Tambralinga

Tambralinga was an ancient kingdom located on the Malay Peninsula that at one time came under the influence of Srivijaya. The
name had been forgotten until scholars recognized Tambralinga as Nagara Sri Dharmaraja(Nakhon Si Thammarat). Early records are
scarce but its duration is estimated to range from the seventh to the fourteenth century
. Tambralinga first sent tribute to the emperor of
the Tang dynasty in 616. In Sanskrit tambra means "red" and linga means "symbol", typically representing the divine energy of
Shiva.

By the end of the twelfth century, Tambralinga became independent of Srivijaya as the empire suffered a decline in prestige. At its
height between the thirteenth century and the beginning of the fourteenth century, Tambralinga had occupied most of the Malay
Peninsula and become one of the dominant Southeast Asian states. By the end of the fourteenth century, Tambralinga was recorded in
Siamese history as Nagara Sri Dharmaraja Kingdom.

Contents
Tambralinga in records
Location
Golden age
Decline
Heritage and restoration
References

Tambralinga in records
References to a country named Poling appear in Chinese chronicles from the Tang period (618-907) down to the early Ming period
(1368-1644). They had sent tribute in 640, 648, 818, 860 and 873. Many scholars identify Poling with Maling, and Danmaling (
) was one of the member-states of Sanfoqi (Srivijaya in Chinese language) in the central part of the Malayu Peninsula or now a day
southern Thailand. Consequently, Poling may also be equated to Javaka in Sri Lankan materials, Savaka in Tamil inscriptions, Zabaj
and Zabaka in Arabic records, Tambralingam and Tambralingarath (rath meaning country) that appear inIndian sources.

Location
Although geographic location of Holing has been never mentioned in the reports of the pilgrims who had visited the kingdom, there
are several reasons that suggest a location on Thai southern coast, which is precisely where the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy
said that the main port city of Takola Emporium was located during the first century
.

References to the Tang's Chronicles (618-907), at Holing on the day of the summer solstice (June), an eight-foot vertical stake of
sundial would cast a shadow that was around two feet long at the time of local noon that fell to the south side of the stake. By this
information some scholars can determine that Holing was located at the latitude of 6 degrees, 8 minutes north. The only part of
Southeast Asia that reaches this particular latitude is located in the central part of
southern Thailand above the Equator.

In 671, the Chinese monk Yijing had a journey to seek the Pali Canon in India. After sailing for twenty days, his ship arrived in
Foshih, the capital of Srivijaya Buddhist kingdom, where he "...landed and stayed six months, gradually learning the Sanskrit
grammar. The king gave me some support and sent me to the country of Moloyu ...."
 According to his record, Holing and
Foshih were on nearly the same
latitude but Holing was due east of
the city of Foshih at a distance that
could be spanned by a four- or five-
day journey by sea while Moloyu
was at a distance of fifteen-day
journey by sea and had a location
near to the Equator.

Tambralinga was mentioned again

in Tanjore inscription stone. At
Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur,
the ancient city of Tanjore in Tamil
Nadu are inscriptions dating from
1030 which mentions the victory of An artist's impression of the Tang
Rajendra Chola I over the dynasty Buddhist monk Yijing (,
635713)
Southeastern countries of Srivijaya
Tambralinga among polities in kingdom. The countries that
ancient Malay realm.
Rajendra Chola I conquered were 13
countries including Madamalingam (or
Tambralingam).

This inscription mentions the name of Srivisayam as the capital of the kingdom and
Mevilimbangam (assumed Palembang) is another city. From Jue-Tang-Chu and Sin-Tang-chu
chronicles in Ming period (1368-1644) described the location of Sanfoqi (Srivijaya) that "the
An inscription by Rajaraja
west bordering Topoteng, the north bordering Chenla, the south bordering Tomosang island Chola I at the Brihadisvara
and east bordering Po-li or Ma-li". temple in Thanjavur.

The boundary of this country is explained as follow:

Direction
North to Chenla
East to Po-li or Ma-li
West to Topoteng
South to Tomosang
Island
Country
Chenla is known as ancient Khmer Empire.
Poli or Poling, Mali or Maling - Danmaling is known as ambralinga
T or Nakorn Sri
Dharmaraj.
Topoteng is known as Thap Thiang, one of Tambons (subdistrict) in Trang, southern
Thailand.
Tomosang is known as Temasek or Singapore in the fourteenth century.

