LABUHAN BILIK - PANAI - THE FLOATING CITY

LABUHAN BILIK - PANAI - THE FLOATING CITY

Panai colonial empire is an area that is included in the Residency of East Sumatra (structurally, start stretching from Tamiang to Riau).

In the colonial era, the region Panai / Labuhanbilik is the third largest port after the port of Belawan and Tanjung Balai. So rapidly, eventually there are representatives of foreign trade in this area such as: Guntzel Schumacher (Germany), Herrison (UK), Vanni and Deli Aceh (Netherlands). In addition there is also a means of transportation between islands / foreign voyage as the ship "SS Ayutia" belongs to Germany, KPM (The Netherlands).

This cruise ship is moving toward Singapore, Malaysia, and even to Europe. The outbreak of the first world war (1914-1918), the ship "SS Ayutia" anchored for 4 years in Labuhanbilik.

Labuhanbilik or Panai established by Sutan Kaharuddin (Marhum Kaharuddin), King of the Kingdom Panai to 4, around the year 1815. Previous royal center was still in the river. Meanwhile, the kingdom was established by King Magpie Panai Perkasa Alam.

Origin of name Panai until now there has been no definitive. Some say the name comes from Minangkabau Panai (Paneh) which means heat. It is also true, as there Panai area is an area that is a bit of hot air. Also the hint of goods carried by container ships transporting are addressed to Paneh Labuhanbilik.

Ten centuries ago, before the Kingdom Panai stand, Panai or Pannai name already exists. This name was found in 1030 BC in an inscription. By Prof. Nilakanta Sastri, an Indian scholar, professor of the University of Madras, in 1940 the inscription translates into English. This inscription is a relic of King Rayendra Cola I, Kingdom of Tanjore (South India), which never did attack into several regions, including the island of Sumatra. The area where the attack on the island of Sumatra, among others, the Kingdom Lamuri (Aceh), Pannai (East Sumatra), and Sriwijaya (South Sumatra).

One of the contents or excerpts of the inscription is: "Pannai with water in its bathing ghats".

Pannai question here lies in the river Barumun (Panai), East Sumatra region. This can be evidenced by the discovery of copper in the form of statues in Padang Lawas by Prof. Schnitger, the Dutch scholar, in 1936. One of them is Bahal temple I, is evidence of the King Rayendra Cola I ever enter the territory of East Sumatra (Panai).

However, there are very different from the contents of the inscription (which is the name Pannai). Fill inscription that mentions the name Pannai too is very simple, very different from the inscription that mentions the name of the other areas that show the awesomeness of attack (battle) performed by King Rayendra Cola I. For example, namely:

"(Rayendra) having despatched many ships in the Midst of the rolling sea and having caught Sanrama Vijayattunggavarman, the King of Kadaram, together with the elephants in his glorious army, (took) the large heap of treasures which (that king) has rightfully accumulated ".

Excerpts of inscriptions can be known how powerful the attack carried out by King Rayendra Cola I until King Kadaram (The Rama Wijayatunggawarman) can be captured. This is very different from Pannai name, it seems there was no battle.

It can be deduced that is, the entry of King Rayendra Cola I to region Pannai ten centuries ago, they only found the area (Padang Lawas) still slightly inhabitants, there is no legal entity, or no bond group that can be regarded as a kingdom.

From the above description, the name Panai necessarily involve at least the name of the river Panai (Barumun) or river Batang Pane, tributary streams Barumun. Allegedly, the name of these rivers have been there before the arrival of the King Rayendra Cola first, then the name of this river that they used to be written in the inscriptions.

Murai Raja Perkasa Alam also exists the possibility of calling areas kingdom (kingdom Panai) derived from the name of the river.

Thus a brief description of the origin of the name of the Kingdom Panai. Nevertheless, the data that is written above is not be absolute data, but if you want more in the know again it would be very difficult to trace. Either way, the name Panai or Pannai been there 10 centuries ago.