Amidst the ongoing debate between central and state governments regarding the significant Keeladi archaeological findings, K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, Director of the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, issued a stark warning. He highlighted the perilous contemporary trend where fictional narratives are increasingly being presented as historical truths, thereby distorting the genuine origins and facts of ancient civilizations.
Ramakrishna, the principal author of the comprehensive 982-page report on Keeladi, firmly asserted that historical accounts can only be constructed upon solid facts, never on literary interpretations. “As many have rightly argued, divine entities do not establish civilizations; it is humanity alone that possesses the capacity to create and advance them,” he stated.
He pointed out attempts to trivialize the importance of the Keeladi discoveries and “mislead the public.” This includes various individuals, even those within the education sector, who are trying to link the Keeladi site with narratives from the Mahabharata by suggesting connections to Manalur. Ramakrishna found this particularly noteworthy given that the full Keeladi report has yet to be publicly released.
Speaking at a conference organized by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers’ Artists’ Association to commemorate a century since the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, Ramakrishna reiterated that those who endeavor to fictionalize history often resort to literature as their defense. However, he stressed, archaeological excavations, being grounded in concrete evidence, cannot be fictionalized or altered. Addressing claims that Sangam literature—which vividly describes the lives of ordinary people—contains references to gods and religions, Ramakrishna clarified that the original texts make no such mentions of divinity or religious practices.
Discussing why many other significant archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadu remain less known compared to Keeladi, he explained that reports, such as those from Adichanallur, were either incomplete or deliberately “buried” to obscure historical details. He cited how the Adichanallur report notably omits the test results for bones unearthed during the excavation. Furthermore, a study in the Kancheepuram district, often associated with its religious sites, has yet to be fully disclosed by the University of Madras.
While inscriptions play a vital role in historical research, Ramakrishna noted that they often contain trivial details, such as property transfers, and can only be cross-referenced with modern land documents. Consequently, he emphasized that only material evidence like urns and other artifacts recovered from excavations truly contribute to archaeological studies.
He observed that no inscriptions predating the Ashoka period have been discovered in northern India. Even those from the Ashoka era, he added, exhibited highly developed linguistic forms.
“As the individual who personally oversaw and conducted the excavations at Keeladi, I can confidently affirm that the site yielded abundant material evidence, more than sufficient to shed light on the rich history of the Tamil people,” Ramakrishna declared.
He concluded by asserting that attempts to twist history using literature and fictional tales are ultimately unsustainable. “Stories may spread quickly, but the truth, though it may appear to lag, will ultimately prevail and stand firm,” he affirmed.
Former IAS officer and writer R. Balakrishnan, who honored Ramakrishna, added to the discussion. He remarked that historical patterns show civilizations developing along rivers. The Vaigai, previously known as ‘Vaiyai’ and even ‘Kaadhal Nadhi’ (love river), has, over time, been imbued with religious significance, altering its original cultural context.