City Under The Sea

A news item today in the Times of India (15th October, 2026) has brought in a wave of memories related to this news. It has splendid historical, literature and cultural significance. There are also many lessons we can learn from these type of developments.

The picture given above is of "Poompuhar" monument on the seashore beach in the Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu. This place was earlier known as "Kaveripattanam" and part of Nagapattinam district. (Kaveripattinam in Krishnagiri district is a much modern town). This is the point at which river Kaveri joins the sea (Bay of Bengal). The thriving port city here was a major trade centre and capital of Chola Kings, nearly two thousand years ago. Reference of this Kaveripatnam is also available in the life history of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji, who ran a Gurukulam here before taking sanyas, under the aegis of Kumbhakona Matha.

The TNSDA (Tamil Nadu State Department of Archeology) and IMU (Indian Maritime University) have been jointly exploring the coastal areas in Tamil Nadu for sometime now. They conducted an exploration last month (September 2026) covering an area of about two square kilometers in the seabed, during their third phase of studies. This study has unearthed Terracotta ring wells and over 250 ceramic fragments, giving further important indications about the thriving city of "Puhar" during the period of Chola Kings. 

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All states in the Union of India try their best to encourage their respective rich heritages of handicrafts. They have showrooms for this purpose in different parts of their states as well as major cities outside the respective states. Gujarat has "Gurjari", Rajasthan has "Rajasthali", Orissa has "Utkalika", Andhra has "Lepakshi" and so on. These names themselves give an indication of the state handicrafts they sell. 

Kaveri river waters sharing issue periodically divides the people in the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, especially in the areas in which the river waters are the lifeline for respective state farmers. But Mother Kaveri unites them. For their handicrafts emporiums, Karnataka uses the name "Kaveri", the place of the birth of the river (Tala Kaveri). Tamilnadu also uses Kaveri, with the name "Poompuhar", the place where the river merges with the sea!

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Well-known Tamil epics of Sangam era, Silappadikaram and Manimekalai provide valuable insights about the great city of "Puhar" and the life therein during the Chola periods. 

Silappadikaram, the earliest Tamil epic, is a 5,700 lines long epic poem that tells the tragic story of a couple by name Kannagi and her husband Kovalan. It is set in the period of confluence of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist periods. 

Manimekalai is a 4,800 lines long epic poem. It is also the name of Kovalan's daughter, born from Madhavi, another character in Silappadikaram, a dancer. Manimekalai finally becomes a Buddhist nun.

We see many women with the name "Manimekalai". The word means "garland of jewels". Manimekalai is also believed to be the angel who guards the seas, or "Samudra Devate". 

The description of the city of Puhar being overwhelmed by the ocean some 1,500 years ago due to a mega Tsunami that destroyed the entire city can be found in these epics.

One can see the similarities between the Puhar city going under the sea with that of Dwaraka in Gujarat likewise. 

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A film by name "Kannagi" was made in Tamil in the year 1942. But another film made in the year 1964 under the title "Poompuhar" has stayed in the memory of generations of filmgoers. This film made under the direction of Sri Neelakantan had screenplay and dialogues by Sri M Karunanidhi, who later became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. 

Sri Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister of the state for five terms between 1969 and 2011. His background in literature and films gave him solid footing in the turbulent politics of the state. 

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Sri M Bhaktavatsalam was the last Congress Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Sri C N Annadurai became the first Chief Minister from DMK party in 1967. In the next year, 1968, second World Tamil Conference was held in Chennai. As a part of the conference celebrations, ten statues of various icons representing the Tamil literature were erected along the Marina beach. A 10-foot bronze statue of Kannagi was also among them. Sri M Karunanidhi as the then PWD minister was actively associated with the conduct of the conference and erection of these statues.

The statue is at a point where the Triplicane road meets the main road along the marina beach. We used to pass the statue each day on our morning walks along the beach. One day in December, 2001 the statue had suddenly disappeared. We later came to know that the pedestal on which the statue was mounted was damaged by a truck and hence it was removed. It was kept in the Chennai museum for sometime. It has been re-installed in the same place in 2006. Picture given above is of this statue.

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While collecting information from various sources for my mythological play "Madhavi", daughter of emperor Yayati (published last year), an opportunity to study more about the character "Madhavi" in Silappadikaram arose. The two women in the life of Kovalan, Kannagi and Madhavi are indeed two women with well defined personalities. But that has to wait for another day.