LEMBAH BUJANG (CHANDI) KEDAH
The Bronze Coins Of The Chola Found At Lembah Bujang, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah, also written as Queda, and known in the early days as Kedaram, Kidaram, Kalagam and Kataha by the Tamils, and Kalah or Kalaha by the Persians, is a early kingdom on the Malay Peninsula and an important early trade centre. Early west-coast trade centres are few in number as they were overshadowed by Kedah.
Lembah Bujang (Chandi)
Candis are Hindu and Buddhist temples and sanctuaries which were built in the 8th to 15th centuries, out of brick and stone. Ancient non-religious structures such as urban ruins and bathing places are often called candi, but the word is mostly used to describe a religious shrine. While candi are prominently found in Indonesia, they are also found throughout South-east Asia. A candi believed to be more than 1,000 years old, located in Sungai Batu Estate, Lembah Bujang, was demolished by housing developers clearing land for a residential housing project.
Candi 11, which measured 250ft long and 150ft wide, was first discovered by British explorers in the 1920s, and was reconstructed in 1974 by the Museum Department. The NGO Badan Warisan Malaysia is trying to get the valley recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is feared that several candi have been destroyed over the years.
Kadaram
In the middle of the 6th century, new waves of colonials from the Pallava Empire asserted themselves and engineered the break-up of the neighbouring Hindu state of Funan. Funan had, at that time, been in existence since the 1st century CE. The expatriate Pallavas must have been a formidable force to shatter such a long-established kingdom whose monarch had a significantly Pallava name: Rudravarman. Clearly, the fact that the people of Kadaram and those of Funan shared a common religion, culture and, possibly, a language, did not deter the Pallavas from widening their sphere of influence, to Funan's great misfortune.
Map showing Rajendra Chola's raid that include the Malay peninsula
The Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty (also called Choda and Cholan) was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of southern India. Together with the Chera and Pandya dynasties, the Cholas formed the three main Tamil dynasties of Iron Age India, who were collectively known as the Three Crowned Kings. The earliest datable references to the dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE, left by Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, and in the ancient Sangam literature.
The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River, but they ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century until the beginning of the 13th century. The whole country south of the Tungabhadra river was united and held as one state for more than two centuries. Under Emperor Rajaraja Chola I and his successors Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola I the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South and Southeast Asia. The power of the new empire was proclaimed to the eastern world by the expedition to the Ganges in northern India which Rajendra Chola I undertook and by the occupation of cities of the maritime empire of Srivijaya in Southeast Asia, as well as by the repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented the zenith of ancient Indian sea power.
During the period 1010–1200, the Chola territories stretched from the islands of the Maldives in the south to as far north as the banks of the Godavari River in Telangana. Rajaraja Chola conquered peninsular South India, annexed parts of which is now Sri Lanka and occupied the islands of the Maldives. Rajendra Chola sent a victorious expedition to North India that touched the Ganges and defeated Mahipala, the Pala ruler of Pataliputra. His army went on to raid what is now Bangladesh. He successfully invaded cities of Srivijaya in Malaysia, Indonesia and Southern Thailand. The Chola dynasty went into decline at the beginning of the 13th century with the rise of the Pandyan dynasty, which ultimately caused their downfall.
Their patronage of Tamil literature and their zeal in the building of temples has resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and architecture. The Chola kings were avid builders and envisioned the temples in their kingdoms not only as places of worship but also as centres of economic activity. The Chola school of art spread to and influenced that of Southeast Asia.
They pioneered a centralised form of government and established a disciplined bureaucracy. During the Imperial Chola period urbanisation increased and there was a tremendous agrarian expansion and well-developed system of water management. During this period the economy and particularly trade flourished because of the emergence of prosperous and well-organised Tamil merchant guilds which controlled long-distance trade.
