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Presenting below these two copper plates of Pallava King Aparajitavarman (900 AD) and Chola King Parantaka I (AD 907-955) for visual scrutiny and understanding.
Codrington in his book ""Ceylon Coins and Currency"" published in 1924 and Mitchiner in his book ""Oriental Coins"" published in 1978 have clearly pointed out that the traditional design of Sri Lanka standing King Type Copper Massa (coins) of the Jaffna Arya Chkravartis from 1284 AD to 1410 AD always bore the Tamil legend SETU. Setu coins were previously attributed to the Setupati Princes of Ramnad. Codrington and Mitchner attribute them strongly to the Jaffna Arya Chkravartis. I am presenting below the obverse and reverse side of one of the coins issued by Jaffna Arya Chkravartis from 1284 to 1410 AD. In the book, "Yaalpana Iraachchiyam" (1992), Prof. S. Pathamanathan in his article on "Coins" notes:
Early kings of Jaffna, sometimes referred to as Ariyacakravarti, used names such as Segarajasekaran and Pararajasekaran, and used the epithets Singaiyariyan (Lord of Singaingar, the earlier capital of the Kingdom of Jaffna), SETUKAVALAN (Guardian of Setu or Rameshwaram) and Gangainadan (belonging to the country of the Ganga). Their emblems were a recumbent bull -nanthi-, a Saiva symbol, and the expression SETU, indicating the place of their origin, Rameshwaram. The term Setu was also used as an expression of benediction.
Several types of coins categorized as SETU BULL coins are found in large quantities in the northern part of Sri Lanka. I am illustrating one of the types of these Setu Bull Coins below. The obverse of this coin has a human figure flanked by lamps and the reverse has the Nandi (bull) symbol with the legend Sethu in Tamil with a crescent moon above.
P Pushparatnam in his brilliant paper ""Murukan Worship Sri Lanka: New Archeological Evidence"" has observed:"" The Europeans first employed the utilization of numismatics as a source for historical research in the 18th century AD. The European officers who were in charge of the Archaeological Survey of India and the Civil Service and other officers employed in India in the 19th century took interest in the collection and study of coins. In Sri Lanka, numismatics received wider attention in the 20th century. As important as epigraphically data is, numismatics is restricted in its content as few names or words and certain symbols in figurative form or forms appear in them. They are very valuable to reconstruct the history of a particular dynasty and its chronology. Evidence of the coins issued by the Sri Lankan Tamils is now available. This period ranges from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD. These throw a flood of light on various aspects such as the ancient language, script, genesis of Kingdoms, settlements of people, commerce, foreign relations and so on""
P Pushparatnam has analysed the following two coins issued by the Tamil rulers of Nallur in Jaffna who ruled during 13th - 17th century AD. We can see the inscription of the word SETU in Tamil, apart from the figures of Nandi and Peacock.
Leonard Wolf, husband of the great English novelist Virginia Wolf (1882-1941) worked as a British Civil Servant in Ceylon in the first decade of the 20th century. In one of his early News Paper articles, he has referred to the widespread use of old Setu Coins (with letters in Tamil) in circulation in Jaffna.
11th Century Hospital in Tamil Nadu
It can be acquainted about the medical services of the Chola kings from the inscriptions. A temple inscription of 11th century speaks in detail about a hospital functioned in the name of Vira Cholan Athura Salai. The hospital was founded in the name of king Vira Chola (1063-1069 AD). A Brahmin by the name of Savarna Kothandarama Aswathama Bhattan of Alampakkum was in charge of this hospital that had only fifteen beds. His title indicates he was also the chief consultant. The person who was second to the consultant is referred to as “the one who treats”. There were nurses (females) to assist him in caring the patients and administering medicine. An attendant was there to serve food and water purified by the addition of cardamom and the lamichcham (roots of Vetiveria zizanioides)
From the salary particulars revealed by this inscription, it is clear that the surgeon received much less remuneration compared to that of the consultant or his second in command. As we have observed earlier the departments of medicine and surgery were taken care of by two different classes of people. The profession of surgery was considered inferior to general medicine and had been performed by people belonging to lower classes. This could explain the salary differences between the physician and the surgeon in this ancient hospital.
The sculpture shown below depicts an event of surgery in ancient India. Persons belonging to various professions are involved in the process of surgery. Among them, the physician of the higher rank is seen with a turban, a bright aura around his head and a book in his hands. The person in the next rank is depicted here with a dull aura and without a turban but. The surgeon shown appears to be ordinary citizen as without any special feature to reflect his identity. He is neither wearing a turban nor any ornaments. The one who cares the patient is a female, probably a nurse or a relative to the patient. Though the surgeons were not respected and properly paid, there had been always a unique place for surgery in Ayurveda in the past.
Previously cited temple inscription also provides a list of medicines stored in the Vira Chola’s hospital. The list includes the following.
