A Grand Chola Museum will be set up in Thanjavur to highlight the contribution of the imperial Chola dynasty who ruled large parts of southern India, and to preserve artefacts and relics of that age, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan announced in the Budget on Monday.

"The Cholas were one of the greatest dynasties who conquered the seas and the lands beyond, and ruled vast stretches of India and Southeast Asia for many centuries. Tamil art, music, architecture, sculpture, crafts and dance. reached their pinnacle during the Chola period and their glory spread far and wide," he said.

For celebrating the glory of Tamils, the Minister said, efforts would be taken to promote and support sea cruises connecting places of significance in Tamil culture. "These cruises will show case the rich history, literature, art, culture, handi crafts and cuisine of Tamil people and spread the State's glory across the seven seas."

The Minister said a memorial would be established in Chennai to honour the legacy of Tamil martyrs Thiruvalargal Thalamuthu and Natarajan, who sacrificed their lives to protect Tamils in the struggle against imposition of Hindi.

Ambedkar's works

Another announcement was made on the allocation of ₹5 crore to translate the works of B.R. Ambedkar to Tamil. The Minister said an international conference on Tamil computing would be held and renowned experts from across the world would participate to give impetus to the growth of Tamil as a global language. Encouraged by the reception to the Chennai Sangamam cultural programme, the government will expand it to eight major cities in the coming year to enable the younger generation to imbibe and appreciate Tamil Nadu's celebrated art heritage, the Minister said.

Media: The Hindu