Pennaiyar River Basin A Review on Literary, Archaeological and Tourism Aspects

Abstract

Extensive field surveys done by various eminent scholars since the beginning of the 19^th century in various zones of Tamilnadu had contributed to the understanding and enhancing our knowledge on the cultural processes of human life from the Palaeolithic to the Historical times. A few unique discoveries made at various sites were helpful in determining the hiatus between various cultural periods. Some of the findings were helpful in understanding the cultural linkages between various cultural zones. The river valleys form a primary factor in the studies of the various eco - zones of a region. Various river valleys of Tamilnadu like Palar, Pennaiyar, Vaigai and Kaveri have varied resources their deltaic regions.

The study area is considered as one of the important places in South India.  It has a rich archaeological potential which could be studied in a deeper account. Pennaiyar (or) Thenpennai, previously called as Ponnaiyar (Takshina Pinakini) rises in the Chennarayan Betta hills in Karnataka and flows southwards and turn to east through eastern ghats for entering the Hosur taluk of Krishnagiri district. Later travelling through the Dharmapuri district it enters Thiruvannamalai district through Chengam pass. Villupuram and Cuddalore districts are later drained by this river. The river valley forms into two divisions namely upper and lower river valley. Geomorphologically they vary in many aspects resulting in two different cultural zones. The upper and mid Pennaiyar has four major tributaries namely Markandanadi (also called Cinnaru) Turunchi, Pampar, and Vaniyar and runs deep into the valley, which is hardly useful for any agricultural purpose. The upper Pennaiyar valley is basically a basin area and the lower Pennaiyar valley is deltaic in nature. The upper river valley yielded a vast cultural materials assignable to wide range of period from  Palaeolithic to Medieval. Unlike the upper valley the lower valley had only limited field surveys. The surveys carried out also exposed number of burial monuments.

The areas bounding the Pennaiyar river basin was known to the Sangam poets, which is reflected in their writings. For instance the cheiften Nannan belonging to the Sei clan (Naagar family), who ruled over the Chengam region (Chengai Ma), is mentioned in Purnaanuru (151), (S.I.I. Vol VII. No.s II 126) (S.I.I. Vol VIII. No. 69). He is also mentioned as Cevvarainaatan in Perumpanaarrupadai (103). The Pennaiyar river basin encloses sites which served as important places during the Sangam age. The river Cheyyar is mentioned as CÄ“yāṟu in Malaipatukatam (476, 555), that traverse the red mountain region and drains the red soil. The same work also mentions a hill called Naviram (Malaipatukatam : 82, 579), situated on the northern bank of Cheyyar. This site is situated in between Thiruvannamalai and Dharmapuri and was ruled by Atiyaman a chieftain. This area is popularly known as Chengam pass, used by the people of the Tondai nadu in the ancient period to enter the Takaturnadu, of which the ruler was Atiyman Neduman Anci during the Sangam period.

This region has innumerable number of Megalithic burials of various types which find due mention in the Sangam literature. Plenty of references to Megalithic practices are noticed in the Sangam literature. Tolkappiyam (Nacchinarkkiniyam, Porulathikaram – Purathinaiyiyal (60: 19-20), the oldest Tamil grammer, a pre - Sangam enumerates the various stages of erecting monuments for the heroes who sacrificed their life in the battle. Later literary works belonging to 11^th – 12^th centuries A.D like Thakkaiyagaparani(376), Vikramacholan Ula(11:14-16) Kulothunga Cholan Ula(11:23-24), etc also refer to the burial monuments in various verses. All these works reveal the reason for the erection of the monuments, environmental and other related factors which prompted the people to build such a big burial memorials, various types of burials, their evolution and development features etc.

With this view a critical and detailed study on the Pennaiyar river basin which embodies enormous natural resources envisaging various aspects of anthropology, archaeology, geology and other related fields was done. It endeavors a deep study to understand the various cultural traits that developed in the present study area. The study is also done to estimate the potentiality and relationship of various sites pertaining to various cultural periods. The study includes the spatial distribution, chronology, architecture and iconography of the sculptures to trace the ancient history of the region.

The present districts which were drained by this river basin yielded nearly 500 sites. The archaeological sites unearthed in this river basin are assignable to different periods range from palaeolithic times down to historic times passing through microlithic, neolithic, iron age, early Historic, medieval and modern historical periods.  The materials unearthed from these sites help us in tracing the ancient history of this river basin particularly.

The Chengam region in the Thiruvannamalai district mentioned in the Sangam works is important archaeologically. The herostones found in this region opened a new vista in the historical studies. These stones help us in tracing the socio-cultural and political history of this region. The unearthed potsherds found in association with the roman potteries at Andipattiplays an important role in the studies of the trade contact of the people of this region with outside world.

The Pennaiyar river basin is a vast track of dissected pediments and pediplains. The Eastern ghats consists of residual hills in this part viz., Chinna Kalrayan, Javadis, Yelagiri, Shervaroyans, Chitteri, Kollimalai, Pachchaimalai. The Eastern Ghats rise steeply above the plateau level of 1,100-1, 600 m the Javadis and to 1,525-1, 650m in the Shevroys. The above hill ranges comprises of Charnokite group of rocks consisting of Charnokite, gneiss, Cuddalore sand stone and other types. All these constituents belong to Archean family of rocks of Precambrian age which are dated to 3000 Ma ((Ma - Million years before present). These rock formations help us in tracing the Palaeo - environments – ancient environments. These hills yielded sites pertaining to various cultural periods ranging from palaeolithic to other later periods. This identification of sites shows the continuous settlement over a long span of time in these areas.

The Kalrayan hills comprises of nearly 9 Neolithic sites and more than 18 Megalithic sites. The presence of different types of material evidences with respect to different cultural periods attests to the continuous existence of settlement in this region. The Kollimalai Hills are featured in several works of classical Tamil literature such as Silappathikaram, Manimekalai, Purananuru and Ainkurnuru. The region was ruled by Valvil Ori around 200 A.D., who is praised as one of the seven great philanthropists of ancient Tamil Nadu.