11th century bronze coin of the Chola
Dynasty that ruled South India
One
of several kingdoms that historically dominated the Indian subcontinent was the
Cholas. The history of the Chola Empire can be traced back before the 4th
century B.C. They prospered most notably during their "Golden Age"
(mid-10th through 11th centuries A.D.) when the powerful Tamil rulers of the
Chola Dynasty dominated the entire south of India. Ceylon was also held by the
Cholas during most of the eleventh century, during which time this copper coin
was issued.
Very
little information about these coins has survived the passage of time. We know
that this coin, used in exchanges with sea traders from Arabia, Persia, China
and Burma, was found far beyond south Indian and Ceylon shores. The
entrepreneurial Cholas encouraged trading a wide variety of common goods by
issuing lower denomination copper coins based on a rice standard rather than
the gold standard used for larger transactions. These now rare coins are
unusual for their time in history, and for their exceptional artistry and high
relief. This coin is part of a hoard of coins that were discovered in an
amazingly fine state of preservation.
Rajendra Chola I was the son of Rajaraja Chola I
and is considered one of the greatest rulers and military leaders of the Indian Tamil Chola Empire.
He succeeded his father in 1014 CE as the Chola
emperor. During his reign, he extended the influences of the already vast Chola
empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in north India and across the ocean.
During his reign the Chola Empire became the most powerful Empire of India. Rajendra’s
territories extended, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and
he successfully invaded the territories of Srivijaya in Malaysia, Southern Thailand
and Indonesia in South East Asia
with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar, and to commemorate his victory he
built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
After his successful campaign to Ganges he got the title Gangaikonda Chola (The Chola who took the Ganges), he also built a Shiva temple at his new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram, similar in design to the Tanjore Brihadisvara temple built by his father Rajaraja Chola and expanded the Pathirakali Amman Temple and Koneswaram temples of Trincomalee. Rajendra Chola created at his capital a vast artificial lake, sixteen miles long and three miles wide which to this day remains one of the largest man-made lakes in India. He inherited from his father the famous title Mummudi Cholan (The Chola with three crown), Mummudi title was used by Tamil kings who ruled the three kingdoms of Chola, Pandya and Chera. He founded a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
This coin dates to the King preceeded RajaRaja Cholas invasion of Sri Lanka, but it is thought that the coins were continued into RajaRaja's reign, he also called himself Uttama Chola. These coins are from South India's ThamilNadu region, minted in the city of Thanjavur. These coins are found scattered through out the Cholan trade route. The Chola would eventually control huge swaths of the Pacific Eastern Archipelago. These coins are most often found in Sri Lanka.
Kedah
Kedah, also written as Queda, and known in the early days as Kedaram, Kidaram, Kalagam and Kataha by the Tamils, and Kalah or Kalaha by the Persians, is a early kingdom on the Malay Peninsula and an important early trade centre. Early west-coast trade centres are few in number as they were overshadowed by Kedah.
Lembah Bujang (Chandi)
Candis are Hindu and Buddhist temples and sanctuaries which were built in the 8th to 15th centuries, out of brick and stone. Ancient non-religious structures such as urban ruins and bathing places are often called candi, but the word is mostly used to describe a religious shrine. While candi are prominently found in Indonesia, they are also found throughout South-east Asia. A candi believed to be more than 1,000 years old, located in Sungai Batu Estate, Lembah Bujang, was demolished by housing developers clearing land for a residential housing project.
Candi 11, which measured 250ft long and 150ft wide, was first discovered by British explorers in the 1920s, and was reconstructed in 1974 by the Museum Department. The NGO Badan Warisan Malaysia is trying to get the valley recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is feared that several candi have been destroyed over the years.
Kadaram
In the middle of the 6th century, new waves of colonials from the Pallava Empire asserted themselves and engineered the break-up of the neighbouring Hindu state of Funan. Funan had, at that time, been in existence since the 1st century CE. The expatriate Pallavas must have been a formidable force to shatter such a long-established kingdom whose monarch had a significantly Pallava name: Rudravarman. Clearly, the fact that the people of Kadaram and those of Funan shared a common religion, culture and, possibly, a language, did not deter the Pallavas from widening their sphere of influence, to Funan's great misfortune.
