How epigraphist S. Rajavelu used inscriptions to unearth temples in Tamil Nadu

The well-known archaeologist shares that the excavations and discoveries provide interesting insights into Tamil Nadu’s rich and layered past.

Archaeologist and epigraphist S. Rajavelu has spent a lifetime studying the past through fractured stones and fading scripts, rescuing it from silence. He has discovered and copied more than 1,565 inscriptions. Over the years, he has written nearly 1,500 articles for the Tamil Encyclopaedia and authored more than 100 research papers, making a sustained attempt to connect disparate historical strands. A strong advocate of the scientific dating of the Tamili (Tamil-Brahmi) script, Rajavelu argued that it may predate Ashokan Brahmi. During his tenure with the ASI, his study of onshore and offshore remains at Mamallapuram added fresh evidence to discussions around the legendary Seven Pagodas. In recognition of his research in many areas, a felicitation volume, which has articles by many epigraphists and archaeologists, was released in April this year. The volume was edited by eminent epigraphist Y. Subbarayalu. After the event, Rajavelu reflected on the milestones that have shaped his long and exacting engagement with history.