Chudamani Vihara was a Buddhist vihara (monastery) in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India. Chudamani Vihara was constructed in 1006 CE [1] by the Srivijayan king Sri Vijaya Maravijayattungavarman with the patronage of Rajaraja Chola I. [2] [3] The vihara building survived in dilapidated condition. Since 1856, about 350 Buddha bronzes have been found at Nagapattinam, dating from the 11th to the 16th century. [1]
According to the copperplate record of Chola king Rajaraja, the Sailendra king, Sri Mara-vijayottunga-varman constructed the vihara with the support of Rajaraja. The copperplate is in Leiden University (Holland). [4]
One statue, now at John D. Rockefeller Collection of Asian Art in New York, has an inscription that mentions that this Buddha was created to be carried in a procession during the temple’s sacred festival. The inscription has been translated by Vidya Dehejia as:
Demolition :-
After 1870, the Chudamani Vihara, built by Raja Raja Chola I, was demolished by British Colonial authorities, despite opposition from members of Governor in Council - Elliot and Charles Traveleyn, due to pressure by Governor Napier and Christian Missionaries exiled by French Pondicherry Government.
This is subject matter of a Public Interest Litigation, filed by Advocate B. Jagannath, of the Madras High Court pertaining to repatriation of Leiden Copper Plates from Netherlands to India
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