The Chola Empire's Buddhist Patronage in Nagapattinam

In the 11th century, the Chola emperor Rajaraja I, a devout Shaivite, granted land and resources to build a Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam for the Srivijaya king. This episode explores the strategic and religious dimensions of Chola Buddhist patronage, focusing on the Nagapattinam Buddhist monastery (Culamanivarmavihara) built by Rajaraja I at the request of the Srivijaya ruler Culamanivarman, as recorded in the Leiden copper plates. It also examines the broader Chola policy of toleration towards Buddhism and Jainism, the role of Buddhist merchants in Indian Ocean trade, and the famous Chola bronze Buddha statues. The episode draws on the Leiden copper plates of Rajaraja I, the Tanjore inscriptions, and Chinese records of the Song dynasty. Lucas and Luna discuss how Chola patronage of Buddhism was both a diplomatic tool and a reflection of the empire’s cosmopolitan character. #CholaEmpire #Nagapattinam #BuddhistPatronage #RajarajaCholaI #Srivijaya #LeidenCopperPlates #Culamanivarmavihara #IndianOceanTrade #SouthIndianBuddhism #CholaDiplomacy #TamilBuddhism #SongDynasty #BuddhistBronzes #NagapattinamBuddhistMonastery #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAsia #MedievalIndia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo