Buddhism in Chozha Country, Buddha of Buddhamangalam, Nagapattinam District, Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur District, Manambadi in Thanjavur District, Nageswara Swamy Temple, in Kumbakonam, and Gangaikonda Chozhapuram in Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to these Buddha Sculptures and the Buddha Temple at Thiruvarur, Buddha Mangalam, Mannargudi, and Manambadi was a part of the “Shiva, Murugan, Divya Desams, and Buddha Temples Visit around Nagapattinam and Kumbakonam” on 4^th and 28th to 29th September, 2024. Most of the time, I used to travel and visit the Village temples, with the route guidance of Google Maps. But the journey to the Buddha Temple at Buddhamangalam through an untar-topped, bumpy Village Road, without a BSNL internet connection, and without a Google map location, was a different experience. Thanks to Dr. Jambulingam for his book on “Buddhism in Chozha Country” and his Guidance.  

சோழர்கள் காலத்தைச் சார்ந்த புத்தர் சிற்பங்களைத் தேடி ஒரு பயணம்… நாகபட்டினம், திருவாரூர் மற்றும் தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டங்களில் உள்ள அதிகம் அறியபடாத கிராமங்களில்… முனைவர் திரு ஜம்புலிங்கம் ஐயாவின் "சோழநாட்டில் பௌத்தம்" என்ற புத்தகத்தின் வழிகாட்டுதலுன்… 

Thiruvarur Buddha

BUDDHA OF THYAGARAJA TEMPLE, THIRUVARUR.

This Buddha is in the Museum of Thyagaraja Temple, at Thiruvarur. This Buddha was unearthed from the Village of Kandiramanickam, near Kudavasal, while doing an excavation. The Buddha idol measures 63 inches tall and 33 inches wide. This Buddha idol may belong to the 11th to 12th century CE. 

The Buddha is in a dhyana posture. Dharmachakra is on the palm, facing up. The Buddha is shown with a tilak on the forehead, open eyes, swirl hair, Ushnisha on top of his head, elongated earlobes, and a beautiful smile on his face. The folding of the dress is shown on his left side chest.

LOCATION OF THE BUDDHA: CLICK HERE

Dharma Chakra

BUDDHA OF BUDDHA MANGALAM. 

This Buddha Temple is in front of the Kilvelur Regulated Market at Buddhamangalam. The name of this place, Buddhamangalam, and the location of the Buddha Temple are not updated in Google Maps. 

Thailand Buddha devotees built this Buddhamangalam Buddha Temple for an abandoned idol in this Village. The Buddha idol was in a disintegrated condition. The head and legs are joined together with rods inserted after drilling. The Buddha is in ardha padmasana sitting posture with dhyana mudra. His eyes are open, and his ear lobes are elongated. The dharma chakra is on the palm, facing up. The folding of the dress is shown on his left chest.

LEGENDS

As per the local legend, to get rain, chili is ground with water and applied on the head and garlanded with erukkan poo (calotropis) to Buddha. The rain will come immediately. The Locals pray to Buddha as -'மழையை வரவை சாமி'- Oh God, please bring the Rain.

CONTACT DETAILS

Raja, the caretaker’s mobile number, is +9199940 33685 may be contacted for further details

HOW TO REACH

To reach Buddhamangalam, on Nagapattinam to Thiruvar, from Nagapattinam, turn right at Kilverur Temple Chariot Shed / Anchuvattathu Amman Thiru Their, proceed for about 170 meters, and turn left on Kurumangudi to Eravanchery to Keezh Velur road. After about  650 meters, turn right and proceed straight up to the Kil Velur regulated market building. The Buddha temple is in front of the Building.

LOCATION OF THE BUDDHA SHRINE: CLICK HERE

BUDDHA STATUE AT SRI MALLINATHA SWAMY JAIN TEMPLE, MANNARGUDI.

The Visit to this Sri Mallinatha Swamy Jain Temple was a part of the “Visit to Shiva, Murugan, Divya Desams, and Buddha Temples around Nagapattinam” on 4^th September 2024.

The purpose of the Visit was to see the Buddha Statue. But I was disappointed to see a Tirthankara statue in the same spot where the Buddha was. Again referred Dr Jambulingam’s book and found a very, very, very, very small font, footnote No. 38, which says that the statue is not there now. It is my fault that, without studying correctly, I proceeded to Mannagudi to Nagapattinam, wasting money and time.  

