Tugu inscription facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tugu inscription |
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Tugu inscription in National Museum of Indonesia
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| Material | Stone |
| Size | 1 metre |
| Writing | Pallava script in Sanskrit |
| Created | early 5th century |
| Discovered | Batutumbuh hamlet, Tugu village, Koja, North Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Present location | National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta |
| Registration | D.124 |
The Tugu inscription is an ancient stone carving from the early 5th century. It was found in a place called Batutumbuh hamlet, in Tugu village, North Jakarta, Indonesia. This special stone tells us about important water projects, like digging and managing rivers, ordered by King Purnawarman of the Tarumanagara kingdom.
In 1911, the Tugu inscription was moved to what is now the National Museum of Indonesia. It has an inventory number D.124. The inscription is carved on a round, egg-shaped stone that is about 1 metre tall.
Contents
What is the Tugu Inscription?
The Tugu inscription is one of several ancient writings from the Tarumanagara kingdom. This kingdom was powerful in Indonesia a long time ago. The inscription is very important because it gives us clues about how people lived back then. It shows how they managed water for farming and to prevent floods.
Why Was It Made?
The Tugu inscription talks about big water projects. These projects included digging and improving two rivers: the Chandrabhaga and the Gomati. King Purnawarman ordered these projects during his 22nd year as king. The goal was to stop floods during the rainy season. It also helped to provide water for farms when it was dry.
The Inscription's Details
The Tugu inscription is written in a very old writing style called Pallava script. The language used is Sanskrit, which is an ancient language from India. The words are arranged in a special poetic form called Sloka. There are five lines of text carved all around the stone.
When Was It Made?
Like other inscriptions from the Tarumanagara kingdom, the Tugu inscription does not have a specific date written on it. Experts figured out its age by studying the style of the writing. This study, called paleography, suggests the inscription was made in the middle of the 5th century. The writing style is very similar to another inscription, the Cidanghyang inscription. This makes some people think the same person wrote both.
What the Inscription Says
The Tugu inscription is the longest one from the Tarumanagara kingdom. It was made to celebrate the completion of the Gomati and Candrabhaga river canals. On the stone, there is a picture of a staff with a Trisula (a three-pronged spear) on top. This mark helps to show where each sentence begins and ends.
Here is a simplified summary of what the inscription says:
- A long time ago, a powerful king named Purnawarman dug the Candrabhaga river. He wanted to channel its water to the sea.
- In his 22nd year as king, King Purnawarman ordered another river, the Gomati, to be dug. This river had clear, beautiful water.
- The project started on a special day in the month of Phālguna. It took only 21 days to finish.
- The new canal was very long, about 6,122 bows in length (an ancient way to measure distance).
- To celebrate the completion, a ceremony was held. During this ceremony, Brahmins (religious scholars) were given 1,000 cows as gifts.