Map showing Rajendra Chola's raid that include the Malay peninsula
The Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty (also called Choda and Cholan) was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of southern India. Together with the Chera and Pandya dynasties, the Cholas formed the three main Tamil dynasties of Iron Age India, who were collectively known as the Three Crowned Kings. The earliest datable references to the dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE, left by Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, and in the ancient Sangam literature.
The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River, but they ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century until the beginning of the 13th century. The whole country south of the Tungabhadra river was united and held as one state for more than two centuries. Under Emperor Rajaraja Chola I and his successors Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola I the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South and Southeast Asia. The power of the new empire was proclaimed to the eastern world by the expedition to the Ganges in northern India which Rajendra Chola I undertook and by the occupation of cities of the maritime empire of Srivijaya in Southeast Asia, as well as by the repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented the zenith of ancient Indian sea power.
During the period 1010–1200, the Chola territories stretched from the islands of the Maldives in the south to as far north as the banks of the Godavari River in Telangana. Rajaraja Chola conquered peninsular South India, annexed parts of which is now Sri Lanka and occupied the islands of the Maldives. Rajendra Chola sent a victorious expedition to North India that touched the Ganges and defeated Mahipala, the Pala ruler of Pataliputra. His army went on to raid what is now Bangladesh. He successfully invaded cities of Srivijaya in Malaysia, Indonesia and Southern Thailand. The Chola dynasty went into decline at the beginning of the 13th century with the rise of the Pandyan dynasty, which ultimately caused their downfall.
Their patronage of Tamil literature and their zeal in the building of temples has resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and architecture. The Chola kings were avid builders and envisioned the temples in their kingdoms not only as places of worship but also as centres of economic activity. The Chola school of art spread to and influenced that of Southeast Asia.
They pioneered a centralised form of government and established a disciplined bureaucracy. During the Imperial Chola period urbanisation increased and there was a tremendous agrarian expansion and well-developed system of water management. During this period the economy and particularly trade flourished because of the emergence of prosperous and well-organised Tamil merchant guilds which controlled long-distance trade.
Dynasty that ruled South India
The
coin features a standing figure, the king who issued the coin. He is holding a
lotus flower in upraised left arm with four or five flattened pellets below the
elbow. Under the hanging right arm is a weapon or scepter. The king's drapery,
legs and another line between them are represented by five straight lines.
On
the reverse, a similar figure is seated with a legend (commonly Raja Raja) or
other symbols under the left arm. The right arm is hanging down over the knees,
fingers extended. This coin is a genuine antiquity minted during the dynasty of
the Chola monarchs in southern India and Ceylon. Bronze coins of this type were
struck during the Cholas’ "Golden Age" during the mid-10th through
11th centuries A.D. Unlike the experiences of previous cultures, these coins
were popular for smaller transactions among the Cholas and neighboring
civilizations even though they lacked a gold or silver content.
980 AD - 1014 AD
Obverse.
This coin has a figure of standing king on obverse. His left hand holds a lotus near
his face and the right hand has a sceptre. Near by is a small lamp-stand.
Reverse.
The reverse side shows a seated goddess. On the right is the three line legend
in Sanskrit. "Sri Raja Raja".
Rajendra
Chola
The Cholas became
one of the most powerful dynasties in Asia during his reign. The Tamil Chola
armies exacted tribute from Thailand and
the Khmer kingdom of Cambodia. The successful invasions of Rajendra Chola were
applauded by several medieval Tamil poets like Jayamkondan in his text
Kalingattupparani and Ottakkoothar in his text Ula.[5] He
received the titles Gangai Kondan (He who took the Ganges river in north India) and Kadaram Kondan (He who took kedah in Malaysia). Like
the predecessors of the Cholas, the Pallavas and the contemporaneous Pandiyans,
the Cholas too under Raja Raja I the father of Rajendra and then Rajendra Chola
I too undertook several expeditions to occupy territories outside Indian
shores. Of these kings, it was Rajendra who made extensive overseas conquests of
territories like Sri Lanka and wide areas of Southeast Asia
like Malaysia, Indonesia and Southern Thailand.
