Chennai: More than two years after archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna submitted his detailed 982-page report on the Keeladi excavations, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has asked him to revise it, claiming it lacks authentic and scientific backing. Ramakrishna, who led the first two phases of the excavation, has refused. Days later, he was transferred from his role in New Delhi to Greater Noida.In an interview to The Times of India on July 17, Ramakrishna minced no words: he called the demand to rework the report “criminal and immoral,” arguing that it undermines the very idea of scientific archaeology. His removal and the Union government’s stance have reignited a longstanding ideological clash between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led Union government, one that cuts deep into questions of identity, cultural history, and ultimately who gets to write the latter.Amarnath Ramakrishna submitting his 982-page report to V Vidyavathi then Director General of ASI in January 2023. Photo: By arrangement.A Story Written in SoilKeeladi, a site dating back to the Sangam era, sits quietly amid coconut groves in the Tirupuvanam Taluk of Sivagangai district, about 13 km southeast of Madurai. But the discoveries made there have caused anything but silence.The Archaeological Survey of India carried out the first three phases of excavation between 2014 and 2017. After Ramakrishna’s transfer to Assam, the third phase was led by archaeologist P.S. Sriraman, who reported a lack of continuity in the site’s structural remains. The excavation came to a halt until the Madras high court intervened. Since then, the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) has taken charge. As it enters its 10th season last year, Keeladi has become more than just an archaeological site; it has become a battleground over India’s past.The fourth season of excavation conducted by the TNSDA unearthed a staggering 5,820 antiquities. These included brick structures, terracotta ring wells, fallen roofing tiles, gold ornaments, iron implements, and beads made of glass and semi-precious stones like carnelian and agate. Ceramic finds ranged from Black and Red Ware to rare Arretine pieces.Carbon dating conducted by Beta Analytic Lab in Florida placed the site between the 6th and 3rd centuries BCE matching the timeline of urbanisation in the Gangetic plains. According to noted archaeologist professor K. Rajan, this proves that a parallel urban civilisation was flourishing in the Tamil region as early as the 6th century BCE. “The occurrence of large-scale brick structures and associated artefacts of high economic value unearthed at Keeladi suggest that the second urbanization too happened in Tamil Nadu around 6th century BCE as happened in Gangetic plains,” he says.Adding weight to the argument, 56 inscribed potsherds bearing Tamili (Tamil-Brahmi) script were discovered at the site. Some carry full names like Kuviran and Atan, while others are partial. Significantly, the inscriptions were made after the pots were fired, indicating that they were etched not by potters but by the users themselves. This suggests strong evidence of widespread literacy.Heritage or Hegemony?The Keeladi findings directly challenge long-held narratives that view literacy and civilisation as originating exclusively in North India. And that may be exactly why they are facing resistance.On June 10, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat claimed that the Keeladi report lacked technical rigour and required further scientific validation. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin responded sharply, calling it a “blatant attack” on Tamil heritage and a politically motivated attempt to diminish Tamil pride.The political temperature rose further when the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association led large-scale protests in Madurai, Trichy, and Chennai. They demanded that the Centre stop undermining Keeladi’s significance.Veteran archaeologist C. Santhalingam warned that the reluctance to endorse Ramakrishna’s findings reflects a deeper cultural conflict. “For decades we were told that literacy in India began in the north. Keeladi has scientifically disproved that. But the BJP is unwilling to accept it.” He also linked the controversy to efforts to reframe the Indus Valley Civilisation as the “Indus–Saraswati” civilisation and by extension, an effort he sees as part of a broader agenda to erase Dravidian contributions to Indian history. “This is not just archaeology,” he said, “it’s the continuation of the Dravidian–Aryan cultural war.”Aerial view of Keeladi Excavation Site. Photo: keeladimuseum.tn.Union government’s clarificationIn the ongoing parliament Monsoon Session, members from Tamil Nadu – Tiruchi Siva, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, and Dayanidhi Maran – raised questions on the Union government’s stance on the Keeladi report. In his response to DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Union minister for culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “There is no practice of rejecting a report and ASI will release the official report after duly verifying and incorporating the conclusions of experts in concurrence with the lead excavation archaeologist. The comments of experts have been shared with the lead archaeologist, which are yet to be finalised.”The minister also listed out the comments received from the experts. According to the experts, the time bracket of 8th century BC to 5th century BCE given for Period 1 of the Keeladi is not justified at all, and they have said, “The other two periods should also be determined on the basis of scientific AMS dates and the material recovered in view of stratigraphical details. For the earliest period, in the present state of our knowledge, we can at the maximum suggest that it originates somewhere in pre-300 BCE.”To answer the DMK MP’s query on the rationale behind the repeated transfer of lead archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna within nine months and its impact on excavation continuity, the Minister said, “Allocation of works to archaeological officers is a routine administrative matter.”Answering questions from another DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, the cultural minister assured that “ASI is fully committed to follow the law and duly follow worldwide accepted scientific processes and practices for releasing accurate findings based on the excavation at Keeladi.”State support, scientific clarityBacking its cultural stance with action, the Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 7 crore in its 2025–2026 budget for scientific research on the artefacts. This includes collaborations with international institutions for advanced testing like ancient DNA analysis, metallurgical studies, microbotany, pollen analysis, OSL dating, and ceramic technology.Madurai MP and author S. Venkatesan, a tireless voice for Keeladi, summed up the growing sentiment: “The BJP’s ideology stands opposed to the ancient truth of the Tamils and to what Keeladi reveals.”The author is an independent journalist.