Mamallapuram-Last of a series of Seven Temples, Six of which had Submerged-TamilNadu

Mamallapuram Submerged

Expedition to Poompuhar - Remains of Kumari Kandam - Graham Hancock Underworld E02 (2002)

According to the indications of archaeological excavation, it appears to be the northern most sea-port of Tamilnadu with a brick structure on the North Western direction of the shore temples.

This structure, datable to Sangam age, is built in north-south orientation having two parallel walls side by side, the gap of which was filled with thick clay.

The underwater city of Mahabalipuram off the coast of India as explored by Graham Hancock in his book Underworld. The Indian government refuses all diving requests now...

The submerged temples of Mahabalipuram (India)

According to popular belief, the famous Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram wasn't a single temple, but the last of a series of seven temples, six of which had submerged. New finds suggest that there may be some truth to the story. A major discovery of submerged ruins was made in April of 2002 offshore of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, South India. The discovery, at depths of 5 to 7 meters (15 to 21 feet) was made by a joint team from the Dorset based Scientific Exploration Society (SES) and marine archaeologists from India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Investigations at each of the locations revealed stone masonry, remains of walls, square rock cut remains, scattered square and rectangular stone blocks and a big platform with steps leading to it. All these lay amidst the locally occurring geological formations of rocks.

Based on what at first sight appears to be a lion figure at location four, the ruins were inferred to be part of a temple complex. The Pallava dynasty, which ruled the region during the 7th century AD, was known to have constructed many such rock-cut, structural temples in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram.

Graham Hancock diving on the underwater ruins of Mahabalipuram

A TEAM of underwater archaeologists from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, has found evidence of the presence of submerged structures at Mahabalipuram.

According to popular belief, the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram is the last of a series of seven temples, six of which had submerged. The discovery was made during a joint underwater exploration with the Scientific Exploration Society, UK.

The team of archaeologists from the NIO carried out the underwater exploration between April 1 and 4, 2002 and recorded evidence of the presence of ruins underwater, off-Mahabalipuram, NIO officials said here.

The underwater investigation was carried out at five locations at depths of 5-8 metres — 500 to 700 metres off the Shore Temple.

Investigations at each of the locations revealed stone masonry, remains of walls, square rock cut remains, scattered square and rectangular stone blocks and a big platform with steps leading to it. All these lay amidst the locally occurring geological formations of rocks, the study says.

Further, most of the structures were badly damaged and scattered over a vast area. They were colonised by barnacles, mussels and other sedentary organisms, the archaeologists discovered.

The officials said based on what at first sight appears to be a lion figure at location four, the ruins were inferred to be part of a temple complex. The Pallava dynasty, which ruled the region during the 7th century AD, was known to have constructed many such rock-cut, structural temples in Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram.

To further clarify the reasons for the submergence of the ruins, a full-scale investigation was underway to determine the role of sea-level fluctuations, coastal erosion and neo-tectonic activity in effecting shoreline changes in the region in the recent past, the officials said.

மாமல்லபுரத்தில் கிடைத்த ஒளிப்படச் சான்றுகளை பார்த்து விட்டு கிரௌன் மிலன் 6000ஆண்டு முன் ஏற்பட்ட கடல் மட்ட உயர்வால் மாமல்லவுரம் கடலில் மூழ்கியது

தமிழ் நாட்டின் மாமல்லபுரம் அருகே கடற்கரையில் இருந்து 5-7 மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் தொடங்கி கடற்கரையில் ஓரு மைல் தூரம் வரை பல சதுர கிலோ மீட்டர் பரப்பளவில் புதையுண்ட நகரத்தின் சான்றுகள்; காணப்படுகின்றன. இலண்டனில் உள்ள அறிவியல் தேடுதல் சங்கத்தினரும் இந்தியக் கடலியல் ஆய்வு நடுவமும் கூட்டாக இணைந்து 25 பேர் கடலில் மூழ்கித் தேடும் நிபுணர்களைக் கொண்டு நடத்திய ஆய்வில் இது வெளிப்பட்டது.

மாமல்லபுரத்தின் கடலடியில், சில கோயில் கோபுரங்களின் உச்சிப் பகுதிகள் தெரிவதாக, மீனவர்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர். எனவே அங்கும் ஆழ் கடலடி நகரம் ஒன்று உள்ளது என்பது தெரிகிறது. அந்தக் கடலில் மூழ்கியுள்ள மகாபலிபுரம் கோயில் உச்சிப்பகுதி

மாமல்லபுரக் கடலடி நகரங்கள் பற்றிய ஆழ்கடல் ஆய்வு நடத்தப்பட வேண்டும். இது நிறைவேறினால் தொல் தமிழரின் தொன்மை தெளிவாகும்.

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