In fact, Rajendra Chola I was the first Indian king to take his armies overseas
and make conquests of these territories, even though there is epigraphical
evidence of Pallava presence in these very areas, but it is not known that and
Indo-China were subordinate to them, as they were under Rajendra and his
successors up to Kulothunga Chola I.
After his successful campaign to Ganges he got the title Gangaikonda Chola (The Chola who took the Ganges), he also built a Shiva temple at his new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram, similar in design to the Tanjore Brihadisvara temple built by his father Rajaraja Chola and expanded the Pathirakali Amman Temple and Koneswaram temples of Trincomalee. Rajendra Chola created at his capital a vast artificial lake, sixteen miles long and three miles wide which to this day remains one of the largest man-made lakes in India. He inherited from his father the famous title Mummudi Cholan (The Chola with three crown), Mummudi title was used by Tamil kings who ruled the three kingdoms of Chola, Pandya and Chera. He founded a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Ancient-
Uttama Chola)
The Chola of the high middle ages was a
powerful sea fairing trade civilization of southern India. The Golden age of
the Cholan civilization coincided with the reign of the sucessor of Uttama
Chola his name was RajaRaja Chola I.At the height of Cholan power the
neighboring kingdoms of the Pandya and Chera were under their control and all
of south India was under one government for the first time in a 1000 years.
The civilization is remembered for the
outrageous ornate temples found all over India. They are known to have staffed
hospitals, had a form of organized education and had a high level of literacy.
Uttama Chola was known for his compassion, piety, and religious tolerance. The
Chola were renowned for ocean fairing navigation, safe harbors on the east and
west of India and competitive rates for commodities. The Cholan Empire
subjugated and colonized the Singalese Kingdom of Sri Lanka who with the Chola
would issue the famous and common "Octopus" coins of the 13th
century.
This coin dates to the King preceeded RajaRaja Cholas invasion of Sri Lanka, but it is thought that the coins were continued into RajaRaja's reign, he also called himself Uttama Chola. These coins are from South India's ThamilNadu region, minted in the city of Thanjavur. These coins are found scattered through out the Cholan trade route. The Chola would eventually control huge swaths of the Pacific Eastern Archipelago. These coins are most often found in Sri Lanka.
RajaRaja Chola : 985 - 1014
Copper massa coins
Copper massa coins
Six different copper massa of selected from the statistically analysed sample of 100 coins
of RajaRaja Chola (985-1014) of Thanjavur in TamilNadu. Most of the coins of
the lot were of Indian Type with the four balls with a dot in center and
cresent above on the right hand side of the standing king. One was of Lanka
type with solid ball is probably from the period of Chola occupation of Lanka.
Obverse : Standing king with head to right. Holds an item in left hand which is bent and held up to his face. The right hand is extended outwards and bent downwards over the temple lamp on left to high alter. A group of four spheres on right, surmounted by crescent.
Reverse : Seated king on left facing right holds a conch shell in left hand which is bent and held up to his face. The right hand is extended outwards and bent downwards over knee. Legend beneath on right in 3 lines. Sri Raja Raja in Devanagari script.
Obverse : Standing king with head to right. Holds an item in left hand which is bent and held up to his face. The right hand is extended outwards and bent downwards over the temple lamp on left to high alter. A group of four spheres on right, surmounted by crescent.
Reverse : Seated king on left facing right holds a conch shell in left hand which is bent and held up to his face. The right hand is extended outwards and bent downwards over knee. Legend beneath on right in 3 lines. Sri Raja Raja in Devanagari script.
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