A toll plaza used by the Pandya empires in the 12th century AD to collect taxes was discovered near NPR college in Natham, Dindigul district.
Historians Vishwanathar and Thalir Chandrasekar and their research team comprising of Rathina Muralidhar, Anand, Natarajan, and Uma Maheshwari, are studying two historic structures near to N.P.R. College in Velayuthampatti on the Natham-Dindigul Highway.
According to the report prepared by the group, Dindigul-Natham Road has been a highway connecting Chettinad regions. This route was used to transport maritime items from the east coast ports of Thondi and Korkai as well as luxury goods made in the Chettinad region to Kongunadu, including the modern-day Palani, Karur, and Coimbatore.
Along this route, to the east of the intersection of the Sirumalai and Karanthamalai roads, is a toll booth and a large hall (Mandapam) constructed in the 12th century AD by the later Pandyas. A small military unit was also stationed at this location to protect the goods. Two stone tanks had been erected in front of the mandapam for the purpose of fetching water for the horses, and they are fed by the Sirumalai water stream.
The Pandyas’ emblem, which consists of two fish with a bouquet (Chendu) in the middle, the Shivalinga symbol, and Aquaris flags were engraved on the Mandapam’s walls. The architectural pinnacle of the later Pandyas is demonstrated by these structures.
The Kailasanathar temple in Kovilpatti, Natham, received a portion of the toll that was collected at these booths. This is clear from the two-stone inscription designating the Shiva temple as property.
However the site was poorly maintained by the Tamil Nadu government. As a result, historians have urged the archaeological department to renovate the place of great heritage value.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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