IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
41 
Palnai. The Pandyans had their capital at Madura, and 
included in their boundaries the most southern portion of 
the peninsula (with the exception generally of the country 
round Ramnad, which was under the dominion of the Setu- 
patis) ; while the Cholas, with their capital usually at Tan- 
jore, ruled the surrounding districts, amusing themselves 
constantly with inroads into their neighbours' territories, 
sometimes even as far as Ceylon. Each of these three 
powers bore on its flag a distinctive emblem or badge. 
The Cheras boasted a bow, the Pandyans a fish, and the 
Cholas a tiger, though the coins of the latter are usually 
distinguishable by the rude figure of a " rakshasa " or man 
standing uprig'ht, with head thrown back, 
No. 7. b t o ' ^ _ » 
and apparently holding in front of his 
face a flower. In his pendant right arm he holds a wea- 
pon (?) . A straight line between his legs, and a waving one 
on either side, mark his flowing " duputa " or cloth, and 
under his left arm usually appear five dots. The reverse 
bears a similar figure cui'led up in an uncomfortable position, 
with legs crossed, his right hand resting on his right leg. 
Beneath the left arm we usually find the name of the king, 
or rarely some emblem, such as the Pandj^an fish. No 
collector will be on the hunt long, especially in or round 
that rich treasure-house of coins, Madura, without meeting 
with large numbers of specimens of the issues of Raja Eaja, 
the greatest of the Chola princes, who ruled in the eleventh 
century, when the power of his race was at its zenith, and 
no better type of Chola issues than his 
No. 7. 
could be found. So plentiful are they, 
indeed, that one cannot help being led to the conclusion 
that all those one meets with bearing his name could more 
probably be attributed to a line of kings than all be issues 
of a single sovereign. 
The constant warfare which raged between Chola and 
Pandyan not only renders it well nigh impossible at any 
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