The Pandyan Empire (Tamil: பாண்டியர்) was an ancient Tamil
dynasty. The Pandyas, Chola, Chera and Pallava Dynasties are the four Great Tamil
Dynasties which ruled South India until the 15th century CE.
Kings of the Later Pandyan Dynasty:
Maravarman Sundara Pandyan (1216-1238),
Sundaravaramban Kulasekaran II (1238-1240), Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II
(1238-1251), Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251-1268), Maaravaramban Kulasekara
Pandyan I (1268-1308), Sundara Pandyan IV (1309-1327)
Legend written on the Obv: ஈலலாநதலையனன (elanthalaiyan – Means King of all)
Starting from top center legend is written over
to right within a Fish with two lamps.
Rev: Standing king
Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II (Tamil: இரண்டாம் மாறவர்மன் சுந்தர பாண்டியன்) is given the title elanthalaiyan. he ruled between 1238–1240 CE.
The history behind the Pandyan fish:
According
to legend, Avatar of the Hindu Goddess Meenakshi, who has fish shaped eyes, was
born as the daughter of a Pandya king. Pandya emblem was a fish and it
represented the dynasty, including in coins, etc. The word Meenakshi
(Meen+akshi ) is mixed words of the Tamil word meen (fish) and the Sanskrit
word akshi (eyes).
