Ramanathapuram students unearth Eelam coins of Rajaraja Chola era

MADURAI: A 1,000-year-old Eelam coin, engraved with the name of Rajaraja Chola-I (985-1012 AD), was unearthed by girl students of Tirupullani Government School, Ramanathapuram district.

The students of the Heritage Club at Tirupullani, Suresh Sudha Azhaghan Memorial Government Higher Secondary School, were trained to identify ancient coins, potsherds, and read and stumpage the inscriptions.

When Class 8 students K Manimegalai, S Dhivyadharshini and S Kanishkasri were digging a pit while playing on Sunday, they found the ancient coin.

V Rajaguru, the Heritage Club secretary and president of Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation, after visiting the place, explained ‘On one side of the coin stands a man holding a flower in his hand, and on his left, there are four circles. There is a crescent above him. On the right are a trident and a lamp. On the other side, a man is seated with a conch in his hand and near his left hand is written in Devanagari script ‘Srirajaraja’ in three lines. The edges of the coin are worn out.

Recalling history, Rajaguru said the Eelam coins were issued in gold, silver and copper to commemorate the conquest of Sri Lanka by Rajaraja Chola I. "This is a copper coin," he said.

A few years ago, the students of this school found Eelam coins in Panchanthangi, Thathanendal and Koraikuttam around Tirupullani. These coins were issued for use in Sri Lanka and were also in circulation in the countries under the Chola rule, he said.

Headmaster G Mahendran Kannan and teachers appreciated the students for finding the ancient coin.