Tarun Vijay bats for World Heritage status to 8 Tamil Nadu sites

During a meeting with Dr Sharma, Tarun Vijay also gave him a list of eight places sent by the Chennai circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for consideration as heritage sites. However, due to lack of impetus from the state government, not a single proposal was sent to UNESCO for World Heritage site status, Tarun Vijay said in a statement here. The sites included Vellore Fort, Kailasanatha temple, Kancheepuram, Fort St George in Chennai, monuments in Pudukkottai district, rock cut Jain temple at Sittanavasal, Kudumiyanmalai temple complex and Vijayalaya Choleeswaram fort in Villupuram district. 

He informed the minister that these proposals were waiting for a push since 2006 and sought his personal intervention to help Tamil culture gain worldwide recognition. “Let politics does not overshadow culture,” Tarun Vijay said. Tarun Vijay also said that a detailed Marine Archaeological survey in the seabed off Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) coast and Nagapattinam coast must be pursued once again. 

Responding to Vijay’s plea, Dr Sharma immediately called the DG, ASI, and asked him to look into the matter and report to him in the next three days.