FM Sitharaman lays foundation stone for archeological museum in Adichanallur

NEW DELHI: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for an archeological museum in Adichanallur in the Thoothukudi district on Saturday, the Ministry of Finance said.

During her visit, the minister assessed the Adichanallur Parambu region, where removal work has been ongoing since around 2021.

Adichanallur was one of the five archaeological sites declared to be developed as ‘Iconic Sites’ in the Union Budget 2020-21. It is an archaeological site located on the banks of river Thamirabarani in this district.

‘’The main objective of the museum would be to focus on establishing the significance of the archaeological sites identified as part of the cultural landscape of the Thamirabarani valley, not limiting to the site of Adichanallur. The museum will be built as a tribute to the history of Iron Age culture in southern India, in the context of Adichanallur,‘’ her office said in one of a series of tweets.

The finance minister was accompanied by Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi among others.

Sitharaman, in her remarks during the ceremony, noted the unique and rich history encapsulated by the Adichanallur site. Various objects dating back to 467 BCE and food grains such as millets and paddy dated 665 BCE have been unearthed here. The upcoming ASI Museum will showcase all these artefacts ‘in-situ’, providing a world-class experience to visitors and researchers alike.

The FM shared that plans are in place for the ASI to construct an amphitheatre equipped with a light and sound show to further enhance the visitor experience.

As part of a concerted effort to preserve India’s rich cultural heritage, Sitharaman shared that the government is working tirelessly to repatriate artefacts belonging to Adichallanur from abroad, with a focus on items currently held in Berlin. Thus far, the government’s efforts have resulted in the return of over 350 ancient artefacts and items of historical importance to India.