A walk organised by DATA at Samanar Malai, Madurai
Ever since its inauguration in 2023, Keeladi museum in Sivaganga district has been an attraction for history and archaeology enthusiasts. More than 1,200 visit the museum on weekdays; on weekends the number doubles, says Ramesh Masethung, director of Keeladi excavations. An average of 100 people come from abroad every day,” he says. The numbers from the state govt-run initiative Trek Tamil Nadu indicate that more than 4,040 trekkers visited the archaeological heritage trail site Gudiyam Caves in Tiruvallur district in the past 18 months, making it one of the most sought-after archaeological trails. Manoj, who began conducting history walks in May 2023, says he initially focused on explaining the inscriptions on social media.
I decided to join one of Manoj’s heritage walks,” she says. “Today my videos cross a million views,” he says. The idea, says Aakash A, CEO, is to give people direct exposure to such sites. “We are curating more walks to other districts including Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, and Viluppuram, featuring a variety of Chola architecture and cave inscriptions,” says Aakash.
“We see a lot of school and college students, families and tourists coming from different districts just to learn about Keeladi. It’s not just Keeladi; history and archaeology tourism is booming in Tamil Nadu . For some, the interest was aroused through social media. Creator Manoj Murugan’s Instagram reels bring alive kings, chieftains and princesses from Sangam history through AI generated videos. An avid follower, Mohana Priya, a working professional, decided she wanted to learn more. “I was always interested in archaeology but didn’t know where to begin. The reels made me want to visit these places. But over time, he found that the format became repetitive. Four months ago, he started the video essay series, ‘The Quest for Rajaraja Chola’ in which he showcased historical characters, their lifestyles, towns, and palaces. This got people interested, and many started signing up for his walks. Through these videos and guided walks that take people through temples, inscriptions and excavation sites, history is increasingly being presented as something to be experienced. Catering to this interest are organisations such as Damarika Archaeological Training Agency (DATA), which takes participants to archaeological sites, excavation sites, forts and heritage locations across Tamil Nadu. In the Madurai-Sivaganga region, DATA’s destinations include Kongarpuliyankulam, a Jain heritage site associated with rock shelters, Jain beds and inscriptions; Keeladi; and Samanar Malai, with its Jain beds and rock shelters. In Coimbatore, the participants visit Moolapalayam, significant for evidence indicating that the Neolithic expansion in Tamil Nadu extended into the region. For some visitors, however, the appeal lies in combining history with the physical experience of trekking. Trek Tamil Nadu has begun offering heritage-oriented trails that combine archaeology, nature and outdoor activity. The guided Gudiyam Caves heritage trail is a four hour, 9km, two-way route through forest terrain to prehistoric caves associated with early human habitation. Other heritage-oriented trails include the Renugambal Kovil-Kullar Caves route in the Jawadhu Hills, a 12km, two-way trail through forest terrain, stream crossings and a tribal settlement to the Kullar Caves with ancient dolmens, and the Karikaiyur-Porivarai rock painting trail in the Nilgiris.
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“It’s popular is that people don’t have to travel far in Chennai,” says Chandrakanth R, project lead at Trek Tamil Nadu. However, any expansion will have to balance visitor access with protection of the heritage sites and the surrounding forest areas,” he says. Trek Tamil Nadu is planning to create more trekking experiences around the state’s forest and wildlife areas. “The growing interest in heritage trails shows there’s potential to curate more such routes that use Tamil Nadu’s natural landscapes as gateways to prehistoric, archaeological and cultural heritage. Download the TOI App.