The Netherlands formally returned the historic Anaimangalam Chola-era copper plates to India on May 16, 2026, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to The Hague. The repatriation is considered a major milestone in cultural diplomacy and provides valuable historical insight into the maritime, religious, and administrative legacy of the Chola Empire.
Major Highlights
- The returned artefacts consist of two sets of copper plates weighing nearly 30 kilograms in total.
- The collection includes 21 large copper plates issued during the reign of Rajendra Chola I and three smaller plates associated with Kulottunga Chola I.
- The larger set records a land grant made by Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I for the village of Anaimangalam to the Buddhist Chulamanivarma Vihara located in Nagapattinam.
- The inscriptions are bilingual, containing Sanskrit text for royal genealogies and Tamil inscriptions detailing administrative matters such as land boundaries, taxation rights, and grants to the monastery.
- Historical records show that the Chulamanivarma Vihara was established by King Sri Mara Vijayotunggavarman of the Srivijaya Empire, reflecting strong maritime and diplomatic connections between medieval South India and Southeast Asia.
- Researchers believe that the Dutch East India Company excavated the copper plates between 1687 and 1700 during construction activities near Fort Vijf Sinnen in Nagapattinam.
- The artefacts remained in the custody of Leiden University from 1862 onward and became widely known among historians as the “Leiden Plates.”
- The return followed an official request made by the Government of India in July 2023 and subsequent recommendations by the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee for unconditional repatriation.
- The handover concluded a diplomatic effort spanning nearly 14 years to reclaim these historically significant records, which provide rare evidence of religious pluralism and international cultural exchange during the Chola period.
- The Archaeological Survey of India will now take custody of the copper plates in New Delhi and decide on their long-term preservation and public exhibition.
Important Terms
- Chulamanivarma Vihara: A Buddhist monastery established in Nagapattinam with support from the Srivijaya Empire during the Chola period.
- Srivijaya Empire: A powerful maritime empire based in Southeast Asia that controlled important trade routes between India and East Asia.
- Restitution of Cultural Property: The process of returning historically or culturally significant artefacts to their country or community of origin.
