Chola Copper Plates of Leiden and connections to Buddhism- by Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne
Tracing the Shared Buddhist Heritage of the Chola Dynasty, the Historic Return of the Leiden Plates, and India’s Modern Naval Revival
Source:Dailymirror
During the official visit to Netherlands by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi recently, Netherlands leadership agreed to return Chola Copper plates of Lieden from Lieden University Museum.
These Copper plates dating back to Emperor Raja Raja Cjola (985 -1014 CE) 21 plates weighing approximately 30 Kgs are bound by a bronze ring with Chola Dynasty Seal.
India’s 14 years of diplomatic efforts were successful as Netherlands government agreed to return this invaluable piece of history.
These Copper plates were taken to Netherlands more than 300 years ago from Nagapattnum (Naga Port), Southern India. India’s efforts in getting back these artefacts plundered during Colonial Era is commendable.
These Copper plates were in possession of Lienden University from 1862. Largely written in Tamil, except five plates in Sanskrit, these plates are formalising oral commitments made by father of Rajandra
What is written by this Emperor on the plates are important to all Buddhist in the World.
Chola Kingdom had maritime links with Indonesia. These copper plates note down directives by King importance of Buddhist shrine (Pagoda) and other Buddhist monasteries in Nagapattinam area and revenue to be donated to these Buddhist sites. Especially Anaimangalam Village was donated to Buddhist Vihara – Clulamanivarama Vihara in Nagapattinam, Tamilnadu.
What is interesting is this Vihara was built with support of Sri Vijaya Kingdom in Indonesia, with whom Chola Kingdom had maritime trade links.
When Dutch came to this area, the East India Company (VoS) built a new Fort -Fort Vijf Sinnin at Nagapattinam and also excavate “Chinese” pagoda and believed to be found these copper plates.
1687 to 1700 Nagapattinam was controlled by VoC and this port was an important trade link with South India.
On South of Nagapattinam, there were Dutch outposts in the Delft Island and Fort Hammenhiel, the gateway to ancient Sri Lankan port Kytes.
There is an ancient Buddhist stupa in the Delft Island and Nainatheevu or Nagadeepa which is a very important Buddhist shrine in the northern Sri Lanka. Naga tribe as per ancient traditions were seafarers!
If you visit Nagapooshani Amman Hindu temple- in Nainatheevu, you see a stone tablet issued by Sinhala Kingdom Parakramabahu 1 (1153 – 1186 CE) how fees should be charged from ships visiting the Kytes harbour and how donations should be given to religious (Hindu and Buddhist) temples.
I am not an archaeologist but a Seafarer. I feel it’s high time for us to study religious harmony existed in Southern India and Sri Lanka.
Another very interesting news that Indian Navy launched its newest Off Shore Patrol Vessel Project – known as New Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) at Garden Reach Shipbuilding and Engineering (GRSE) Dockyard at Koliatta on May 20, 2026. These ships are known as Sangamitra Class, and first ships will be known as Indian Navy Ship (INS) Sangamitra.
113 m in length and 14.5m Width, 3000 tonnes displacement with latest and advanced weapons, radars and equipment will be the latest addition to the Indian Navy.
Eleven of this type ships are already approved for construction.
Yet again, Indian government acknowledges Emperor Ashoka’s maritime expeditions to carry Lord Buddha’s message of peace and co-existence to the World. Our country’s spiritual boundaries with Therani Sangamitha well known to every Sri Lankan.
The writer Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne, WV, RWP and Bar, RSP, VSV, USP, NI (M) (Pakistan), ndc, psn, Bsc, (Hons) (War Studies) (Karachi) MPhil (Madras), Former Navy Commander and Former Chief of Defense Staff, Former Chairman, Trincomalee Petroleum Terminals Ltd, Former Managing Director Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Former High Commissioner to Pakistan