Vasa haritaki Dasamoola haritaki
Bilvatha haritaki Bala eranda Taila
Panchaka Taila Lasunathi eranda Taila
Uthamkarnathi Taila Mandura Vadakam
Sirovasthy Brahmium
Kadumpuri Kandiram
Vimalai Sunetri
Tamrathi Vajrakalpam
Kalyana lavanam
Sanskrit Name Latin Name
Vasa Adathoda vasica
Haritaki Terminalia Chebula
Bala sida cordifolia
Lasuna Allium sativum
Eranda Ricinus communis
Bilva Eagle marmelos
Ballathaka Semicarpus anacardium
Mandura Ferric oxide
Mandura means iron dust. Vadakam means dried medicinal balls. Maduram is the powder scattered while thrashing the iron rods in the iron smith workshops. This iron powder collected from soil, is mixed with cow’s urine and fried in a mud pan. This process is referred to as the purification of manduram (the iron dust).
Pararajasekaram, a Tamil medical text written in Sri Lanka in the 16th century describes the process of preparing Mandura Vadakam as follows: “the purified iron dust is mixed with lime juice and boiled. When the mixture reaches the semi solid state, dried ginger, black pepper, long pepper and garlic are added to it. The final product is made into dry pills. Mandura vadakam thus prepared when consumed with cooked rice and buttermilk will cure anemia.”
Vasa Haritaki, Dasamoola Haritaki and Bilvatha Haritaki are the medicines prepared with chebulic myrobalan. Ayurvedic texts often prescribe different kinds of Haritakii-based preparations to cure various diseases. Haritaki medicines are prepared by processing chebulic myrobalan by removing the seeds and inserting other herbal ingredients into it. Vasa Haritaki is a formulation that contains Adathoda vasica and Haritaki.
Taila refers to the medicated oil used for external application. Butter or a vegetable oil, especially, the sesame oil is used in such preparations. When castor oil is used in place of sesame oil the preparation is called Eranda Taila. When the herb known as bala (Sida cordifolia)) is used as the main ingredient of this medicated oil, the preparation is called Bala eranda Thailam. This oil is used to treat neck cramp, facial paralysis, noise in the ears and headache. Lasunadi Eranda Taila is a medicated oil in which garlic is the main ingredient.
It is clear that the Government sponsored hospitals of the Chola period (between 10th and 13th centuries) provided health care based on the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine. At the same time, one cannot rule out the possibility of the existence of other local remedies as well as those prescribed by Yogis known as “Siddhars”.
Development of the Tamil Brahmi Script into Vattezhuthu and Tamil Script
Pottery with Tamil-Brahmini inscriptions, Berenike, Egypt, First Century A.D.
Pandya Copper coin with Tamil Brahimi Legend, Karur, First Century B.C
Music inscription in Tamil Brahimi, Arachalur, Fourth Century A.D.
Memorial Stela for a fighting cock, Vatteluttu inscription, Arasalapuram, Fifth Century A.D
Inscription in verse on a pillar, Tamil Script, Mutharaiyar chiefs, 8th Century, Sendalai, Thanjavur Dist.
Rock cut cave temple inscription in Tamil Script,9th Century, Maranjadaiyan, Tirukkokarnam, Pudukkottai District
Inscription In Tamil Script, Parantaka Chola 929CE, Gangaikondacholapuram, Perambalur District
Inscription on Temple Base In Tamil Script, Early Chola 10th Century CE, Kodumbalur, Pudukkottai District
Village Assembly Election (Kudavolai) Inscription In Tamil Script, Parantakachola 921 CE, Uttaramerur, Kanchipuram District
Inscription In Tamil Script, Vikkirama Chola, 1121CE, Sendalai, Thanjavur District
nscription In Tamil Script, Pandya, 13th Century, Pillamangalam, Sivaganga District
A stone-inscription with Indo-arabic numerals 355. Very strange, for at first the number looked like 1355, roughly a 100 years after the Darasuram temple was built. But later, Kingsley tells the number is 355...what looks like 1 is in fact a part of the previous letter. Kingsley also tells that in Tamil temples, numbers would be written out in words and not using numerals. Altogether a strange piece of writing.
This script was found on the temple walls of the Tanjore Bragadeeshwara temple.
Kanceepuram
கல்வெட்டு (Kalvettu - Kal = stone + vettu = Cut/carve/etch) at Kasi Viswanathar temple, at Tenkasi, Tamilnadu. A kalvettu recorded details such as the king of the province, his regnal year, his predecessors, the wars he fought in, the enemies he conquered. It lists the grants that king has made towards building that temple, who built it, and what kind of charities and donations will keep it afloat. This makes these kalvettu-s a great record of history.
Brihadeeswara temple
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திருக்கோவலூர் மலையமான் என்பவன் சங்ககால குறுநில மன்னர்களுள் ஒருவன். இவனது வம்சத்தினர் மலையமான் வம்சத்தினர் எனப்பட்டனர். இவர்கள் வெளியிட்ட செப்பு மற்றும் இருமபுக் காசுகள் கிடைத்துளன. அதில் இவர்கள் ஆண்ட திருக்கோவலூர் ஊரின் பொன்னையாறு, மூன்று மலைகள் மற்றும் ஒரு பாதையும் காணப்படுகிறது. இவற்றின் காலம் கிபி 100 - 300 ஆகும்
