NEW LIGHT ON THE LOCATION OF THE ANCIENT SEAPORT OF

MAMALLAPURAM
Dr. D. Dayalan
Archaeological Survey of India
Mamallapuram was a seaport right from the beginning of Christian era.
The first authentic evidence to prove that it was a seaport comes from the
Tamil work, Periya Tirumoli (v.1103) written by Tirumangai Alvar (8th century
A.D) who describes the place as Kadal Mallai (Mallai on the seashore) where
the ships rode bent to the point of breaking laden as they were moving hither
and thither with wealth, big trunked elephants, and gems of nine varieties in
heaps. But it would not be wrong to say that one of the east coast ports
referred to in the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, a manual for sailors written by
an unknown Greek navigator of the first century A.D. may be Mamallapuram.
The contact of Mamallapuram with countries beyond the sea, particularly with
the roman empire, is attested to by the occurrence of

Roman coins and

Roman pottery like Rouletted ware and Amphorae pieces in around this area.
Another interesting evidence comes from the Sangam work, namely
Perumpanarruppadai written by the poet Katiyalur uruttiran-kannanar, which
refers to a place called Nirpeyarru as an active seaport of Tondaiman
Ilantiraiyan of Kanchipuram. It is possible that the name Nirpeyarru was the
earlier name of Mamallapuram.
In addition to the above, we come across plenty of epigraphical and
literary material to prove that the Pallava kings had active contacts across the
seas, cordial as well as inimical, with the foreign nations like Ceylon, China
and the South-east Asian countries. These maritime activities were more
probably carried on through Mamallapuram, the notable seaport of the
Pallavas throughout their rule.
From the few references made above, there arises the interesting but
difficult question as to the exact location of this seaport.
Fortunately a small village called Punjeri seems to answer this question
where according to some archaeologists lie the remains of an ancient seaport.
The village is situated just 1.5km west of Mamallapuram on the western bank
of the Buckingham canal, which is the backwater of the sea. The reasons for
identifying the ancient seaport of Punjeri are:

1. The name Punjeri may have been derived from the term Puhum-ceri,
which means the village of first entry. So the very name to the village
may suggest that it was a place, where the ships used to enter with
loads of gems and big trunked elephants as mentioned by Tirumangai
Alvar.
2. Previous excavations of ancient seaports at Kaveripumpattinam and
other places prove that the wharf where the boats used to be anchored
is found only in the backwaters area. Likewise Punjeri is also situated
in the backwaters area, near Mamallapuram.
3. The huge buried remains of structures, ceramic varieties of the early
period found at this site on the western bank of the back waters
(Buckingham canal) prove its flourishing existence in the past.
Thorough exploration and excavation would certainly reveal the
location of the wharf and related structures.
4. A few metres away, towards the western side of Buckingham canal, is
a small knoll. Running throughout on the western side of this has been
noticed as set of 3 to 4 deep-cut grooves. It is most likely that these
were meant to receive the first course of any foundation fro a
fortification wall.

Similar types of grooves are also noticed running

throughout the western edge of the hills at Mamallapuram, apparently

for the same purpose. On the northern side these grooves take turn
towards east near the Kotikal-mandapa, which is dedicated to Goddess
Durga known in Tamil inscriptions as Vadavayil celvi, i.e., the Goddess
of Northern Gate. So it is quite possible that the Pallavas excavated a
cave-temple to Goddess Durga on the northern side of their fort. In
Punjeri the purpose of the fortification may be to store the sea cargo.
5. The theory put forward by some scholars that Vasavasamudram on the
banks of the Palar River to the south of Mamallapuram should have
played a vital role in the overseas contact of the Pallavas has become
untenable by the recent survey undertaken by the United Nations
Ground Water Project. They reported that Vasavasamudram and its
environs including Vayalur is located at a height of about 6 m. above
mean sea level indicating that it was not a coastal port of the Pallavas
as the sites of these periods are found at height much below 6 m.

6. Stone-circles and Urn burials of the Megalithic period found in the

vicinity of Punjeri indicate that its history commences at least from the
megalithic period.
Another interesting thing, though not directly connected with the
present topic is that Punjeri has the credit of giving epigraphical
information about the names of the sculptors, who probably made the
magnificent stone creation at Mamallapuram.
All the above mentioned points strengthen the argument that Punjeri
most probably served as a seaport near Mamallapuram in the ancient
period. However further intensive exploration and excavation in this area
is needed to establish this suggestion.