Krishnagiri Stone Inscription

GS1 – Art & Culture

• Discovery Context: A 13th-century stone inscription has been unearthed in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu. It marks a significant historical reference to a Buddhist monastery in the region.
• Key Highlights:
  • The inscription records a donation by a merchant to a Buddhist Vihara located in Kadaikoottur (modern-day Kadagathur, Tamil Nadu).
  • It includes references to “Buddha Devan” and contains depictions of two key Buddhist symbols—the Chakra (Wheel of Dharma) and a Stupa.
  • This is the first known epigraphic evidence indicating the presence of a Buddhist monastery in Tamil Nadu.

Anaimangalam Copper Plate Inscriptions

• Significance: These copper plates represent the earliest known record of a Buddhist Vihara in South India.
• Details:
  • Issued during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I, they document a land grant of Anaimangalam village to Chudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam.
  • The Vihara was constructed by Mara Vijayatunga Varman of the Srivijaya Kingdom in memory of his father, Sri Chudamani Varman.
  • Known also as the Leiden Plates, they are currently preserved at Leiden University, Netherlands.
  • The charter is bilingual, comprising Sanskrit (used for genealogy and invocations) and Tamil (used for administrative records).

Common Religious Symbols in Inscriptions

Symbol	Religion	Meaning / Significance
Mukkodai	Jainism	Triple umbrella indicating spiritual authority
Swastika	Jainism	Represents fourfold existence and auspiciousness
Hand-wheel	Jainism	Symbol of non-violence and spiritual discipline
Conch	Vaishnavism	Signifies divine sound and creation
Chakra	Vaishnavism	Denotes protection and Dharma
Shrivatsa	Vaishnavism	Mark of Vishnu, symbol of prosperity
Tirusoolam	Shaivism	Shiva’s trident, indicating cosmic power
Chakra	Buddhism	Wheel of Dharma symbolizing Buddha’s teachings
Stupa	Buddhism	Symbolizes Buddha’s relics and enlightenment
Triratna	Buddhism	Represents the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha