During the recent official visit to the Netherlands by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Dutch leadership agreed to return the Chola Copper Plates of Leiden from the Leiden University Museum. These copper plates date back to the reign of Emperor Rajaraja Chola I (985–1014 CE). The collection consists of 21 plates weighing approximately 30 kilograms, bound together by a bronze ring bearing the seal of the Chola dynasty. India’s 14 years of diplomatic efforts were successful, as the Dutch government agreed to return this invaluable piece of history.
These copper plates were taken to the Netherlands more than 300 years ago from Nagapattinam (Naga Port) in southern India. India’s efforts to recover artefacts plundered during the colonial era are commendable. The copper plates had been in the possession of Leiden University since 1862. Largely written in Tamil, with five plates in Sanskrit, they formalise oral commitments made by Rajaraja Chola I, the father of Rajendra Chola I.
What is written by this emperor is important to Buddhists around the world.
The Chola Kingdom had strong maritime links with Indonesia. These copper plates record royal directives regarding the importance of Buddhist shrines (pagodas) and other Buddhist monasteries in the Nagapattinam area, as well as the revenues to be donated to these Buddhist sites. In particular, the village of Anaimangalam was donated to the Buddhist vihara known as Chulamanivarma Vihara in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.
What is especially interesting is that this vihara was built with the support of the Srivijaya Kingdom in Indonesia, with whom the Chola Kingdom maintained maritime trade links.
When the Dutch arrived in this region, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) built a new fort — Fort Vijf Sinnen — in Nagapattinam. During excavations of what they believed to be a “Chinese pagoda,” these copper plates were reportedly discovered. Between 1687 and 1700, Nagapattinam was controlled by the VOC, and the port served as an important trade link with South India.
South of Nagapattinam, there were Dutch outposts in Delft Island and Fort Hammenhiel, the gateway to the ancient Sri Lankan port of Kayts.
There is an ancient Buddhist stupa on Delft Island, and Nainativu, or Nagadeepa, remains a very important Buddhist shrine in Jaffna. According to ancient traditions, the Naga people were seafarers.
If you visit the Nagapooshani Amman Hindu Temple — the second-largest Hindu temple in Jaffna, located in Nainativu — you can see a stone inscription issued during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186 CE). The inscription describes how fees should be charged from ships visiting Kayts harbour and how donations should be distributed among religious institutions, both Hindu and Buddhist.
I am not an archaeologist, but a seafarer. I feel it is high time for us to study the religious harmony that once existed in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Another interesting development is that the Indian Navy launched its newest Offshore Patrol Vessel project — known as the New Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) — at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Dockyard in Kolkata on 20 May 2026. These ships are known as the Sangamitra class, and the first vessel will be commissioned as Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sangamitra.
At 113 metres in length and 14.5 metres in width, with a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, these vessels are equipped with advanced weapons, radars, and modern systems, making them a significant addition to the Indian Navy. Eleven ships of this class have already been approved for construction.
Yet again, the Indian government acknowledges Emperor Ashoka’s maritime expeditions to carry Lord Buddha’s message of peace and coexistence to the world. The spiritual ties established through Theri Sanghamitta remain well known to every Sri Lankan.
Bravo Zulu to the Indian Navy!
