The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Remains of 2 temples found near Shore Temple: ASI

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Remains of 2 temples found near Shore Temple: ASI

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 31. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today said it had discovered remains of two temples, near the Shore Temple of Mamallapuram, during an excavation in February-March.

"Both the temples are located south of the Shore Temple. With available materials, there is nothing to show that they are part of the Shore Temple. They seem to be separate temples," Alok Tripathi, Deputy Superintending Archaeologist and leader of the excavation team, told presspersons.

Though the temples were discovered on shore, watermarks on their structures indicated that they had remained submerged, Mr. Tripathi said, asserting that changes in the Mamallapuram coastline had occurred over the years.

In February, a team of archaeologists along with Navy personnel began extensive offshore excavation.

This year's operations formed part of the investigation, offshore and onshore, conducted by the Underwater Archaeology (UA) wing of the ASI since 2001.

For the current year, the excavation was completed.

The offshore operations, carried out east of the Shore Temple, revealed that submerged rocks and stones had certain shapes, identical to those of the blocks found northwest of the Temple. So the archaeologists shifted their focus to onshore.

Among the remains discovered were a square "garbha griha" (sanctum sanctorum) with an entrance porch, an open courtyard and a `prakara' wall, all apparently belonging to one structural temple.

An excavation was conducted near three rocks bearing marks of human activity. One of the rocks had a superstructure, most probably of another temple.

No tsunami impact

Asked whether the December 26, 2004 tsunami had any impact on the submerged structures, Mr Tripathi replied in the negative. "It has given us only publicity but nothing in archaeology." Sand dunes on the coastline of Mamallapuram remained stable.

To a query whether the ASI planned to conduct offshore excavations in Poompuhar, an epic-fame ancient town around 250 km south of Chennai, the ASI director-general, C. Babu Rajeev, said it had no such plan.

Before enlarging its activity in marine archaeology, his organisation wanted to strengthen its UA wing.

"At present, we do not have adequate resources for any in-depth investigation. So, we are tying up with the Navy," Mr. Rajeev said. This year, the ASI planned to carry out offshore investigations in Dwaraka, Gujarat.

Claims over Taj

On the claims of the Sunni Wakf Board over Taj Mahal, the ASI chief said his organisation had received a copy of the petition of the Board. "We have referred it to the Law Ministry. As far as our records are concerned, the monument was under our control even in 1924," he replied.

Pointing out that availability of funds had not been a problem for the ASI in recent years, the allocation for 2005-06 was about 30 per cent more than that of the previous year.

Provision of all facilities for tourists at the world heritage monuments and upgradation of five museums every year were the two thrust areas of the ASI.

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