"Let's Reveal Poompuhar's Pride": Tamil Nadu Begins Undersea Excavation In Early Chola Capital

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu's underwater archaeological expedition in Poompuhar has commenced, with Chief Minister M K Stalin declaring on Saturday that this exploration will unveil an ancient civilization that once thrived in the region.

The Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department launched the deep-sea excavation between Poompuhar, the early Chola dynasty capital, and Nagapattinam, a medieval trading center with maritime connections to Southeast Asia. The project, which began on September 19, is being conducted in partnership with the Indian Maritime University.

Historically known as Kaviripoompattinam, this ancient port city is located in today's Mayiladuthurai district. The previous underwater investigation at Poompuhar was conducted in 1991.

#கீழடி நம் தாய்மடி எனச் சொன்னோம்!இரும்பின் தொன்மையை உலகுக்கு உணர்த்தினோம்!அடுத்து, "நீரின் வந்த நிமிர்பரிப் புரவியும், காலின் வந்த கருங்கறி மூடையும்..." என நிறைந்து வளம்பெற்ற பூம்புகாரின் பெருமையை வெளிக்கொணர்வோம்!!! https://t.co/7qF66trcFo

— M.K.Stalin - தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) September 20, 2025

The Keezhadi archaeological site, situated on the Vaigai River's banks in Sivaganga district near Madurai, has yielded evidence through multiple excavations by the state Archaeology Department of an urban civilization dating back approximately 2,500 years to the Sangam period. Researchers believe it was once a prosperous industrial and commercial center.

Suggesting that Poompuhar might be as ancient as Keezhadi, Chief Minister Stalin posted on 'X' that the underwater excavation would reveal to the world the "pride of the flourishing Poompuhar" that now lies submerged beneath the sea.

An initial underwater exploration conducted in 1981 confirmed the presence of archaeological remains, including brick structures, rolled pottery, and pier walls in the intertidal zone.

A more recent study by Bharathidasan University in 2023 discovered additional evidence of an ancient port city buried underwater, along with remnants of a large harbor, settlements, and shipyards at depths between 50-100 meters.

The Chief Minister was responding to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, who also oversees the Archaeology portfolio, who announced the commencement of the underwater exploration at Poompuhar on Friday.

"Tamil history will now be explored even beneath the sea. Archaeological explorations have begun at Poompuhar, celebrated in Sangam and post-Sangam literature as a flourishing seaport of great renown, to rediscover and study the antiquity of ancient Tamil civilization," the minister stated in his post.

In a subsequent post on Saturday, Minister Thennarasu expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for supporting efforts to showcase the glory of ancient Tamil civilization to the world through archaeological and scientific research.

According to sources, the exploration is being spearheaded by a team of experts, including renowned archaeologist and author K Rajan, and R Sivanantham, joint director of the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department.

Divers have begun mapping and documenting underwater anomalies using sophisticated equipment.