Buddha statue found near Mannargudi By Our Staff Reporter THANJAVUR JAN. 8 A Chola era granite statue of Buddha has been identified by a research scholar at Ullikottai near Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district. B. Jambulingam of Tamil University has found the statue. In the Chola Kingdom, comprising the composite Tiruchi and Thanjavur districts and Pudukottai district, Buddhist granite statues have been found in many places. Dr. Jambulingam has so far found more than 60 statues in various places, including Aayiraveli Ayilur, Alangudipatti, Ariyalur, Ayyampet, Buddhamangalam, Chettipatti, Elayanur, Idumbavanam, Jayamkondacholapuram, Karur near Pudukottai, Keezhakolathur, Keezhakurichi, Killiyur, Kottapadi, Kodavasal, Kulithalai, Kumbakonam, Kurumbur, Kuthalam, Kuzhumani, Madagaram, Manalmelkudi, Manampadi, Mangalam, Manganallur, Mannargudi, Musiri, Muthuservaimadam, Ogulur, Paravai, Pazhayarai comprising Cholanmaligai, Patteeswaram and Thiruvalanchuzhi, Perandakottai, Periya Thirukonam, Perunjeri, Pettaivaithalai, Poompuhar, Pushpavanam, Pudur, Rayampuram, Sundarapandiyanpattinam, Thirunageswaram, Thirunattyathankudi, Valangaimanpudur, Valikandapuram, Vellanur of Pudukottai, Vellanur in Tiruchi, Vikaramam and Vikramangalam. "The statues found at Patteeswaram, (now in the Palace Complex at Thanjavur), Poompuhar (now in the Poompuhar museum) and at the Ekambareswarar Kamatchiamman temple at Sundarapandianpattinam and at the Siva temple at (in the Government Museum, Chennai), are in standing posture. The statue found at Ullikottai is 3.5-foot high. It depicts Buddha in meditation, sitting in padmasana. It has sanghati with a wider fringe on the left chest. Usnisha, in the form of flames, is above the curled hair and is broken. The legs and hands are also broken. The smiling lips add to the statue's beauty.