Golden age
According to the inscription no.24 found at Hua-wieng temple in Chaiya near to Nakhon Si Thammarat, the ruler of Tambralinga
named Chandrabhanu Sridhamarajawas the king of Patama vamsa (lotus dynasty).[1]:184 He began to reign in 1230, he had the Phrae
Boromadhatu (chedi in Nakhon Si Thammaraj, from Sanskrit dhatu - element, component, or relic + garbha - storehouse or
repository) reparation and celebration in the same year. Chandrabhanu Sridhamaraja brought Tambralinga reached the pinnacle of its
power in the mid-thirteenth century. From the Sri Lankan and Tamil materials, this Chandrabhanu was a Savakan king from
Tambralinga who had invaded Sri Lanka in 1247. His navy launched an assault on the southern part of the island but was defeated by
the Sri Lankan king.
However Chandrabhanu was able to establish an independent regime in the north of the island
over the Jaffna kingdom, but in 1258 he was attacked and subjugated by the south Indian
Emperor Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan.[1]:185 He was compelled to pay a tribute to the
Pandyan Dynasty of precious jewels and elephants. In 1262 Chandrabhanu launched another
attack on the south of the island, his army strengthened this time by the addition of Tamil and
Sinhalese forces, only to be defeated when Pandya sided with the Sri Lankan side; this time
Jatarvarman Sundara Pandyan's brother Jatavarman Veera Pandyan intervened and
Chandrabhanu himself was killed in the fighting. Chandrabhanus son Savakanmaindan
inherited the throne and submitted to Veera Pandyan's rule, received rewards and retained
control over the northern kingdom. His regime too had disappeared following Maravarman
Kulasekara Pandyan I's ascension to the Pandyan empire's throne and another invasion of the
island by the army of the Pandyan Dynasty in the late 1270s. Maravarman Kulasekara
Pandyan I installed his minister in charge of the invasion, Kulasekara Cinkaiariyan, an
Aryachakravarti as the new king of Jaffna. Chedi Phrae Boromadhatu

In at least two senses, the rapid expansion of Tambralinga is exceptional in the history of
Southeast Asia. In the first place, Candrabhanus invasion of Sri Lanka and occupation of the Jaffna kingdom marks the only time
that a Southeast Asian power has launched an overseas military expedition beyond the immediate Southeast Asian region. In the
second place, in the historiography of Southeast Asia the southern Thailand has generally played a secondary role to that of places
like Java, the Malacca Strait region (Srivijaya in the seventh~eighth century, Melaka in the fifteenth century), Cambodia, Champa,
Vietnam, and Burma. Tambralingas sudden appearance on centre-stage in the thirteenth century was thus highly unusual.

Decline
By the end of the fourteenth century, Tambralinga had been submerged by the Sumatran Melayu Kingdom which had the backing of
Java. Finally, in 1365 Majapahit Kingdom of Java recognized Nakorn Sri Dharmaraja as Dharmanagari written in Nagarakretagama.
Despite its rapid rise to prominence in the thirteenth century, that is, by the following century Danmaling, or Tambralinga, the former
member state of Sanfoshih Javaka, had become a part of Siam.

Heritage and restoration

The city chronicle already mentions a fortification when the town was refounded in
1278. The Ram Khamhaeng inscription of 1283 lists Nakhon Si Thammarat as one of
the tributary kingdoms of Sukhothai. In the Palatinate law of King Trailok dated 1468,
Nakhon Si Thammarat was listed as one of eight great cities (Phraya maha nakhon)
belonging to the Ayutthaya Kingdom. During the reign of KingNaresuan (r. 15901605)
it became a first class province (Mueang Aek). After the fall of Ayutthaya, Nakhon Si
Thammarat enjoyed a short period of independence, but quickly subdued by King
Taksin on his mission to reunite Siam. In 1896, the semi-autonomous mueang was Northern Gate
integrated into the Siamese central state created by King Rama V's and Prince Damrong
Rajanubhab's thesaphiban () reform. It was absorbed into the Monthon
Nakhon Si Thammaratwhich was put directly under the control of theMinistry of Interior (Mahatthai)

Restorations were recorded at the time of King Ramesuan (138895), as well as King Narai (165688) of Ayutthaya. The latter one
was supported by the French engineer M. de la Mare.

The walls spread 456 m from East to West, and 2238 m North to South, thus enclosing an area of about one square kilometre. The
northern wall had only one gate, called Pratu Chai Nuea or Pratu Chai Sak, also the southern wall had only one gate. To the east
there were three gates, which connected the town with the sea. To the west were five gates. Today only the northern gate still exists,
together with a short stretch of the northern city wall.
References
1. Cds, George (1968). The Indianized states of Southeast Asia(https://books.google.com/books?id=iDyJBFTdiwo
C). University of Hawaii Press.ISBN 9780824803681.

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This page was last edited on 24 October 2017, at 22:09.

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