The Cheruk Tokun Relic is within the compound of St Anne Church.
This Cheruk Tokun Relic can be traced back to ancient Indian Kingdom of Kadaaram, presently known as Kedah, a northern state in Malaysia.
Some Pallava scripts or Sanskrit inscriptions can be found written on the large, smooth block of granite bearing inscriptions. It was said to have been carved around the 5th - 6th centuries.
The script is Pre-Pallava and the language is Sanskrit. The inscription speaks about 'Thus vanquish, the enemies of King Ramaunnibha'.
It does make one think, what happen to the once very prosperous kingdom? Also the loyal supporters of Raja Chola? All we got now are remnants of the once very ancient 5th - 6th centuries old Penang Indian history.
And its ports were important international markets as Romans, Indians, Chinese, Arabs were the people who used to frequent these places.
Cheruk Tokun Relic: The inscription speaks about 'Thus vanquish, the enemies of King Ramaunnibha'.
The ancient Kingdom of Kadaaram was a rich source of gold. Its rivers contained gold sand. Furthermore, there were abundant spices and forest products.
The kingdom was well-cultivated and hence rich in food material. Further two stone writings or Buddha gupta inscriptions using the Pallava scripts and in the Sanskrit language was found at Guar Kepah, and Cheruk Tok Kun in Bukit Mertajam according to the Archaeological Research 1992-2001.
Southern Kedah or Lembah Bujang civilization in the early century to 20 A.D. was intimately related to maritime trade between a few countries in Asia, China, West Asia and India. The development of its entrepot trade was often tied to the Thalassocractic Kingdom of Srivijaya.
The finding of historical sites on which could be found thousands of pieces of ceramics, glass and beads from China, West Asia, India or local, the ruins of temples dedicated to Hindu gods and Buddha, the structures of sunken towns and harbors, cultural artifacts such as idols and statutes, stone writings and tools used in the community's everyday activities had indicated that this cluster as the place where the ancient Kedah coastal state was founded.
Cheruk Tok Kun Relic or Batu Bersurat within BM St Anne Church vicinity
Sungai Mas and the corridor of Sungai Mudais a historical site that crosses through pre-historic era of such cultures as the Hoabinhian, proto-history, and history.
Even though its research had taken nearly 150 years, but efforts at revealing, reviving and re-constructing history, its role and development is still being debated and had not been agreed upon.
Its status and potential is recognized by participants of the InterASEAN project: Archaeological Excavation and Conversation of Bujang Valley, Kedah in 1985, and was recognized by the Malaysian Book of Records for the discovery of hundreds of thousands of ancient beads and for being one of the comprehensive locations for the manufacture of beads in the Indo-Pacific region.
Because its harbor was indispensable and located within the trans-peninsular route between Old Kedah and Langkasuka (Patani), it developed into an important city-port.
It seems this unusual megalith is the only megalith in the state of Penang gazetted by the Department of Museum and Antiquities. The Museum and Antiquities Department built a shed over the megalith in 1973.
It seems a little late by the time it was enclosed as the one and only megalith in Penang gazette is craved or engraved by people who does not know the significant of it.
Outside the megalith stood a lone stone slab validating the find by a British army officer Colonel James Low in 1845.
It does make one think, what happen to the once very prosperous kingdom? Also the loyal supporters of Raja Chola? All we got now are remnants of the once very ancient 5th - 6th centuries old Penang Indian history.
ReplyDeleteaku rase statement ni salah.. memang orang melayu dulu beragama hindu tapi diorg bukan orang india.. diorg melayu jugak.. beragama hindu x menjadikan mereka org india..
exactly, to say INDIAN Kingdom is wrong, because the right term is Hindu Kingdom. It was not Indian who lives in peninsular but old-Malay who were Hindus.
ReplyDeleteto the two comments before mine, it is possible that the scriptures were written by hindu malays, but one must not forget that the indians were explorers then too, so the possibility of them reaching Malaya is highly possible. Either way, both are possible
ReplyDeleteTo call them Malay is also not appropriate. The concept of Malay came much later. They were ethnic groups of migrants from the North, Champa, Funnan, etc. Their descendants might had intermarriage within or with locals. Hence, evolved new race of mixed ethnicity. The Indonesian migrants from Acheh, medan, Sumatran shd not be considered from the same origin. The Malay concept has been over politicized. Let's look at history as history. Let Archeological facts and historical scripts revive real history.
ReplyDeleteThey're indeed Malay in nature because Malay is in reference to the sailing people known in the maritime country. They're not ethnically foreign per se. Denying the fact for your political feelings are very unscientific and educated.
ReplyDelete