Quote in Charles Allen's book

Since the submission of my Ph.D., thesis entitled Chola Nattil Bautham [Buddhism in the Chola country] (1999) in Tamil University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, I have seen in many places the citing of my work. When I started writing my book on this topic, I searched for some more additional information. At that time I happened to see the citing of my Ph.D., thesis in some books. 

I registered for my research in 1993. For the past two and half decades, I have seen my work being referred to in so many places. Many scholars have discussed about it. The importance of my research could be understood by me.

Recently, while referring some works I came across the clippings from the book Coromandel: A Personal History of South India written by Charles Allen (Little Brown Book Group, London, 2017). In this book the starting of my research from 1993, finding of Kandramanickam Buddha and Kranthi Buddha and identification of 60 Buddha statues during the field study etc., have been found.

Besides my Ph.D., thesis, the following have been discussed in the book:

• The status of Nagapattinam Buddha vihara in 1850s
• Finding of five Buddhas in the vihara site
• Finding of 350+ Nagapattinam bronze Buddhas in Nagapattinam
• Finding of 45+ Buddhas in Sellur in 2004

Dr S.Boopathy has sent the above page  in which the following note has been found as photo caption for the second photograph: "Dr Jambulingam kneels by a damaged torso of the Buddha found in January 2015 in a field of sugarcane in the village of Manalur, near Thanjavur." This Buddha was found near Ayyampet in Thanjavur district during field study carried out by me alongwith Mr Mani. Maaran. The finding have been published in many newspapers including The Hindu, The New Indian Express and Times of India.  

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Thanks: Charles Allen/Coromandal A Personal History of South India (Quote in the book)

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Updated on 20 March 2025.