Ancient burial sites are defaced

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More than 2,000 years old megalithic burial sites at Siruthavur near Thiruporur are being destroyed by real estate sharks for putting up housing plots.

There were hundreds of these sites till some years back but only 25 of them exist now and even these are under threat from unscrupulous realtors. Historians, meanwhile complain that the district administration and the Archaeological Survey of India have been indifferent. Locals also point out to many antiquities and semi-precious stones being looted.

Thanks to the lack of awareness among people, many antiquities have been lost. Cist earth burials in these areas belong to the Sangam period dating between third Century BC and third Century AD.
A local said, “Many people used to come and take away old pots. Even a few years back they took some pots and semi-precious stones.”

While heritage enthusiasts and historians urge the ASI to create more awareness, nothing is being done. “In other countries they protect a building even if it is 200 years old. I wonder why places of such historical importance is facing destruction,” said Mr Aditya Thappa, a heritage enthusiast.

When asked, villagers feigned ignorance of any such burials sires though a few claimed that many antiquities and burial sites were lost due to real estate sharks who dig up the sites using earthmovers to convert them into housing plots.

Historians are worried if these sites are destroyed, 2000 years of history will be lost. “History needs to be represented through facts but if this state continues our much eulogised culture will be lost forever. These are like puzzles, if destroyed we cannot get it back”, said Epigraphist S. Ramachandran.

Villagers allege that most buyers are ignorant about the historical importance of the place and even land under the Archaeological Survey of India is encroached.

Officials from Archaeological Survey of India were not available for comment despite repeated calls.

Locals act as barrier to site preservation

Even as the historical site in Siruthavur is under threat, a megalithic burial site near Zamin Pallavaram inside Chennai city limits has been mostly destroyed.

Many locals are also hostile towards the ASI, which has issued a notification declaring the area as a protected area, which officially prevents building activity. But construction work is going on in this place, which implies indiscriminate earth excavation for commercialpurposes.

The place gained prominence when geologist Robert Bruce first noticed a Palaeolithic tool in 1863.
Fearing displacement from their habitation, many locals are not even allowing the ASI to mark the 100 meters from the site and a few have also claimed that their grievances were not heard.

When asked about the site, archaeologist S. Selvaraj said, “It is extremely lame to say that these sites are not important. A civilisation which cannot respect its history will not prosper.” However, majority of the locals are not willing to pave the way for marking the land.

When asked about Siruthavur, Kanchipuram District Collector Hanish Chhabra said, “ASI did not bring it to my attention, if the violations are true, after enquiry, appropriate actions will be take.”