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N Athiyaman
N Athiyaman
Documentation of traditional diving for pearl and chunk in Mannar Gulf, from the Sangam period onwards;
Senior Lecturer, Tamil University Thanjavur
These funds were very useful as seed money for ethnographic study in the Tamil region. As a result, Tamil University has extended its helping hand to widen the survey for the Palk Bay region also. INSA, New Delhi, also provided some contingency grants to improve the study of traditional pearl and chank fishing. Since the Trust has encouraged such a small study, I feel more confident in pursuing further ethnographic study uncovered by the scholars.
Based on the above projects, the following articles have been published: "Conventional pearl diving procedure at Mannar Gulf", Journal of Marine Arhcaeology, Vol. 7-8, 1997-8, pp.31-35. "La technique de la plongee traditionnelle pour les perles et les conques marines dans le Golfe de Mannar", Rencontre avec L'Inde, Vol. XXVII, No. 4, 1998, pp.158-162. "Temples and pearl fishery during colonial period" in Tamil Nadu: Archaeological Perspectives, (ed.) K Damodaran, Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 1999, pp. 163-171. "Socio-economy of pearl fishing industry of Gulf of Mannar during colonial period", Tamil Nadu History Congress Proceedings Volume , 5th Annual Session, 1998, Thirunelveli, 1999, pp. 138-144. Such study grants reall encourage the young scholars in India where research in the humanities receives least attention by the State and Central Governments. Therefore I welcome the Trust for such useful activity in order to preserve the cultural heritage of India.
