This is Part 4 of our Keezhadi archaeology series. Do watch the previous parts for the full story. We also post the full-length videos on our YouTube channel. For centuries, the great Sangam literature was dismissed by many as poetic myth because the legendary cities it described were lost. The official, sanctioned history of India was one that flowed from the north to the south. It was a narrative of a single, dominant culture bringing civilization to the rest of the subcontinent. And in 2014, the central government's Archaeological Survey of India, or ASI, began a dig that many believe was intended to confirm this very story. They chose a quiet coconut grove in a village called Keezhadi, near the ancient temple city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The expectation was clear: they would likely find a small, minor settlement from a much later period, perhaps around 300 BCE. Such a finding would fit perfectly into the established timeline, proving that the south's urban life was a later offshoot, a distant echo of the great cities of the Gangetic plains. They were digging for a history that would confirm their own. But history had other plans. History had a Plan B. Led by the dedicated Superintending Archaeologist, Amarnath Ramakrishna, the team began to dig. And what they found was not a small settlement. It was not a minor outpost. What they found was a civilization. Beneath the soil, they unearthed the foundations of a massive, brilliantly planned urban center covering over 100 acres. They found organized clusters of multi-room brick buildings, terracotta pipes that formed a complex drainage and water management system, and clear evidence of thriving industries. This was the city from the Sangam poems, brought to life. The discovery of over 18,000 artifacts—from fine pottery to beads and tools—proved beyond any doubt that this was not a village, but a bustling, sophisticated metropolis. The literary fantasy was suddenly, undeniably, archaeological fact. The excitement among the team was immense. This was a discovery that would change everything, a source of immense pride for a culture whose ancient past had been questioned for so long. But as the sheer scale of the city revealed itself, a new, more dangerous feeling began to emerge. This discovery didn't fit the official story. In fact, it threatened to tear it apart. They hadn't just found a city; they had found a political problem, buried deep in the Tamil earth. And the next question—the question of the city's true age—would ignite a firestorm that would challenge the very idea of what it means to be Indian. To find out the bombshell date that would force the authorities to show their hand, follow for Part 5. And subscribe to History & Beyond.