chap_8
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chapter_8.html
chapter_9.html
TIRUKKURAL
An Abridgement of Śāstras
R. Nagaswamy
VOLUME - III
8. ALLEGED COIN OF TIRUVALLUVAR
There is a gold coin accidentally discovered in a box at Calcutta depicting a sage on the obverse and a five-pointed star on the reverse. Iravatham Mahadevan, published a note on this coin identifying the seated sage as Tiruvaḷḷuvar; further, he also speculated it should have been issued by Ellis, the famous Tamiḻ Scholar in the 18th century. This discovery has been hailed as the greatest contribution to Tamiḻ history subsequently by other writers. The coins are set to have been issued in Calcutta.
Bengal was a great seat of Buddhism. The Pāla rulers of Bengal have been the greatest patrons of Buddhism, and many personal names in Bengal speak of the popularity of Buddha. Anyone who knows the Iconography of Buddha can immediately recognize the coin under discussion as that of Buddha, in what is called bhūmi sparśa mudrā. As this coin has been issued in Calcutta it seems to be a commemorative coin of Buddha. The coin is set to have been issued by Ellis, but there is no evidence to connect Ellis with this coin. His name has been drawn only to make it an issue of Vaḷḷuvar commemorative issue.