Chulamanipanma Vihare of Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu

[PARAMASHIVAN]

I thought, Buddhism , Jainism were wiped out of TN after Chola dynasty ?

No

Jainism was never wiped out - there's still a small community of Tamil Jains (Samanar) in northern TN, especially in the Thanjavur area. My grandfather's neighbours in my mother's native village (near Thanjavur) are Samanar.

Buddhism was long thought to have disappeared during the Chola period, but archaeological work done in the late part of the 20th century has shown that it survived until at least the close of the seventeenth century. After that, it disappeared for reasons we don't know.

podalangai sir

Are they any viharas in TN as of now ?

[PARAMASHIVAN]

And Was Buddhism originated from Uttar Pradesh , bihar right ?

surely Buddhism must be practised in North Eastern india, esp around places bordering Burma right ?

[podalangai]

Are they any viharas in TN as of now ?

No ancient ones, no. There are ruins, and there are several ancient Buddha statues in villages all over Tamil Nadu. Here's a somewhat brief article that describes some of them:

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?224559

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Thanks for the link podalangai sir

These kind of Ruins were found in Afghanistan too, in the Ancient India say going back about 1000 years ago, was Afghnistan a country on it's own or was it Part of Bharath ?

[podalangai]

These kind of Ruins were found in Afghanistan too, in the Ancient India say going back about 1000 years ago, was Afghnistan a country on it's own or was it Part of Bharath ?

That's a difficult question to answer. It was an independent kingdom and - as Gandhara had always been - was very cosmopolitan, with strong Greek and Persian influences in addition to its core Hindu and Buddhist culture.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

These kind of Ruins were found in Afghanistan too, in the Ancient India say going back about 1000 years ago, was Afghnistan a country on it's own or was it Part of Bharath ?

That's a difficult question to answer. It was an independent kingdom and - as Gandhara had always been - was very cosmopolitan, with strong Greek and Persian influences in addition to its core Hindu and Buddhist culture.

Hmm I think the Afghanistan as a State on it's own was declared around the 17th century

[podalangai]

Hmm I think the Afghanistan as a State on it's own was declared around the 17th century

18th century. It was ruled by various Turkish, Mongol, Central Asian and Iranian kings from around the 10th century to the mid 18th century. Before then... well, we'd need to start with Gandhara.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Hmm I think the Afghanistan as a State on it's own was declared around the 17th century

18th century. It was ruled by various Turkish, Mongol, Central Asian and Iranian kings from around the 10th century to the mid 18th century. Before then... well, we'd need to start with Gandhara.

That is ghoing back to 6th century BC right ?

[podalangai]

That is ghoing back to 6th century BC right ?

That's about the time we find the first inscriptions (in Iran) about Gandhara. The kingdom itself was probably older. It seems to have been ruled by Iranian kings in Darius's time, but by Alexander's time, it seems to have been semi-independent.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

That is ghoing back to 6th century BC right ?

That's about the time we find the first inscriptions (in Iran) about Gandhara. The kingdom itself was probably older. It seems to have been ruled by Iranian kings in Darius's time, but by Alexander's time, it seems to have been semi-independent.

This is going back to 5BCE and appearantly he ruled Northen part of India along the Himalayan regions, how far dis Alexander the great get into India ?

and Alexander invaded Northen India prior to Dariius right ?