Tamil Copper-plate Inscriptions - A Chola Inscription

A Chola Inscription

A typical Chola copperplate inscription currently displayed at the Government Museum, Chennai, India, is dated c. 10th century C.E. These are five copper plates strung in a copper ring, the ends of which are secured with a Chola seal bearing in relief, a seated tiger facing the right, two fish to the right of this. These three figures have a bow below, a parasol and two fly-whisks (Chamaras) at the top and a lamp on each side. Around the margin engraved in Grantha characters, "This is the matchless edict of King Parakesarivarman, who teaches justice to the kings of his realm"…

A portion of this inscription is in Sanskrit and the rest is in Tamil.

The plates contain an edict issued by the Chola king Ko-Para-Kesarivarman alias Uththama Chola, at Kachhippedu (Kanchipuram) at the request of his minister, to confirm the contents of a number of stone inscriptions, which referred to certain dues to be paid to the temple of Vishnu at Kachhippedu. Arrangements made for the several services in the temple are also described.

Uththama Chola was an uncle and predecessor of Rajaraja Chola I.

Read more about this topic:  Tamil Copper-plate Inscriptions

Famous quotes containing the word inscription:

    In the graveyard, which was crowded with graves, and overrun with weeds, I noticed an inscription in Indian, painted on a wooden grave-board. There was a large wooden cross on the island.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)