News
A temple in Tamil Nadu long believed to be Hindu turns out to be a Buddhist shrine!
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, August 6: What was believed to be and worshipped as a Hindu village deity for ages in Tamil Nadu is in fact the Buddha, an archaeological probe ordered by the Madras High Court has revealed.Now, the ‘temple’ in Salem district shall be converted into a Buddhist site and the village deity Thalavetti Muniappan will be worshipped as the Buddha from now on. No pooja or other Hindu rituals will be permitted there anymore.
Madras High Court Justice N Anand Venkatesh said: “The Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department shall erect a board inside the property by depicting the sculpture inside the property as the Buddha. The general public can be permitted to visit this place, and it shall be ensured that no poojas or other ceremonies are allowed to be performed for the sculpture of the Buddha.”
In 2011, P Ranganathan moved the High Court saying the Thalavetti Muniyappan Temple on Kottai Mariamman Temple Campus, Kottai Road Periyeri village in Salem district is a Buddhist site.
He said that it should be handed over to the Salem-based Buddha Trust. On November 20, 2017, the court directed the state archaeological department to inspect the temple and file a report.Though the petitioner had died, the case was pending before the court when the report was filed, validating the claim that it was indeed a Buddha idol, and that people had been worshipping it as a Hindu village deity due to mistaken identity.
After perusing the report, Justice Anand Venkatesh said: “It is clear from the report that the sculpture clearly depicts the Buddha. In view of the categorical report, the assumption of the HR & CE Department that it is a temple is no longer sustainable and control must go into the hands of some other authority.”
The court then directed the government counsel to ascertain the appropriate authority to take over.The government counsel argued that the place had been treated as a temple of Thalaivetti Muniappan for a considerable period, and that the court could permit the HR & CE department to retain control of the place by treating it as a Hindu temple. The judge rejected the plea.
The judge said: “After having received such a report, it will not be appropriate to permit the HR & CE department to continue to treat this sculpture as Thalaivetti Muniappan. The mistaken identity cannot be allowed to continue after coming to a conclusion that the sculpture is that of the Buddha. In view of the same, the original status must be restored and permitting the HR & CE Department to continue to treat the sculpture as Thalaivetti Muniappan, will not be appropriate, and it will go against the very tenets of Buddhism.”
The court then directed the Principal Secretary and the Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu archaeological department to take control of the place.Buddhism was popular in the region in modern-day Tamil Nadu around the third century BCE during the rule of Emperor Ashoka. It flourished under various ruling regimes until the advent of Bhakti movement during the sixth-ninth centuries when the royal patronage decreased.
During the rule of Chola Emperor Raja Raja Chola, there were endowments to Buddhist shrines in Nagapattinam during the 11th century. The bronze Buddhist images found around Nagapattinam region dating back to the 13th century and the religious texts by eminent Buddhists during the time indicate the presence of the religion during the period.
Historians also attribute that Buddhism was not only restricted to big cities like Kanchipuram and Madurai, but also smaller ones like Perambalur where the images are present. The set of images in the village are approximately dated to the 11th century. Thyaganur is counted among Madurai, Kanchipuram, Nagapattinam, Uraiyur, Kaveripattinam and Perambalur among famous Buddhist centres in Tamil Nadu. Another view is that Buddhism was prevalent in Chola period as found in the inscriptions and images found in various places in the modern-day Trichy, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Karur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Pudukottai districts.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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