The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Structures from the deep

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Friday, Apr 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Structures from the deep

By R. Sampath

VISAKHAPATNAM, APRIL 8. A hydrographic survey ship of the Eastern Naval Command, deployed recently off Poompuhar, 15 nautical miles off the Nagapattinam coast, has discovered a U-shaped structure at a depth of 23 metres.

``The structure is 85 m in peripheral length and about 2 m tall. The distance between the arms is about 13 m. It is covered with marine growth and the centre is buried under silt,'' said an informed ENC source.

INS Darshak, commanded by Captain P. Jayapal, carried out the survey through diving operations in an area off Tarangambadi (Tranquebar). This was done over nearly a month up to February 4. The objective: to explore the submerged remains of the lost city of Poompuhar (Kaveripoompattinam) and gain authentic knowledge with a view to reconstructing the maritime history of India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular.

Divers found the opening to the north of the structure, and 40 m to its north were two pillar-shaped structures. Local fishermen believed the structure to be one of the six temples submerged in the sea.

INS Darshak also recovered the remains of a Dutch ship sunk by the British during the close of the 18th century. Three lead ingots, about one metre long and weighing about 80 kg each, were recovered. The markings on them read `W. Blackett' - presumably the name of the British manufacturer. Another marking, `1792' was presumably the date of manufacture. The ingots carried a heart-shaped inscription, `Vior': the emblem of the Dutch East India Company.

Divers identified a two-metre long cannon embedded in the sea floor, fastened to a structure of the wreck. An informed source said: ``The ship executed a daring manoeuvre on top of the wreck and hauled out the cannon from the seabed using a combination of the lifting gear available on board. This was a difficult task, compounded by the adverse sea conditions and was a test to the efficiency and skill of the ship's staff, as the vessel is not equipped to carry out excavation of this nature.

The 50 cm. diameter cannon, covered with a marine growth of 2.1 metres in length, weighs about 700 kg.''

INS Darshak returned to its base here last week with those valuable artefacts.

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