EARTHQUAKE IN NAGAPATTINAMEarthquakes are powerful manifestations of sudden releases of strain energy accumulated within the crust and propagated as seismic waves. The need to understand and study the phenomenon of earthquake is for a simple reason, that it is the most disastrous natural calamity for mankind. The Himalayan Frontal arc in India is amongst the most seismically active regions of the world. Even the Peninsular Stretch is extremely susceptible to Earthquakes. The Runn of Kutch Earthquake of 1918 is one of the largest interpolate events in the world. The first Seismological observatory in India was established in the year 1898 in the city of Calcutta. Over the years the department has been exponentially expanded by the Meteorological Department of India. Tamil Nadu is not as seismically active as states in the northern and western parts of the country, small to moderate earthquakes have occurred in the state of Tamil Nadu. The frequency of earthquakes is low i.e. the gap between moderate sized events is fairly long. Seismic activity in the recent past has occurred in clusters (Dasgupta et al., 2000) along the borders with Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Several faults have been identified in this region out of which many show evidence of movement (Dasgupta et al., 2000) during the Holocene period. The east-west trending Cauvery Fault, Tirukkavilur Puducherry Fault and Vaigai River Fault and the north-south trending Comorin-Point Calimere Fault and Rajapatnam-Devipatnam Fault are some of them and run close to major urban Centres like Coimbatore, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Puducherry.

TSUNAMI IN NAGAPATTINAMAs India and the world recover from the catastrophic loss of humanity due to the tsunami on 26th December 2004, Nagapattinam which was the worst affected district in India with 6065 confirmed deaths has witnessed non-stop activity in the past one year.During this period what stood out was the constant resolve shown by the people to learn from natures lessons and the resilience of the people and the Government to develop communities which are not only resilient but also which strive for a safer world.Simultaneously the focus has been on not only restoring what was lost but also aiming to change lives for the better as the rehabilitation process moves forward.FLOOD IN NAGAPATTINAMSeven persons have died in the rain and flash floods in Nagapattinam district in the past week and about 5,000 hectares of standing samba paddy crops submerged in Sirkazhi and Kollidam blocks, said Collector J. Radhakrishnan here on Sunday.

Talking to media persons, he said people living in low-lying areas such as Kattur, Mahendrapalli, Mudalaimedu Thittu, Nagalpadugai, Achalpuram and Poompuhar had been told to move to safe places in case of heavy rain.

He said about 1,500 houses were either fully or partially damaged in Sirkazhi and Kollidam blocks owing to flood in Coleroon River and all the families provided relief.

Fifteen relief Centres were opened in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuturai revenue divisions for providing shelter and food to the people affected by the rain.

Mr. Radhakrishnan, who inspected the temporary shelters of tsunami victims at Pazhayar, Thoduvai, Thirumullaivasal, Tharangampadi, Thazhampettai and Thethi on Sunday, instructed the officials to drain the rainwater there.

He also inspected the work of strengthening of the bunds on Coleroon River in Sirkazhi and Kollidam areas.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NAGAPATTINAM IN THE HISTORY OF TAMIL NADU"Nagapattinam" on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, India takes a very important place in the - medieval and subsequent period - history of Tamil Nadu, and was well known in all South-East Asian Countries. It finds mention in the Historical Chronicles and Inscriptions of the medieval & later period - Malaysia, Indonesia (Java & Sumatra), China, Miyanmar (former Burma), Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu as a great Seaport City of Cholas the - "Nagapattinam".

It was from here Emperor Rajendra Chola - 1, and Emperor Virarajendra Chola under the command of Kulothunga Chola - 1 (who was the heir apparent to the Chola throne at that time) sent Cholas forces in many ships, and captured many near and far lying countries in South and South-East Asia.

It was from this seaport city many Chola trade embassies were sent to China, Miyanmar, Malaysia & Indonesia, and during this perod many traders from eighteen different countries including Sri Vijaya, Kadarem, Rammanadsa, China, and Arab countries were trading at this seaport city of Nagapattinam, and some even settled down in this region.

The Copper Plates issued by Emperor Rajaraja Chola - 1, Emperor Rajendra Chola - 1 and Emperor Kulothunga Chola - 1 too refers to the grant of the village Aanaimangalam of Nagapattinam by Rajaraja Chola - 1 to build a Buddhist temple named the 'Chulaamanipanma Vihare' alias Rajarajaperumpalli and another built by Rajendra Chola - 1 known as Rajendra Cholaperumpalli at the request of the two Sri Vijaya Emperors of Indonesia namely the 'Chulaamanivarman' and 'Mara Vijayotungavaman'.

The Chinese Emperor 'Ta-Sung' of a little later period built a Buddhist Vihare named the Padikrama Vihare at Nagapattinam, which was also known as the Chinese Pagoda.

The foremost three of the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints namely Thirunaavukkarasar, Thirugnanasampanthar, and Sunthatharar have referred to Nagapattinam as a seaport city in their Tamil Thevara Pathikams, and it is also referred to in the Tamil Saivite literature the Periyapuraanam of this period.

The ancient 'Thiru Nagaikaaronam Siva temple' at Nagapattinam has been adorned by the Thevara Thiruppathikams of the great Tamil Saiva Saints of Tamil Nadu. The Sri Vijaya kings of Indonesia too have given many grants through their envoys to this temple recorded in this temple inscriptions.

The earliest reference to Nagapattinam is found in Burmese Chronicle of the 3rd century B.C. which mentions of the 'existance' of a Buddhist temple at Nagapattinam known as Asokavihar (Asoka Vihare) which was built by the Emperor Asoka of Magadha kingdom of North India.

The 'seventh century' Chinese Buddhist Monks named Wou-Hing (who actually visited Nagapattinam) and Tche-hong who visited India have mentioned in their travel writings the 'Nagapattinam' Port of Tamil Nadu. The other well-known Chinese Buddhist Monk of this same period who has referred to this great seaport city as Nagapattinam in his travel writings was I-tsing.

'Bodhidharma' - "most possibily" the (third) son of the Pallava king Buddhavarman (A.D.470-532) of Kanchipuram also travelled from the Nagapattinam seaport to the Chinese seaport city of Canton, and then traveled overland to visit the Chinese Emperor Wu (A.D.464-549) of the Liang dynasty of China of that period. (Note: Maamallapuram became an important seaport city of Pallavas only from the time of Mahendravarma Pallava (A.D.610-630).

The Pallava king of little later periond the Rajasimhan (A.D.690-728) permitted the delegation sent by the ruling Chinese king to build a Buddhist Vihare at Nagappattinam.

The Nagapattinam continued to be of great historical importance also during the rule of the Paandiya kings who ruled Tamil Nadu after the fall of Cholas.

The Archaeological Department of Tamil Nadu has unearthed around 300 - Buddha Statues of various sizes from this region and now kept in Chennai Museum.