Researchers in Madurai, India, have unearthed a series of large ceramic vats containing significant concentrations of sandalwood oil, turmeric, and aromatic resins. Dated to the Sangam Era (approx. 2,000 years ago), these vats were located near the banks of the Vaigai River and are thought to be the earliest physical evidence of the Chithirai festival, a major cultural celebration that continues in Tamil Nadu today.
The scale of the vats suggests that they were used for the ritual preparation of thousands of devotees before grand processions. This find is significant because it provides a material link between modern Hindu festival traditions and the ancient literary descriptions found in Sangam poetry. The presence of specialized drainage systems near the vats indicates that the ritual washing and anointing were highly organized public events managed by the city’s early urban administrators.