Department
of Museum and Antiquities director-general Datuk Adi Taha said an
archaeological expedition would be mounted this year to verify the
location of the lost city, with Raimy’s assistance, as per the
Star.
“Funds
for the expedition would be sought under the 9th Malaysia Plan.”
Adi
told the paper he and the department were very enthusiastic about
Raimy’s research findings and would work with him to verify the
location of the lost city, which could be spread out over a few
hundred square kilometres.
It
was an old Malay manuscript once owned by Sir Stamford Raffles, the
founder of Singapore, in a London library that led Raimy to the
existence of the lost city in Johor, the paper revealed.
According
to Raimy, the presence of a lost city in the jungles at the southern
end of the Malay peninsula had been indicated in Malayan folklore for
over four centuries.
Manuscripts,
Tales
His
findings on the lost city has been published in the latest issue of Journal
of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 2004.
In
his paper, he said the place was raided by the Indian-Chola conqueror
Raja Rajendra Cholavarman I, of the South Indian Chola Dynasty in
1025A.D.
The
ruins could be as old as Borobodur, and could pre-date Angkor Wat,
Raimy told the Star, adding that aerial photographs taken over
the site and tales from the orang asli had indicated the existence of
structures.
“From
the air I could see formations which looked like a set of
double-walls, protecting the inner city.
“I
have verified all the information by reviewing and reassessing old
colonial records and travellers tales.”
Information
on Kota Gelanggi appears in the Sejarah Melayu (Malay
Annals) which was edited and revised by Tun Seri Lanang, the
Bendahara (equivalent to the prime minister of a sultanate) of the
Royal Court of Johor in 1612 AD, the paper said.
“The
manuscript narrated an account of the devastating raids by Raja
Rajendra Cholavarman I, who after destroying the city of Gangga Negara
(now Beruas in Lower Perak) turned his attention to Kota Gelanggi.”
 |
|
This
amulet from the Sri Vijaya period depicting Buddha surrounded by
eight Bodhisattvas was found in Gua Chawas.
|
Raimy
told the paper he did not expect to find in Kota Gelanggi structures
similar to Angkor Wat, as the lost city in Johor Gelanggi was much
older.
“We
can expect to find simple granite and brick structures, walls,
buildings and possibly undisturbed tombs.
“Based
on the data I have collected and consultations with archaeologists
over the years, it is believed that Kota Gelanggi in Johor, which some
scholars believe to be the kingdom of Lo-Yue, was also the first
centre of trade for Sri Vijaya.
“It
was in Johor that the whole Malay civilisation was born. The Sri
Vijaya site in Palembang has artefacts which date back to the 13th or
14th century.
“There
is a wealth of information we can derive from this city.”
He
further added that official Japanese records noted that an Imperial
Crown Prince of Japan, Prince Takaoka, Shinnyo Hosshinno, reportedly
met his death in Lo-Yue after being attacked by a tiger. “Perhaps we
may find his tomb here.”
Raimy
said that while its main activity was a trading post, Kota Gelanggi
was also a center of sacred learning.
“Hinduism
and Buddhist statues and figurines may exist but what I hope to find
is epigraphic inscriptions (writings on granite).”
