In the presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Rob Jetten, the Leiden University Library today restituted the 11th century Chola Copper Plates to the Government of India.
Chola Copper Plates, a set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates, are royal charters issued by Chola Kings during the 11th century CE. These charters formalise gifting of Anaimangalam village to a Buddha vihara called Chulamanivarma-vihara in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The Plates contain texts written in Tamil and Sanskrit.
The restitution of these Chola copper plates assumes significance since they are not merely artefacts of the past, but an invaluable story of India’s heritage and civilization. The home-coming of these plates has a deep emotional appeal for the people of India.
PM Narendra Modi said in social media that Chola Copper Plates dating back to the 11th Century will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands. The Chola Copper Plates are a set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates and largely contain texts in Tamil, one of the most beautiful languages of the world. They relate to the great Rajendra Chola I formalising an oral commitment made by his father, King Rajaraja I. They also showcase the greatness of the Cholas. We in India are immensely proud of the Cholas, their culture and their maritime prowess.
I thank the Government of the Netherlands and Leiden University in particular, where the Copper Plates were kept since the mid-19th century.
