Students learn about ancient inscriptions at Manapparai in Tiruchi district.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
It was another day filled with experience for Class 7 students of government higher secondary school in Manapparai in Tiruchi district.
A group of 23 students, accompanied by their social science teachers, S. Sarkunan and M. Manimozhian, were taken on a field visit to learn about ancient inscriptions found in the village recently. The students got to read and learn about the ancient Tamil inscriptions found on rocks near Vadakkuserpatti village in Manapparai.
The visit was organised to provide a better understanding of ‘Medieval India’, a topic in social science subject. Mr. Sarkunan stated that historical events during the Medieval era can be learnt through inscriptions on copper plates, palm leaves, stones.
The inscriptions record details about the donation of land for alms referred to as ‘Buthanam’. Names like Chinna Lakka Nayakan and Ramanujan, said to be the names of their ancestors, were engraved in them. Engravings of conch, wheel and feet of Lord Ranganathar were also seen on the rock.
When the teachers inquired the village elders about the inscriptions, they said that their ancestors had a custom of worshipping Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy and offering ‘annadanam’ (free food) at the temple before the British era, which is being followed to date.
It is further revealed that the villagers of Vadakkuserpatti, travel to Srirangam to offer prayers to Lord Ranganathar after observing a fast. They also stay the entire night to participate in the chariot festival.
“The students were keen to learn the art of reading ancient inscriptions on rocks and took copies of them on paper. They posed several questions on the inscriptions and their antiquity,” said Mr. Sarkunan, who is also the Headmaster of the school.
After going to the field to learn their subject and reading the inscriptions, the students were interested in the new learning method. They also shared the news with other students and villagers, who don’t know about the inscriptions, he added.