a.m. a Workshop on preservation of art treasures of temples was conducted to Executive Officers of Hindu Religious Charitable Endowment Department. Lectures were given by our departmental officials through power point presentation highlighting the importance and preservation of art treasures, inscriptions, architecture, conservation, preservation etc. and certificates issued to the participants.

Thiru T.Pitchandi, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner, HR&CE Department delivered a lecture on Preservation of Art Treasures of Temples and insisted the need for co-ordination between the departments. Dr. T.S. Sridhar, P.hD., IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology inaugurated the workshop and meeting.

ONGOING SCHEMES

     Excavation

 

The systematic excavation was conducted by a team of archaeologist under the guidance of Dr.T.S.Sridhar IAS., Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology and invaluable antiquities were unearthed in the process. 
The Special Exhibition on excavated antiquities was inaugurated by Honorable Minister for School Education and Archaeology Thiru Thangam Thennarasu, on 19.07.09 in the presence of Dr.T.S.Sridhar, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology and Museum and presided by Thiru R. Pitchai, District collector I/c,  Ariyalur.  Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly and Panchayat Union leaders also attended the function.

     Monuments

Conservation works for 26 monuments to a tune of Rs.467.3 lakhs under the XI Finance Commission Grant was completed, which includes mural painting work also.  Out of this amount, Rs.1 crore was spent on Tirumalai Nayak Mahal renovation.

Conservation

A sum of Rs.780 lakhs have been sanctioned for conservation works for 38 monuments under the XII Finance Commission Grant for the period 2006 - 2010.  Out of this amount, Rs.3 crores was spent on Tirumalai Nayak Mahal renovation. Conservation works for monuments are under progress and nearing completion. 

     Epigraphy

Intensive Epigraphy Campaign which began in is in full swing.  More than 12,000 epigraphs are copied. Efforts are in progress for the joint publication of inscriptions available with ASI, Epigraphy wing, Mysore.

Institute of Epigraphy

Students of 30th Batch of one year Post Graduate Diploma in Epigraphy & Archaeology were given training on deciphering of inscriptions and languages.
31st Batch of one year Post Graduate Diploma in Epigraphy & Archaeology conducted by the Institute of Epigraphy was inaugurated by Dr.T.S.Sridhar, P.hD, IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology on 08.06.2009.

Publications
The departmental press established exclusively for bringing out books on epigraphy. The Department has 209 publications to its credit. A quarterly journal "Kalvettu" is also being printed here. So far 77 issues have been published.   

LATEST RELEASE

1.Kalvettu Vor Arimugam - Reprint
2. Inscriptions of Tirunelveli District
3. Kalvettu Quarterly Journal Issue 77
4. Sembiyan Kandiyur Excavation Report
5. Chennai Manarka Kalvettukal [Reprint]
6. Tirumalai Nayak Mahal Guide Book

UPCOMING RELEASE

1. Thamizhagak Koyir Kalaikal
2.Kalvettu Oor Arimugam [Reprint]
3. Tamizhagal Koyir Kalaigal [Reprint]
4. Kalvettu Quarterly Journal Issue 78
 

UPCOMING PROGRAMME

1. Workshop on Epigraphy and Archaeology
    24th December 2009 to 7th January 2010

 

 

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