Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email This is indeed an interesting news. The location would be logical since it was a landing area (port) for the travellers from India to make inroads into other parts of South East Asia if they arrive by sea. So, Indians and Hinduism were here as early as 1AD? Well, won’t make much of a difference as our school history books start the story at 1400 only 🙂
SUNGAI PETANI: The significance of the recently unearthed prehistoric buildings in Sungai Batu in Bujang Valley has been boosted by findings of ancient writings, which proved that a civilisation existed here from as early as the first century.
Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said Sanskrit Pallava inscriptions found on bricks indicated that the civilisation and buildings in Sungai Batu pre-dated other prominent ancient monuments like the Borobudur and Angkor Wat, which were built in the 8th and 12th centuries respectively.
Exciting find: Dr Rais (in blue cap) discussing the ancient writings discovered at Bujang Valley with Merbok MP Datuk Tajul Urus Md Zain yesterday. — Bernama
“The Sungai Batu excavation site comprises an area for religious ceremonies, a jetty and a smelting factory, which had been in existence before other ancient monuments in South-East Asia came up, making this of greater historical importance to both the country and the world.
“There are indications that the site was not only used for religious purposes but also for commercial activities like iron smelting. The jetty, used for transportation, also warrants further research,” he added.
Dr Rais said all authorities should embark on a more concerted app-roach to conserving and carrying out in-depth studies on the site in light of the findings, and the tremendous research and tourism potential these offered.
He said Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre of Global Archaelogical Research, which was conducting the excavation with the National Heri-tage Department and other local and foreign experts, would be consulted on plans to develop the area.
A government committee would also be formed to come up with the plans, he told reporters after visiting the excavation sites in Sungai Batu I and Sungai Batu II covering three sq km in an oil palm plantation in Jalan Lencongan Merbok.
Plantation owner Teoh Guang Huat, 79, was present to greet the minister.
Dr Rais said he would also bring up the matter of further funding with the Prime Minister.
Excavation work began on Feb 1 last year with an approved grant of RM2.3mil by the ministry. The site has yet to be gazetted as the Bujang Valley Heritage Park.
The Bujang Valley consists of almost 300sq km of land from Gunung Jerai to Sungai Muda.
Captain James Low first identified the Bujang Valley civilisation after discovering more than 20 temples in Kampung Bujang in 1840.
Research and excavation activities found that Bujang Valley was the main port in South-East Asia from the 5th century to the 13th century A.D.
Dear Poobalan,
Pallava Dynasty is one of the ancient dynasties from Tamil Nadu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallava
Pallava inscriptions means that Tamils were already here such a long time ago.
But I think the dates are incorrect because the earliest the Pallava Dynasty could have started is from AD275 onwards (see wikipedia “Pallava Chronology”). But Rais says the site was dated around AD100.
It is interesting to note Rais said the inscriptions are in Sanskrit, do have an idea what it looks like, is it similar to the one the British found in Seberang Perai?
http://exhibitions.nlb.gov.sg/kaalachakra/contact-Influence-Localisation2.htm
Rgds
Jack Daniels,
Well, maybe someone gave Rais wrong script to read 🙂 Maybe they haven’t really done testing on the articles excavated from the site.
I have no idea on the Sanskrit letters found there. Need to wait till its published in public.
Of course,there were hindu temple’s,it is a fact.Once upon a time,this were part of hindu civilastion….Hindu religion at age was feudalistic.Each kingdom worshipped their own deity,if a king lose’s in war,then he will have to worship the deity of the victorious king.
sankrit is not anyway related to dravidan laugauge like tamil,we can’t claim victory for someone’s else accomplishment.In malaysia we call everyone as indians,but in india caste and ethincity are still domianat,just rember tamil-nadu form just around 4% of the total indian population.Here we worship all diety’s,but in india it is not the case.Most of our malaysian indians are low-caste,technically if our father’s had been cleaning the toilet then we need do that too.That’s what the in the age of king’s most of our ancestors did.So,how can we claim glory for something that we were never part of ? The instituations of the learning are reserved for kings,nobels and brahimins only…so,if we turn the clock around to that age,i am not too sure many of us would like it.
Maybe we can just say we are related to this king and so on,but the reality is far from it
Ermm..I’m not much in clear with Mr tamilselvam’s comment, so it will be enlighting if he could explain further on his stand. Maybe he’s trying to say that since the inscription is in Sanskrit, it could be not be from Tamil Nadu..perhaps from Northern region?
Indian from southern and Malays are long friend for thousands year.. Since hindhu and buddhist civilization prospered from India to Malays Archipelago, to Siamese and Indo China as well as until China, I subscribe that the Malays had admired the Indian civilization that’s why before the arrival of Islam, most Malay king adopted many Indian characteristic including for example Merong mahawangsa of Kadaha (now Kedah), Dharma raja and Balaputera (the malay king from Srivijaya and Sailendra) as well as Siamese kings like Raja Rama Tibodhi… Even though they embraced hINDHU or Buddhist and some royal malays can speak and write Sanskerta and Pallava scripts well, they are still Malays in terms or race… but we maintain respect unto literature, religous ritual, indian names and architecture from India such as from Pallava and Nalanda…
That’s why in ancient times indian traders and monarch sit side by side with Malays noblemen, royalty and scholars too in harmony..
And some hindhu holy books and literature like Mahabhrata and Romance of Deva Rama & Sittha Devi and many more were translated into malay language, for exmple Hikayat sri Rama dan sita Dewi, Hikayat Sang Rjuna Tapa, Hikayat Arjuna the great Archerer and also Hikayat Pandawa Lima..
So we are destined to be friends for many thousand years.. Cheers..
Truly
Fairuz bin Kamarulzaman
fairuz_k_zaman@yahoo.com
well,according to some historian.That monumen,are use to worship the sun god(Animism) not Hindoo/Buddhist religion…When we look at that monument.We can tell that it doesnt have any hindu influence at all…and of course they already did the radiocarbon test…who an idiot will make that kind of statement without any research….?
It was the Pallava Empire tat ruled Kadaram/kedah, not Chola, but Tamil writers have cheap thrill to say it was Cola Dynasty ! Even the Cholas were of Malla race Not Tamil. Chola era 11C.E, bt Kadaram as early as 1st C.E. The Pallavas were the pioneers of temple building, ill advised Tamils always bury the truth and claim that it was Tamil. If it had been Tamils the lingua here wouldn’t be Malay ! Bahasa Malaysia consist of Sanskrit and Pallava Sciipts, not Tamil. Even in Tamil the words “pllikoodam(school),palgalaikalagam (univrsity) kaloori(educational inst/college) were not Tamil words,was introduced by Pallavas.ThePallava Empire was the largest at its time in South Asian history .The Tamils little by little misinterpretated South Indian/Indian history ! Pallavas call Maharajah,whereas Cholas its Rajaraja. The Pandiyas its Jega veera pandian. Futermore the animal Lion not found in South India orS.E.Asia, the Chola flag -tigr emblem,Not lion ,whereas Singgasana ?Simha Aasana(lions seat-Sanskrit) inherited from the Pallavas.