Tamil Nadu: Transfer of archaeologist overseeing Keezhadi excavation kicks up political storm

A political storm is brewing in Tamil Nadu over the sudden transfer of an archaeologist involved in the excavation work in Keezhadi near Madurai that revealed the existence of an urban civilisation in the Tamil Sangam Age in 200 BC.

K Amarnath Ramakrishna, Superintending Archaeologist, Excavations Branch (Bangalore), Archaeological Survey of India, who was instrumental in identifying the Keezhadi site and successfully completed two phases of excavation has been transferred to Guwahati. In his place, ASI has transferred an official in the deputy superintending archaeologist who was from the monument maintenance side. His transfer has come at a critical stage when the third phase of the excavation in Keezhadi is all set to commence. The ASI granted permission for the third phase in February this year after a widespread condemnation by various political parties, writers and film personalities for the delay.

Even as the dust settled on the issue of delay in granting permission for the third phase of excavation, ASI’s decision to transfer the official has been condemned by the CPI(M) and CPI. “It is condemnable that the Centre has acted with an ulterior motive knowing very well that transfer of the official at this stage will affect the excavation work.  Hence the Centre should immediately cancel the transfer order,” CPI (M) Tamil Nadu state secretary G Ramakrishnan said.

According to the ASI sources, the transfer has been effected as per its recent policy that requires the transfer of officials in the rank of Superintending Archaeologist every two years. Mr Amarnath has been serving in his present position for three years. “The department has adopted the transfer policy which was followed for those in the administration side, for the technical officers too. Excavation is more kind of a technical and academic work that requires a lot of understanding of the place, subject and involvement. The entire research will be affected. A person involved in the research knows very well about the course of action. Normally, the officers involved in the ongoing excavations are allowed to continue their work and will not be transferred in the midway,” said an archaeologist based in Chennai.

Ironically, the ASI has undertaken excavation at four sites in the country – Keezhadi, Vadnagar (Gujarat), Binjor (Rajasthan) and Urain (Bihar). Except in Keezhadi, the ASI has not transferred the officers in charge of the excavation in other three sites, the archaeologist noted.

CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said that the decision to transfer out an official in the cadre of the Superintending Archaeologist and replace him with the officer in the cadre of Deputy Superintending Archaeologist was nothing but an attempt bring the excavation work to a grinding halt.

After exploring the 293 sites along the river Vaigai for over a year, the team led by Amarnath identified the site at Keezhadi. Following two phases of excavation involving 102 trenches, what they unearthed included massive brick structures with ring wells and drainage systems dating back to the second century BCE of the Tamil Sangam Age and a wealth of about 5,800 artifacts. The archaeological mount spreads across 110 acres. The results of the carbon dating of charcoal excavated from the site established that the settlement there belonged to 200 BC, proving that urban civilisation had existed in Tamil Nadu since Sangam age. “We are getting evidence of artifacts ranging from 2500 BC to 1000 AD. It is an evidence of Sangam age habitation there,” said an officer involved in the excavation in Keezhadi.