COIMBATORE, INDIA, August 31, 2005: The Archaeological Survey of India has launched an awareness program to preserve old temple inscriptions. The initiative is being undertaken to create an awareness among devotees about the history of temples. The inscriptions reveal that temples were used as a social center, bank, theatre and agricultural centre. But most of these inscriptions have been damaged due to lack of care. Since time immemorial, people have been performing religious rituals in temples. These temples were constructed and stone inscriptions were used by the rulers so that the future generation remembers the contributions made by the rulers to the society. “All the people without any difference come there. They crowd there. At the same time, they have their religious ceremonies. At the same time, they must go through all these things that the ruler had granted. The rulers expected that our people should always be clear with what the rulers had done to the temple and the society,” said Dr. Ganesan, a researcher on inscriptions at the Bharathiyar University. Most of the stone inscriptions give the devotees an insight into the occupation during that period especially the agrarian and trade sectors.
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