A significant discovery of a structure of boulders arranged in the form of a tortoise was found in an elevated region near a lake in a place called Vadamangalam near Sriperumbudur, near Chennai. The significance of this discovery is that it was dated at 1000 BCE.
(Coutesy: TOI)
The researchers are of the opinion that this could have been a memorial for the deceased "to honour the dead". But they could not find any human remains. In fact what they found was a 35 metres long and 20 metres wide structure in the shape of a tortoise. But what they explain for the shell part of the tortoise can have a different application.
They think that it was like a sarcophagus but also admit that the structure with its surrounding slabs look like a Vedic altar. They found another smaller structure like this inside which an earthen pot with a chisel was found. Some pots in this region had grains and one had some liquid. Their contention is that it was some primitive tribal people having the knowledge of astronomy. This shows that the researchers are under the influence of Western thought and Stonehenges and not tuned to Hindu practices that are continuing from an undated past.
I wish to bring to the notice of the readers and scholars that all these do offer proof for the continuing Vedic culture in this part of the country besides authenticating the information from the Tamil texts connected to this place.
First of all this is not a memorial. A tortoise is always associated with Kurma avatara and not burials. Kurma is one of the early avataras of Vishnu which is nothing but a symbolism for the way the earth is held stable. In the Kurma avatara Vishnu is seen as the basic support in the form of a giant tortoise upon which the mountain of Meru was churned. The churning is nothing but the rotation of the earth in its axis due to which the subterranean material is churned and expelled. When that happens on the land, earthquake occurs. So the worship of Kurma is intended to pray that the land on which we reside does not disturb us. This rationale still continues in Kathmandu, where one can find pillars erected on a base having the form of a tortoise. (pic below)
http://www.ecs.com.np/living_category.php?category=7&id=300
Our land of Bharat itself was thought to have been supported by Kurma. A separate chapter on Kurma chakra has been given by Varahamihira in Brihad samhita showing us that until 2000 years ago, the people held this belief and also showed it in their life where possible. The division of the land was as shown in the picture below.
The Saraswathy basin was considered as the shell region of the tortoise. The Vedics and descendants of Manu who were settled on the banks of the Saraswathy had held that Vishnu as Kurma was supporting them. That region is characterised as Madhya desa by Varahamihira. It also had Matsya desa, the land of early settlers (Manu) who were saved by Mathsya Vishnu as Fish), when their early habitat was flooded. For more details refer my old article at http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.in/2012/02/who-is-dravida-mr-karunanidhi.html
Any spread of Kurma principle as the support base must have originated from this Madhya Desa where Saraswathy flowed once. This background information is needed to understand the Kurma or tortoise formation found in Vada Mangalam near Chennai. Because wherever the Saraswathy people had spread, there they have made their presence shown by the tortoise base. For example the Deepa-sthambha in many temples in the west coast region of South India where saraswathy Brahmins were settled have tortoise as the base. In other words, the deepa sthambha which signifies 'light' was built on an altar that was supported by Kurma. This fulfils the basic principle of the Kurma chakra that Kurma supports the land and gives light of hope for survival to the people.
As far as I know, tracing from Kollur, this tortoise base is seen down the South. The Kollur Mookambika temple is dedicated to Durga or the trinity of the Devis. But that it has a deepa sthamba supported by Vishnu Kurma is indicative of a belief system of the Saraswathy region that Kurma supports life.
The pillar on the right side of the above picture is the Deepa-sthamba (pillar of light) at Kollur, that is supported by Kurma. Pillars like this have a regular pattern with elephant situated on top. The elephant can be seen in the picture. The elephant might signify the Dik Gajas – Directional elephants.
Similar pillar with Kurma- base can be seen in front of Udupi Krishna. Yet another pillar I know of is found in Vadakku Nathan temple in Kerala.