2017-11-13 Mon

An interesting collection of Pandia and Chola period copper coins has been put together by students of SSAM Government Higher Secondary School, Thirupullani. These students are members of the school’s Heritage Club which is associated with the Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation (RARF). The Club is led by the school teacher and the president of RARF, V. Rajaguru. Students have been collecting historical traces, artifacts, and coins after they joined the club. The coins were collected by R. Samayamuthu, Tajkumar and K. Sneha.

Rajaguru stated that the coins were issued during the regime of Jadavarman Sundara Pandian I, who ruled the Pandia kingdom from 1250 to 1268 CE. Some of them belonged to Raja Raja Chola I, who ruled the Chola kingdom of southern India and the northern part of Sri Lanka between 985 and 1014 CE.

The text 'Kachi Vazhangum Perumal' is engraved in Tamil on one side of the Pandia period coins. A pair of fishes standing in multiplication sign with a crescent symbol on top of the other is featured on the other side. After Jadavarman Sundara Pandian I won Chola’s temple town of Kancheepuram and returned it to the Chola prince in a gesture of goodwill, he got the title ‘Kachi Vazhangum Perumal’. Coins were also issued in the names of ‘Sundarapandian’ and ‘Ellamthalayanan’ during this period. The inscription was found at the Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple in Thirupullani.

Students from Panchanthangi and Thathanendal areas have collected Raja Raja Chola I coins like ‘Eela kasu’. A man holding flower with four balls on his left and trident and lamp on his right is featured on one side. Sri Raja Raja is engraved in Devanagari script on the other side. The silver, gold, and copper coins were in use from the times of Raja Raja Choa I to Kulothunga Chola I period. During an excavation by the Thanjavur Tamil University at Periyapattinam and Kalimangundu areas, similar coins were discovered. Coins issued for circulation in Sri Lanka were also circulated in Thirupullani, which was the Pandia kingdom area under the Chola regime.