Nagapattinam District To Build Protective Wall Around Remains Of 1,000 Year Old Chola Lighthouse

As part of efforts to preserve heritage, the Nagapattinam district administration has constructed a protective wall around the remains of a Chola-era lighthouse at Kodiakarai.

Following a recent visit to the over 1,000 year-old brick and mortar lighthouse, District Collector C Sureshkumar had ordered construction of the wall around the structure to safeguard it from tidal attack.

"The construction works are nearing completion and a signboard has been erected depicting the history of the lighthouse," an government official said.

Nagapattinam was the chief trading port during the Chola era and several lighthouses were built by Chola kings along the coast to guide ships to ports.

Paranthaka Chola, who ruled the Chola kingdom between 907 and 955 CE constructed the brick and mortar lighthouse at Kodiakarai. In course of time, the lighthouse lost its sheen and fell in ruin, before being damaged by the 2004 tsunami that struck the east coast of India.

The lighthouse has been mentioned in historic novels and witnesses a large number of tourists visiting Kodiakarai to see the remains of the Chola lighthouse.

With inputs from PTI