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In a significant cultural restitution effort, the Netherlands officially returned a collection of Chola-era copper plates from the 11th century to India on Saturday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the European nation.
This transfer represented the end of years of diplomatic work by New Delhi and was seen as a sign of strengthening relations between the two countries. The artifacts, commonly known in Europe as the 'Leiden Plates', are some of the most valuable existing records from the Chola empire. India has been requesting their return since 2012. PM Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday after visiting the UAE as part of his current five-country journey that also includes stops in Sweden, Norway, and Italy. In a message on X, PM Modi shared the news of the Chola Copper Plates being returned to India. "A happy day for every Indian! Chola Copper Plates from the 11th Century will be sent back to India from the Netherlands. I participated in the ceremony with Prime Minister Rob Jetten", he stated.
These copper plates date back to the time of Emperor Rajaraja Chola I, who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE. Scholars consider them a vital part of Tamil heritage preserved outside of India. The collection includes 21 copper plates that weigh about 30 kilograms in total. They are linked together with a bronze ring featuring the royal Chola emblem. Some of the writing is in Sanskrit, while the rest is in Tamil. The inscriptions record donations made for a Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam, showing the cultural and religious interactions that thrived during the Chola era. Experts believe the writings provide important information about trade connections between South India and Southeast Asia, as well as the era's spirit of coexistence among different religions. Historical records suggest Rajaraja Chola I first gave the order verbally, which was initially written down on palm leaves. His son, Rajendra Chola I, later had this information carved onto copper plates for permanent preservation. The binding ring has Rajendra Chola's symbol on it.
The plates were brought to the Netherlands in the 18th century by Florentius Camper, who was involved with a Christian mission in India during the time Nagapattinam was controlled by the Dutch. For many years, the artifacts were stored in secure locations in the Netherlands and were mostly available to scholars and researchers who requested them. Over time, they became familiar among historians and Tamil language experts and also gained wider visibility through mentions in Ponniyin Selvan, the famous Tamil historical novel focused on the Chola empire. India’s claim for restitution received backing at the 24th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Return and Restitution, which recognized India as the rightful home for the artifacts and encouraged talks between the two governments about their return. The Dutch government decided to return the copper plates during PM Modi's official trip, adding a cultural aspect to the strengthening partnership between India and the Netherlands.
