Tamil NaduMonday, 18 May 2026·The Hindu
Anaimangalam copper plates returned from Netherlands: key Chola-era facts for TNPSC
The 11th-century Anaimangalam copper plates were returned to India from the Netherlands in 2026, highlighting Chola administration, land grant practice and religious tolerance.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In May 2026, the 21 Anaimangalam copper plates of the Chola period returned to India from the Netherlands through Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after being taken away from Nagapattinam in the 18th century.
Key specifics
- The plates relate to the reign of Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I, with the original grant dated to 1005 CE in Nagapattinam.
- The set contains 21 copper plates, weighs about 30 kg, and is bound by a bronze ring bearing the Chola royal seal.
- Of the plates, 16 are in Tamil and 5 are in Sanskrit, with 3 smaller plates later confirmed by Kulothunga Chola.
- The inscription records a land grant of 97 veli to the Buddhist Vihara called Suḷamani Varman Viharam.
- The return followed long diplomatic efforts and the plates had been in Leiden University’s collection since 1862.
Exam lens
Question type: history-culture match-the-following, Chola administration, 1005 CE grant, 21 plates, 97 veli, Leiden 1862. TNPSC may ask which Chola ruler issued the written confirmation or what the plates reveal about religious tolerance and administrative records.