Question : CAVE INSCRIPTIONS AND TEMPLES IN TAMIL NADU

(a) the steps taken by the Government to preserve, protect and publish the cave inscriptions in Tamil Nadu ;

(b) the research projects undertaken by the ASI or ICHR on Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and early palaeography of Tamil Nadu in the last three years and the projects currently in progress;

(c) the early cave temples and monuments preserved by the ASI in Tamil Nadu, location-wise;

(d) the amount spent on the renovation, restoration, protection and preservation of these monuments in Tamil Nadu, monument-wise ; and

(e) the number of cave paintings found in Tamil Nadu so far and whether there is any report site-wise describing these cave paintings of Tamil Nadu ?

MINISTER OF CULTURE (SHRI ANANTH KUMAR)


(a) Cave inscriptions declared to be of national importance are protected, copied and published by the Archaeological Survey of India.

(b) No such projects has been undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India.

(c) A List enclosed at Annexure-I.

(d) The details of expenditure incurred by the Archaeological Survey of India in this regard during 1999-2000 is given at Annexure-II.

(e) There are 27 cave/rock paintings in Tamil Nadu, of which 5 have been protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The details of publications in respect of three caves paintings is at Annexure-III.