The
Banas Kings controlled much of Madurai, Ramanathapuram and some parts of Kongu
regions from 14th to middle of 16th century their epigraphs are found in
regions of Madurai, Ramnad and Pudukottai. From the inscriptions, it appears
that Irangavillidasan Navali Vanaraya Bana, Bhuvaneka Vira Samara Kolahala,
Sundar Tol-udaiyan, Tirumal Irunjolai Mahabali Bana were the chiefs at Madurai
as well as Ramnad.
They minted coins from Madurai
with Garuda on the obverse and their title on the reverse. These coins bear two
distinguishing titles Bhuvanekavira and Samarakola
kalan.
Type 1:
Obverse: Garuda with snake in
hand facing right within dotted & linear border
Reverse: Legend Samarakolakalan
in between lines.
Type 2:
Obverse: Garuda with conch and
discus with snake in hand facing left
Reverse: Legend Samarakolakalan
in between lines.
Type 3:
Obverse: Garuda with Shanka and
Chakra, a beautiful umbrella above (not visible).
Reverse: legend Bhuvanekavira
separated by lines.
Type 4:
Obverse: Garuda with conch and
discus with snake in hand facing right
Reverse: Legend Samarakolakalan
in between lines.
Type 5:
Obverse: Garuda with conch and
discus with snake in hand facing right
Reverse: Legend Samarakolakalan
with no separation lines
Type 6:
Obverse: Garuda with conch and
discus. With snake in hand facing right.
Reverse: Two fishes shown
horizontally with a crozier in between.
Type 7:
Obverse: Kneeling Garuda on a
fish; flanking the Garuda are conch and discus.
Reverse: The legend reading
Samarakolakalan. The legend is in three lines separated by line markings.
Obverse:
Running Garuda to right holding snake
Reverse: Kali Symbol
Garuda in kneeling position with folded hands usually reflects devotion of the
God's chosen vehicle, Garuda, towards his master and Overlord i.e. Vishnu.
Within the context of the coin, the King is like the Garuda who is devoted to
the supreme deity, Vishnu. Garuda's natural enemy is the snake whom the Garuda
devours. In this coin, the snake depicts the natural enemy of the Banas that is
being shown under the control of, or in the process of annihilation by, the
God-King represented via his vehicle Garuda.
So the coin says to the
political detractors of the King "Watch out, I'm as strong, brave and
fearless as the mighty Garuda and I will destroy you" while to the local
populace it sends a message "Your King is like God-reincarnate and devoted
to Vishnu, Fear not as I will protect you and my Kingdom from all enemies
(snake)". The depiction of the motif is deliberate as the Garuda-snake
natural enmity is ichnographically very well understood in Hindu mythology.
The Banas of Madurai &
Ramnad were great Vaishnavites and were deeply devoted to Lord Vishnu of Alagar
Koil and the Andal temple at Srivilliputtur. They assumed the title
Bhuvanekavira and Setumula Raksha durandharan. An inscription from Sevalur, in
Thirumeyyam Taluk Pudukkottai district, mentions a Bana whose name is given as
Sundaratoludaiyan and Thirumalirunjolai ninran (after the name of the deity of
Alagar Koil). His number of titles are also recorded in the epigraph. Among
them Samara Kolakala and Bhuvanekavirare are the important titles worthy of
note. From another village-Nekkonam, dated in Saka era 1405 (1483 AD) comes
another inscription of the same Bana ruler, whose following titles are
significant: Samarakolakalan Bhuvanekaviran Sethumula Raksha durandaran
Madhurapuri mahanayakan Pandyakulantakan Rajakula sarpa garudan Garudaketanan
etc.
It is evident from the above
that he had the Garuda as his royal crest. That he conquered Pandyas and was
master of Madhurapuri is also significant.
The title Garudaketanan (One who bears Garuda as his
crest/emblem) would also show why they depicted Garuda on the coins. Another
interesting title is ‘Rajakulasarpa Garuda” ie The Garuda to the snake of
Rajakula (literally the very death to other Rajas). As if to portray this, the
Garuda in their coin is shown holding a snake in its arm.
Source: From Internet & Numismatic experts
