சோழ நாட்டில் பௌத்தம்

Since joined research I have been much attached to the Pattisvaram area because it had more number of Buddha statues. In Pattisvaram, near Gopinathaperumalkovil,  we saw two buddha statues during the earlier field study  in a grove. Now, let us go to see the Buddha found in Muthumariamman temple.  October 1993 That was the time when I registered for M.Phil. in Madurai Kamaraj University and started my research. I was at a confusion. From where to start my work? At that time Buddhism of Tamil (in Tamil) (1940) of Mayilai Seeni Venkatasamy helped me. In the book he records some places as having Buddha statues. In order to confirm whether the statues are found now, I went to so many places referred by him. Of those places, Pattisvaram is also one.  Quoting epigraphical evidence, in his work, he says about the prevalence of a Buddha statue in a village amman temple in Pattisvaram. Instantly Pattisvaram Durga Temple came to my mind, as Pattisvaram was a place I frequented...