Context: During his diplomatic visit to the Netherlands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch PM Rob Jetten oversaw the historic repatriation of the Chola-era Anaimangalam copper plates (popularly known as the Leiden copper plates) to India.
About The Chola Copper Plates:
What They Are?
- Chola copper plates are official legal, administrative, and royal charters issued by the monarchs of the Chola Empire (9th to 13th centuries CE). Strung together by a massive copper ring and sealed with the royal emblem, these bilingual inscriptions serve as enduring, unalterable state records of land grants, tax exemptions, religious endowments, and royal lineages.
Origin and Context of the Anaimangalam (Leiden) Plates:
- The Oral Vow (985–1014 CE): The great Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I orally committed a grant of land and 8,943 kalam of paddy from Anaimangalam village near Nagapattinam to a Buddhist monastery.
- The Javanese Link: The monastery, called the Chulamanivarma Vihara (or Raja Raja Cholan Perumpalli), was built by King Sri Mara Vijayotunga Varman of the Srivijaya Kingdom (modern Java, Indonesia) in honor of his father.
- The Execution: After Raja Raja I’s demise, his son Rajendra Chola I executed the physical charter, while subsequent additions were made by Kulottunga Chola I following a diplomatic appeal by two Javanese emissaries.
Key Features of Chola Copper Plates:
- Bilingual Composition: The charters typically open with an elaborate genealogy of the Chola kings written in Sanskrit (using the Grantha script), followed by the minute operational details of the land grant written in Tamil.
- The Royal Seal (Insignia): The plates are bound by a heavy bronze ring secured with an intricate royal seal. The seal depicts:
- The Tiger (the dynastic emblem of the Cholas) sitting upright.
- Twin Fish (the emblem of the Pandyas) and a Bow (the emblem of the Cheras), positioned alongside the tiger to symbolize Chola suzerainty and military victories over their rivals.
- Sacred and royal motifs including the Parasol (white umbrella), two chamaras (fly-whisks), ceremonial lamps, a swastika, and the name of the issuing king or village.
- Structural Setup: The Leiden collection is split into two distinct parts:
- The Larger Plates: A massive set of 21 large plates containing 5 Sanskrit and 16 Tamil inscriptions issued under Rajendra Chola I.
- The Smaller Plates: A supplementary set of 3 small Tamil plates issued under Kulottunga Chola I, detailing an additional grant of 4,500 kalam of paddy to the Buddhist sangha.
- Meticulous Record-Keeping: The Tamil sections precisely outline boundaries (often demarcated by letting a female elephant walk the perimeter), tax immunities (pariharas), water rights, and the duties of local assemblies (Sabha or Ur).
Important Historical Chola Copper Plates:
- The Anaimangalam (Leiden) Plates: Documenting a Saivite Chola king building and funding a Buddhist vihara for an Indonesian ally, highlighting maritime diplomacy and religious pluralism.
- The Karandai Copper Plates: Issued by Rajendra Chola I, consisting of a massive set of 57 plates that record the history of his military expeditions and land grants to over a thousand Brahmins.
- The Tiruvalangadu Plates: A set of 31 plates that provide a detailed description of Rajendra Chola I’s military conquests, including his famous expedition to the Ganges river.
- The Anbil Plates: Issued by Sundara Chola (957–970 CE), offering invaluable genealogical details of the early Chola rulers and state officials.
