Govt teachers to be trained on Keezhadi, Sivagalai excavation process

CHENNAI: In a bid to take it to the next generation, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to impart training for teachers on Keezhadi and Sivagalai excavation process and its details across government schools.

On the recommendation of the State Department of Archaeology, the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) permitted the government to conduct excavations at Keeladi, Sivaganga district between 2017 and 2021. The work had yielded 5,820 antiquities with enough cultural traits in the form of structural activity (brick structures, terracotta ring wells, fallen roofing tiles with double holes, and deeply finger-pressed grooves to draw rainwater).

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that very few stakeholders have knowledge about these antiquities since they had visited in their own interest.

“A few schools also took their students to the site to familiarise them with the cultural richness of the ancient Tamil civilization. The government felt that since excavations clearly suggest that the second urbanization happened in TN in 6th century BCE, this information has to be imparted to the next generation,” he said.

Stating that it will not be immediately possible to take all school children to view the excavation process and antiquities, the official said, “therefore, it was decided that teachers in government and aided schools will trained on the excavation process with the help of the State Archaeology Department.”

Initially about 1,000 teachers would be given training through experts, which would cost Rs 3 crore. The official claimed that if awareness of Tamil ancient culture was created among the children through the teachers, many students might take up careers in archaeology and discover great things of the past.

“Authorities have also been mulling making the Keezhadi and Sivagalai excavations part of the school syllabus. However, the proposal is at the initial stage,” the official said.