Anaimangalam Copper Plates-Leiden Plates-Come Back Home After 300 Years

1. The Anaimangalam Copper Plates are also called the  Leiden Plates .

2. They belong to the  11th century  and the  Chola Empire .

3. Total plates:  21 ; total weight:  30 kg .

4. Held together by a  bronze ring  with the seal of  Rajendra Chola I .

5. Sanskrit section  contains Chola genealogy and mythological links.

6. Tamil section  records land grant to  Chudamani Vihara  (Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam).

7. The monastery was built by a  Srivijaya king  (from present-day Indonesia).

8. The grant was made by  Rajaraja Chola I  (985–1014 CE).

9. Engraved on plates by his son  Rajendra Chola I .

10. The plates were taken by  Dutch missionary Florentius Camper  around 1700.

11. They were kept at  Leiden University Library , Netherlands.

12. The Netherlands returned them during the  Prime Minister’s recent visit .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are the Anaimangalam Copper Plates?
A: They are 11th-century inscriptions from the Chola Empire, written on copper plates.

Q2: Why are they also called the Leiden Plates?
A: Because they were kept at Leiden University Library in the Netherlands for many years.

Q3: How many plates are there in the collection?
A: There are 21 copper plates in total.

Q4: What does the Sanskrit section of the plates contain?
A: It contains the family tree (genealogy) of Chola rulers and their links to mythological figures.

Q5: What does the Tamil section mainly record?
A: It records administrative details and a land grant given to a Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam.