Pannai Kingdom

11th century–14th century

Capital

Pannai

Religion

Vajrayana Buddhism

Government

Monarchy

History

•

Established

11th century

•

Disestablished

14th century

Today part of

Indonesia

Pannai, Panai or Pane is a Buddhist kingdom existed around 11th to 14th century located on east coast of Northern Sumatra. The kingdom was located on the Barumun River and Panai River valleys, today located in Labuhan Batu Regency and South Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Because of the scarcity of inscriptions and historical records, this kingdom is among the mysterious and least known polity in Indonesian history. Historian suggested that the Pannai kingdom was probably a principality or a vassal allied under the Srivijayan mandala and later to Dharmasraya kingdom. The historical records mentioning this kingdom can be found from Indian and Javanese sources.

Despite the lack of local historical records, on the upstream of these rivers however, 16 Buddhist Vajrayana temples were discovered. These temples today are known as Padanglawas temple compounds, one of them are Bahal temple. Experts suggest that the existence of the temples is related to the Kingdom of Pannai. The temples is the traces of Vajranaya Buddhism in Sumatra. The place is most probably a religious-complex for warrior-monks of and had a key role, being located mid-way in the Strait of Malacca in policing the trade within the area and repelling invading forces as well as providing spiritual guidance to any pilgrim from China, India or within the archipelago.

The state of Pannai, according to inscriptions found in India, fell after a surprise attack from the rear. Pannai did not suspect an attack from a Chola occupied Srivijaya, the mandala's capital.

The existence of this kingdom was first mentioned in Tanjore inscription written in Tamil dated from 1025 and 1030. The inscription created by Rajendra Chola I, king of Cholamandala kingdom, Chola Dynasty, in South India, mentioned about Chola invasion of Srivijaya. This inscription mentioned Pannai with its water ponds was among the conquered cities during Rajendra Chola I campaign against Srivijaya. For most of its history Pannai was successful in policing and defending the strait of Malacca for the Mandala of Srivijaya against Arab, Chinese and Indian invaders, until the Chola invasion of Srivijaya occurred, wherein a surprise attack from behind, originating from the occupied capital, rendered the militant-state of Pannai vulnerable from an unprotected assault from the back flank.

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Wikipedia