Plea to renovate, preserve 300-year-old choultry near Narikudi

A 300-year-old choultry located at Mariyur near Narikudi is in ruins.

Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation has made a plea to the State Government to protect a 300-year-old choultry at Maraiyur near Narikudi.

Foundation president V. Rajaguru, while undertaking research on the choultry, along with Assistant Professor of history, SBK College, Aruppukottai, found it in ruins. The choultries found in this part of the State were constructed by Madurai Nayaks, Sethupathi kings and Marudhu Pandiars to help pilgrims going on Sethu yatra to Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram.

The choultry facing east has a big mandapam and a veranda. Over the entrance of the square-shaped mandapam, a sculpture of Gajalakshmi is found. The mandapam has eight windows and four entrances. While the mandapam has 42 stone pillars, the veranda has 49. The identical square pillars have got several reliefs such as Vishnu, flowers, swastika, swan, Rama with bow and serpents on both sides of a Linga.

Two rooms, which could have been the kitchen, store room and accommodation for those manning it, located on the western side of the choultry have collapsed.

Stating that sculptures of two males found in the worshipping postures are that of Marudhu Pandiars, Mr. Rajaguru said that those pillars could have come up later while renovating the choultry by Marudhu Brothers.

One of the pillars with the sculpture of Periya Marudhu is in a damaged state. Similarly the roof of the choultry on the northwest has collpased.

Mr. Rajaguru has appealed to the Government to clear the wildgrowth and repair the choultry to preserve it as a heritage monument.