Nagapattinam
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Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam district, The Land of religious harmony, known for its rich religious heritage was carved out by bifurcating the composite Thanjavur district on 18.10.1991. This District lies on the shores of the Bay of Bengal between Northern Latitude 10.7906 degrees and 79.8428 Degrees Eastern Longitude an area of 2715.83 Square kilometers in its fold. The District capital, 'Nagapattinam' lies on the eastern coast , 350 kilometers down south from the State capital 'Chennai' and 145 kilometers east, from Tiruchirappalli, a central place of the state.
Nagapattinam (previously spelt Negapatnam) is a coastal city and a municipality in Nagapattinam District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. Other names of the town are Naganadu, Cholakula Vallippatinam and Shiva Rajadhani. Nagappatinam is a unique District with all its historical and cultural significance. Nagappattinam is one of the constituents of chola mandalam, acclaimed as the Most prominent among the ancient Tamil Kingdoms. Its salient features more than anything else have contributed to the glory of the cholamandalam.
Costal town Nagappattinam was the Headquarters of a region during the period This region has been named after Kshathiriya sigamani. One of the titles of Raja Raja Cholan. Nagappattinam was also known as ‘Cholakula Vallippatinam’. The Heritage of the town is found in the Burmese historical text of 3rd century B.C. The same text gives evidences of a Budha Vihar built by the great Ashoka. The chineseTraveler Hiuen Tsang. Also mentioned the Budha vihar in his book. Nagappattinam is mentioned as Padarithitha in ancient Buddhist literature According to scholars avurithidal the name of the part of Nagappattinam might have been derived from the word ‘’Padarithitha is the name of the fruit tree Bhirtree very common in this region.
In ancient times, NagaNadu, Nagappattinam referred only to Sri Langa. Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka had close links with this town Nagappattinam. Animangalam Copperplate of Kulothungachola notes that Kasiba Thera [Buddhist Monk] Renovated the Buddhist temple in 6th century AD with the the help of Buddhist monks of ‘Naganadu’ This ‘nagar annam vihar’ later came to be known as ‘Nagananavihar’.
Pallava King Rajasimha [690-728A D] permitted a chinese king to build Buddha vihar in Nagappattinam. Hence there existed a chinese built budha vihar inNagappattinam. According to Anaimangalam copper plate of Kulothunga I , sriVijayathunga Varman of sri Vijaya kingdam built Raja Raja Perumpalli in the name of Raja Raja Cholanand [Rajendra Chola Perumpalli] in the name of Rajendra Chola in1090A D. This budha vihar also called Sudamani vihar’.Excavations were conducted by the Archaeological department at Vellipalayam in Nagappattinam and more than 300. Budha statues were unearthed and kept at the Museum in Chennai. This dilapidated Budist tower was razed down 200years ago.
TamilNadu Districts - Nagapattinam
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