2016-05-23 Mon

Eastern Palakkad, Coimbatore, Salem and parts of Karnataka were earlier known as kongu lands. It has been finally proved that strong ties existed between this area and Kerala through the numismatic evidence that was gathered recently. The roman coins along the other indigenous coins discovered at the site further suggests the commercial and cultural significance of this area.

Officials state that the sacred well (Thirtha kulam) near the Gopalakrishnan town in Palakkad was cleaned in 2013 and a hoard of coins including Dutch copper coin and British coins of different denominations were discovered.

Further investigations reveal that the Dutch coin belonged to the Dutch East India Company and struck at Zeeland mint depicting a crown with lion on the reverse. The British coins issued from 1835 onwards were also found.

As per experts, these coins were thrown into the ‘thirtha kulam’ as it was considered to be an auspicious ritual. Several copper ‘kasu’ of the elephant type struck during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar II (1734-1766) and post-Tippu coins found at the site also prove the fact that from the middle of the 18th century, before Kerala was invaded by Hyder Ali, there could have been a close connection between Kongu lands and Mysore.