Expert nails false propaganda on Muziris

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posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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KOCHI: The effort made by some interested quarters to link the Muziris excavations with the visit of St Thomas Apostle has been c..

KOCHI: The effort made by some interested quarters to link the Muziris excavations with the visit of St Thomas Apostle has been criticised by eminent archaeologist and former director of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey of India R Nagaswamy.
"When looking at the literature on the life of St Thomas, it is not mentioned anywhere that he came to India. It is only a myth, which has now been connected with the excavations at Pattanam, near Kodungalloor, " the former visiting professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University told Express. In fact, the ancient Muzirs port must have been located in Kodungalloor and not in Pattanam because all major ports in ancient times were situated at river mouths. And so it is safe to assume that Muziris was at Kodungalloor, where the river joins the sea.

He felt there was a hidden agenda by certain sections to propagate the idea thatw Muziris was connected to Pattanam, where St Thomas is believed to have landed, and not with Kodungalloor. Myth cannot be called history. Connecting myth with history could only create confusion and distort history, he said.

Stating that it was too early to conclude that Pattanam is Muziris, he said that there was need for more excavations and concrete evidence.

Moreover, he asked what was the strongest evidence obtained till now to establish that Pattanam was Muziris. "If more acceptable evidence comes to light, the scholars would be happy to welcome what has been propagated now. But as far as excavation in Pattanam is concerned, we are not happy," he said.

CHURCH BELIEF