Arjun Shankar messaged us on September 24. He and fellow volunteers were desilting Nallathener Pond at Medavakkam when they found a stone with inscriptions on it. He sent a photograph to us asking for help in deciphering what was written.
Now, archaeologists are not what we are. And so we suggested that the ASI be brought in. The team from there gave the city a new piece of history — the inscription dated to the reign of Vijayaganda Gopala of the 13th century. And the area’s name was Monavakkam and not Medavakkam.
It just goes to show how much of our history is hidden in plain sight, just waiting for us to find. Kudos to Arjun Shankar and his team for helping add to our heritage. We only hope the ASI takes care of the stone and does not just leave it behind to the mercy of the elements. If the latter were to be so, the stone may be better off at the bottom of the lake.
