Information from the Anaimangalam Copper Plates that are now set to return to their homeland

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Information from the Anaimangalam Copper Plates that are now set to return to their homeland

Information from the Anaimangalam Copper Plates that are now set to return to their homeland

This copper plate inscription, currently in the Netherlands, is also known as the “Great Leiden Copper Plates.” It was the first copper plate inscription that helped historians understand the history of the Chola Dynasty period. After this inscription was deciphered in 1886, the Thiruvalangadu Copper Plates were deciphered in 1906. Only after both inscriptions became available could Chola history be properly reconstructed. The Anaimangalam plates contain the genealogy of the Chola kings in Sanskrit.

The Srivijaya king Mara Vijayatungavarman requested permission from Rajaraja Chola I to build a Buddhist vihara in memory of his father Chulamani Varman. Rajaraja granted permission to construct the Buddhist vihara in the city of Nagapattinam, in the Pattana Kurram region of Sathiriya Sikamani Valanadu. (After Rajaraja’s reign, Rajendra Chola I ordered this grant to be inscribed on the copper plates during his own rule.)

The Tamil portion of the inscription records that Rajaraja made this land grant on the 92nd day after the completion of his 29th regnal year, while he was staying in a hall called “Rajasiriyan,” located south of the Thanjavur Palace.

(Anyone who has read Ponniyin Selvan would recognize the Chudamani Vihara. However, during the time period in which the story takes place, the vihara did not yet exist; it was built only during the later years of Rajaraja’s reign.)

Privileges granted to the vihara

The Chudamani Vihara was granted 97 veli, 2 ma, one kani, and one mundirigai of land.
The taxes previously levied on these lands — 8,943 kalam, 2 thooni, 1 kuruni, and 1 nazhi of paddy — no longer needed to be paid.
Educational and religious institutions such as Buddhist and Jain establishments were exempted from the “Pallisandham” tax payable to the state.

Rights related to irrigation and land use

New canals could be dug through the donated lands.
Villagers were allowed to use the canal water for irrigation.
Existing canals already used by the villagers for irrigation had to remain undisturbed.
Surplus water had to continue being drained in the traditional manner.
Water from old canals could not be blocked or stored; it had to flow naturally.

Other privileges

Multi-storeyed brick houses could be constructed.
Large wells could be dug.
Coconut groves could be established.
Oil presses could be installed and operated.
Canals passing through these lands toward other villages could not be obstructed.
Likewise, people from other villages could not block canals flowing into these lands.
The Eelavar community of the region were prohibited from tapping toddy from the palmyra and coconut trees on these lands, since this was a Buddhist sacred site and toddy extraction was forbidden there.
Decorative arches were permitted along the path leading to the vihara, and large ceremonial drums could be used within the vihara.

Taxes from which the vihara was exempted

The vihara was exempted from paying the following taxes and duties: