 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2020) |
This is a list of Buddhist sites, relics, and traditions in the Indian state of Kerala. Some historians states that Kerala had considerable Buddhist presence until the 16th century. Over the years, their population has drastically declined. According to the 1981 census, there were 223 Buddhists compared to 605 in 1971 census. [1]
![Broken Karumadikuttan Buddha statue krumaattikkutttt[?] prtim.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%B0%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AE%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%9F%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%BB_%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AE.jpg/220px-%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%B0%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AE%E0%B4%BE%E0%B4%9F%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9F%E0%B5%BB_%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%AE.jpg)
In 2015, G. Prem Kumar, director of Kerala State Department of Archaeology, five Buddhist statues has been discovered in Kerala. The Karumadikkuttan is a half-broken black Buddha statue at Karumady in Alappuzha district, dating to 10th century when Buddhism flourished in Kerala. The pagoda housing the statue is believed to have been built by Dalai Lama during his visit to the state. There are multiple legends as to how the statue was broken, in one, the Kaumadikkuttan survived a mass destruction of Buddhist statues by Mughals, another version says a charging elephant destroyed it. [2]
The Paliyam copper plates (or Sreemoolavasam Cheppedukal from Sri Mulavasam) of the Ay King, Vikramaditya Varagunan (885–925 AD) in the fifteenth year of his rule, indicates that Buddhists enjoyed royal patronage and privileges until the 10th century CE, at least in South Kerala. [5] [6]
Quote: "The plates were discovered by T. A. Gopinatha Rao. According to Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai, the plates date back to AD 929 (Makaram 7, Kollavarsham 104). But more credibility is to the finding of M. G. S. Narayanan that these date back to AD 898. According to the inscription, a huge number of land holdings were donated to the Sri Mulavasam. The upkeep of the lands are believed to have been vested with Prince Indukotha, an heir to the throne, during the reign of Veerakotha Kulasekhara. A mangalacharana praising Buddha, dharma, and sangha is inscribed in the plates. They also mention about Paranthaka Chola's attack on Kerala." [6]
Alappuzha district, is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to Alappuzha in 1990. Alappuzha is the smallest district of Kerala. Alleppey town, the district headquarters, was renamed Alappuzha in 2012.
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. Since antiquity, Bodh Gayā has remained the object of pilgrimage and veneration, for both Hindus and Buddhists. In particular, archaeological finds, including sculptures, show that the site was in use by Buddhists since the Mauryan period. Bodh Gayā and the nearby regions were invaded and destroyed in the 12th century CE by Muslim Turk armies, led by Delhi Sultanate's Qutb al-Din Aibak and Bakhtiyar Khilji.
The Mahabodhi Temple or the Mahābodhi Mahāvihāra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient, but restored Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, marking the location where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is 15 km from Gaya and is about 96 km (60 mi) from Patna. The site contains a descendant of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment and has been a major pilgrimage destination of Buddhists for over two thousand years.
The Bodhi Tree, also called the Mahabodhi Tree or Bo Tree, is a large sacred fig tree located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India. Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher who became known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment or buddhahood circa 500 BCE under this tree. In religious iconography, the Bodhi Tree is recognizable by its heart-shaped leaves, which are usually prominently displayed.
Anagārika Dharmapāla was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and a writer.
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace.
The Maha Bodhi Society is a South Asian Buddhist society presently based in Kolkata, India. Founded by the Sri Lankan Buddhist leader Anagarika Dharmapala and the British journalist and poet Sir Edwin Arnold, its first office was in Bodh Gaya. The organization's efforts began in order to resuscitate Buddhism in India, and to restore the ancient Buddhist shrines at Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinara. The restoration and revival of the glory and sanctity of Bodh Gaya are also aims of Maha Bodhi Society.
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree is a historical sacred bo tree in the Mahamewuna Garden in historical city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. This is believed to be a tree grown from a cutting of the southern branch from the historical sacred bo tree, Sri Maha Bodhi, which was destroyed during the time of Emperor Ashoka the Great, at Buddha Gaya in India, under which Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) attained Enlightenment. In 236 BC, the Buddhist nun Sangamitta Maha Theri, a daughter of Indian Emperor Ashoka, brought the tree cutting to Sri Lanka during the reign of Sinhalese King Devanampiya Tissa.[1] At more than 2,300 years old, it is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. The Mahavamsa, or the great chronicle of the Sinhalese, provides an elaborate account of the establishment of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi on the Island and the subsequent development of the site as a major Buddhist pilgrimage site.
Odanad was a feudal state in late medieval Kerala. It was established in the 11th century, and disestablished in 1746 when it became part of Travancore after Venad King Marthanda Varma's northern expedition. The last king of Odanad was King Kotha Varma. At the time of its dissolution, it was composed of the present-day taluks of Mavelikkara, Karthikapally, Chenganur in the Alappuzha district and Karunagapally in the Kollam district. Another name of onattukara is kayamkulam. In the 15th century, the capital of Odanad was moved from Kandiyoor-Muttom to Eruva and Krishnapuram in Kayamkulam, which led to the state being called Kayamkulam. After this shift, Kayamkulam became the commercial centre of Odanad, while Mavelikkara remained its cultural centre. Odanad was controlled by Nair lords, among whom the ruler of Kayamkulam was the most prominent.
Achankovil is a 128 km (80 mi) long west flowing river in Kerala, India. It flows through the districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. The river drains vast tract of fertile plains of Upper Kuttanad in the Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. It also sustains numerous urban settlements along its course such as Konni, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam and Mavelikkara.
The Chitharal Jain Temple and Bhagavati Temple are located near Chitharal village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. They consist of stone beds with inscriptions, and two monuments – one rock cut Jain temple with outer wall reliefs and one Hindu goddess temple next to it that is a combination of rock-cut and stone that was added during the reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna Pandya. The monuments are from the 9th century CE.
Chudamani Vihara was a Buddhist vihara (monastery) in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India. Chudamani Vihara was constructed in 1006 CE by the Srivijayan king Sri Vijaya Maravijayattungavarman with the patronage of Rajaraja Chola I. 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.
Hinduism in South India refers to the Hindu culture of the people of South India. Hinduism in South India is characterized by Dravidian customs and traditions, hence it is also called Dravidian Hinduism. The Dravidians made great contributions to the development of Hinduism. South India was the birthplace of many Hindu saints and reformers. The Brahmins of ancient Dakshinapatha were classified as Pancha-Dravida. The Hindus in South India are followers of various Hindu branches such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Brahmanism and others. Hinduism was the state religion of most of the South Indian kingdoms. During the Ancient and Middle Ages were built in South India one of the greatest Hindu temples. South Indian kings such as the Cholas spread Hinduism overseas to parts of Southeast Asia. The activities of South India across the Palk Strait led to survival of Hinduism in Sri Lanka among the Sri Lankan Tamils. Some Hindu festivals are celebrated mostly or exclusively in South India and Sri Lanka. In South India are also numerous Hindu pilgrimage site that is visited annually by thousands of devotees.
Ay was an ancient Indian dynasty which controlled the south-western tip of the Indian peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period.The clan traditionally held sway over the port of Vizhinjam, the fertile region of Nanjinad, and southern parts of the spice-producing Western Ghat mountains. The dynasty was also known as Kupaka in medieval period.
Buddhism amongst the Tamils was historically found in the Tamilakam region of India and Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Centre is a Sri Lankan Buddhist establishment in Chennai, India. It is located in Egmore. It is run by the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Society and serves as a monument of friendship between Sri Lanka and India.
Sri Mulavasam, also spelled Sreemoolavasam, was a Buddhist temple and centre of pilgrimage on the south-western coast of India. Some scholars postulate its location to be in between Ambalappuzha and Thrikkunnappuzha of Alappuzha district, Kerala. At its inception, it was a Hinayana seat of learning which gradually turned into a Mahayana center, and later into a Hindu center.
Vikramaditya —better known as Vikramaditya "Varaguna"—was a monarch of the Ay dynasty of Kerala, south India. His surname indicates that he was a vassal or feudatory of the Pandya ruler Varaguna II. He was the immediate successor of Karunantatakkan "Srivallabha", a vassal of Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha.
The Perambalur Buddhas are a set of historic Buddhist images found in Thiyaganur, a village in salem district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. There are two 6 ft (1.8 m) images of Buddha in sitting posture, one of which is enshrined in a small temple and various other images scattered in the village. The temple is the only extant Buddhist temple in the state. One of the images in a private farm was later housed in a meditation hall built during 2013 with the help of public contributions. Historians identify the images to the 11th century. With the presence of the images, Thyaganur is counted among Madurai, Kanchipuram, Nagapattinam, Uraiyur, Kaveripattinam and Perambalur among famous Buddhist centres in Tamil Nadu. The villagers administer the temple and practise worship similar to Hindu worship practises. The images are spread across three villages, namely, Paravai, Okalur and Perumathur with a majority found in Paravai.
Although Buddhism in Kerala has almost disappeared, historians say that in ancient times Kerala had a strong position and its cultural influence can still be seen in the people of Kerala. It is believed that Buddhism reached Kerala in its infancy. There is historical evidence that Buddhist monks came to Kerala in the 6th century BC.