மன்னார்குடி ஸ்ரீ மல்லிநாதர் சமணர் கோயில் பிரகாரத்தில் ஒரு மரத்தடியில் புத்தர் சிலையை, தீர்தங்கர்ராக வழிபட்டதாக முனைவர் திரு ஜம்புலிங்கம் ஐயா எழுதிய சோழநாட்டில் பௌத்தம் என்ற புத்தகத்தில் படித்த பின்பு அதைக்காண ஆவலுடன், சென்னை திரும்புவதற்கு முன்பு நாகபட்டினத்தில் இருந்து மன்னார்குடி சென்றேன். ஐயா குறிப்பிட இடத்தில் தீர்த்தங்கரர் மட்டுமே காணப்பட்டார். அங்கு இருப்பவர்கள் அந்த மாதிரி புத்தர் சிலை எதுவும் கோயில் வளாகத்தில் இல்லை என்று கூறினர். மீண்டும் முனைவர் ஜம்புலிங்கம் ஐயாவின் புத்தகத்தை படிக்கும் போது, மிக மிக மிக மிக மிக சிறிய அளவில் அச்சிடப்பட்டு இருந்த அடிக்குறிப்பில் புத்தர் தற்போது அங்கு இல்லை எனக்குறிப்பிட்டு இருந்தார். அடிக்குறிப்பை சரியாக படிக்காததின் விளைவு ஏமாற்றத்தில் முடிந்தது. (அடிக்குறிப்பு கொஞ்சம் பெரிய எழுத்துகளில் அச்சடிக்கப்பட்டு இருந்தால் என்னைப் போன்ற வயதானவர்கள் படிக்க ஏதுவாக இருந்திருக்கும்).

Buddha was measuring 71 Cm tall. Buddha was sitting in ardha padmasana dhyana posture. Dharmachakra was found on the palm facing up. Eyes are half closed, elongated earlobes, a thilak on the forehead, and a beautiful smile on the face. Buddha with curled hair, a Ushnisha, and a prabhai on the back of the head. Buddha had a broad chest, and the upper cloth’s folding was shown on the left side of the chest. Two samaradharis are also found on both sides. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE 

 

The Missing Buddha statue

The Thirthankara Statue in place of the Buddha Statue

BUDDHA STATUE AT SRI VADA BHATHRA KALIAMMAN TEMPLE, MANAMBADI, THANJAVUR DISTRICT. 

This visit to the Buddha statue was a part of the Shiva and Vishnu Temples Heritage Walk (Rajendra Chozha's War Trophies) around Kumbakonam, organized by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatru Aayvu Sangam on 28-29^th September 2024.

This Buddha Statue is installed in the premises of Sri Vada Bhathra Kaliamman Temple at Manambadi in Thanjavur District. Buddha was 127 cm tall. Buddha is in the ardha padmasana dhyana posture. Eyes are half closed, elongated earlobes, a thilak on the forehead, and a beautiful smile on the face. Buddha has curled hair, an ushnisha, and a prabhai on the back side of the head. Buddha has with broad chest, and the upper cloth’s folding is shown on the left side of the chest.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

BHAGAVAR AT KUMBAKONAM NAGESWARA SWAMY (KUDANTHAI KEEL KOTTAM ), KUMBAKONAM.

This Bhagavar Rishi was wrongly identified as a Buddha Statue since some of the features match Buddha. The important details, like ushnisha and upper dress folding, are missing.

About Bhagavar Rishi, before his mother’s demise, his mother asked to dissolve her remains/asth be dissolvedi, where it turned into a flower. After visiting many holy places, Bhagavar came to Kumbakonam and took a bath in the Kaveri. He found that the asthi turned to flower and dissolved in the Kaveri. Later stayed in Kumbakonam and worshipped Vinayagar at this temple. Hence, the Vinayagar is called Bhagavar Vinayagar.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

STATUE AT GANGAIKONDA CHOZHAPURAM

This idol is along with other unearthed statues around Gangaikonda Chozhapuram. This statue is in broken condition without a head. The Yagnopaveetha looks like a dress. Hence, this Statue is not Buddha. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---