2017-05-18 Thu

The land of River Tungabhadra and Kaveri was ornamented with four known and powerful Kingdoms of Chola, Chera, Pallava and Pandya. Last time you read about Chera and their emblems but today we will discuss Pandyas and their emblem.

The first mention of the Pandyans in Indian history is in Asoka's edict, when they, as well as the Cholas and Cheras, were recognized as distinct powers in Southern India. The kingdom of Pandyas was bounded to the north of River Vaygar.

The earliest Pandyan or Madurai Pandyan coins were silver Punched Marks but copper coins were chiefly found in Madurai e.g. Copper coin depicting a Horse and Bodhi tree in front with Buddhist shaccram on the reverse.

When Madurai Pandya left Buddhism they changed the horse with Bodhi tree to Fish, a symbol Vishnu. This Fish Symbol became the dynastic emblem of the Pandyan.

This above-shown coin which belongs to the Later Pandyas, on its obverse depicts a standing king and reverse two fishes, surrounded by Tamil legend ‘Elamthalayan'.

Like the Madurai Pandya, the Pandya of Korkey issued squared die-struck coin with elephant symbol on the obverse and blank in reverse. Later on, Buddhist shaccram was depicted on the reverse of this Pandyan coins.

Korkey Pandyan coins also depict various symbols, which replaced the elephant symbol, were a star, wheel, line, etc. Shiva-Parvati was also depicted on these coins (4th to 6th Century).

The Korkey Pandiya changed the Symbol again, now Garuda was depicted on the obverse (6th to 12th AD). Both the Pandyan branch state religion changed from Saivism and Buddhism to Vaishnava faith.

Here some interesting facts:
During an early time, the elephant (Buddhist) was the chief symbol followed by a crescent (Shaiva) symbol which was a secondary symbol of Pandya dynasty.
Learn more about symbol of Cher and other South Indian dynasties.