13K estampages of Tamil received from Mysuru: Thennarasu

CHENNAI: State archeaology minister Thangam Thennarasu on Wednesday said that about 13,000 estampages of Tamil have been received from ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) in Mysuru.

Talking to media persons after inspecting the estampage at the ASI facility in the city, Thennarasu said that it is an important day in the history of Tamil Nadu as the long-time demand of bringing Tamil estampages, which were taken from here, back to Tamil Nadu have been fulfilled. Attributing the success to the repeated efforts of Chief Minister M K Stalin who wrote to the Union Culture Ministry and the successful cases filed by DMK Rajya Sabha MP NR Elango before the Madras High Court, Thennarasu said that most of the inscriptions found in India are in Tamil. “Of the 74,000 estampage available with ASI in Mysuru, about 26,000 are in Tamil. Now, we have received around 13,000 estampages,” he added, lauding the ASI for digitising every estampage on the basis of the Annual Register of Epigraphy with bar codes and year-wise markings. Pointing out that the estampage belong to the 1887 to 1944 period, the minister said that the estampages were sent along with transcripts.

Informing that the estampages were kept in the custody of the Deputy Superintending Archeologist, Tamil Egpigraphy wing here, the minister said that ASI has agreed to send the remaining estampages to Tamil Nadu soon.

Asked about the sea exploration of the department, he said that the first stage of Korkai sea exploration has been completed and the second stage would likely commence in December, which would be followed by explorations at Alakankulam.