Wed Jul 02 15:43:47 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a news article version:
**Summary:**
A 13th-century stone inscription referencing a Buddhist monastery has been discovered in Jagadap, Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, India. This is significant because it’s the first such stone inscription found in Tamil Nadu, where only Jain monastery inscriptions were found until today. The inscription refers to an endowment made by a trader named Mangalamudayan to a Buddhist monastery and includes symbols of a chakra and what is believed to be a stupa. This find adds to existing evidence, including copper plates from the Raja Raja Chola period mentioning the Chudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam, and sheds light on the history of Buddhism in the region. Further evidence of the monastery location is indicated by other nearby inscriptions and caves.
**News Article:**
**13th-Century Buddhist Monastery Inscription Unearthed in Tamil Nadu, a First-of-Its-Kind Discovery**
**Krishnagiri, India – July 2, 2025** – A groundbreaking archaeological find in Jagadap, near Kaveripattinam in Krishnagiri district, has revealed a 13th-century stone inscription referencing a Buddhist monastery. The discovery, announced today, marks the first time such an inscription has been found in Tamil Nadu, where prior findings have primarily focused on Jain monasteries.
The inscription, located on a mango farm, was deciphered by C. Govindaraj, former curator of the Krishnagiri government museum and leader of the Krishnagiri Historic Research and Documentation team. Govindaraj’s epigraphic analysis indicates that the inscription details an endowment made by a trader from Thillai, Mangalamudayan, who allocated revenue from the land to a Buddhist monastery.
Crucially, the inscription begins with symbols of a ‘chakra’ and what’s been interpreted as a ‘stupa’ that lead to its inference. Although chakras are common to all three religions of Vaishanvism, Buddhism, and Jainism; the second symbol interpreted to mean ‘stupa’ is a key factor. Govindaraj drew parallels between the symbol and similar depictions found at other sites associated with Buddhist relics in Tiruvanamalai and Sholinganallur, solidifying the interpretation of the symbol as a ‘stupa’.
“This is a significant discovery as no stone inscription referencing a Buddhist monastery has been found in Tamil Nadu until now,” Govindaraj said. He added that other findings near the primary inscription site, including a stone carving and a cavern, suggests the potential location of the Buddhist monastery.
The discovery adds to existing knowledge of Buddhism’s presence in the region, supported by references in the Anaimangalam copper plates from the Raja Raja Chola period. These plates refer to the Chudamani Vihara, a Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam established by the Sri Vijaya king.
Further research is planned to further study the site and find additional evidence of the monasteries existence.
First Piper 