Kaundinya I

Kaundinya I (Khmer: កៅណ្ឌិន្យ, Sanskrit: कौण्डिन्य, Kauṇḍinya), also known as Kaundanya in Odia (କୌଣ୍ଡନ୍ୟ) and Preah Thong (Khmer: ព្រះថោង),^[1] was the second monarch of Funan (reigned c. 1st century) which comprises much of Cambodia located in mainland Southeast Asia centered on the Mekong Delta. He was the consort of the first monarch Soma, Queen of Funan,^[2] and Neang Neakii (Khmer) and together both were the co-founders of the kingdom of Funan with the capital located at Vyadhapura.

Kaundinya I
2nd Monarch of Cambodia
Statue of Soma and Kaundinya I (right)
King of Funan
Reign	1st century CE
Coronation	later 1st century CE
Predecessor	Queen Soma
Successor	Hun Pan-huang
Born	Kalinga coast
Died	Funan
Spouse	Queen Soma
House	Kaundinya
Religion	Hinduism

Indian origins

Numerous historical sources and regional folklores refer to the arrival of the merchant Brahmin Kaundinya from India and his subsequent marriage to the Nāga princess Soma, an event traditionally associated with the founding of the ancient Funan kingdom in Southeast Asia. While many accounts confirm Kaundinya's Indian origin, they often lack precise details about his background, leading to the development of varied legends across different traditions.

These narratives, particularly prominent in Chinese historical sources and Southeast Asian oral traditions, evolved over time and incorporated mythological elements. The story has become a foundational legend in Khmer culture, where the union of Kaundinya and Soma is personified in the symbolic figures of "Preah Thong and Neang Neak".^[3][4][5]

Account

As per the legends, an Indian merchant ship was attacked by the pirates led by Soma, daughter of the chieftain of the local Nāga clan. The merchants led by Kaundinya fought back and fended off the attackers but the ship had been damaged and was beached for repairs. The Indians were wary of a second attack but Princess Soma was impressed by Kaundinya's bravery and proposed marriage, which was accepted as they had by then fallen in love.^[6] The union led to the foundation of the House which would rule Funan for many generations and the royal legitimacy of the dynasty was acquired through the female line (i.e. the matrilineal lineage) in the kingdom. The founding myth also explains the reason why the serpent(naga) became an important part of Khmer iconography as is seen thousand years later when this mystical union remained an important part of the court ceremonies at Angkor during the era of the Khmer empire.^[7][8][9]

Modern theories

Newly discovered DNA evidence, suggest there is some truth to the Khmer creation mythology. DNA sample taken from a protohistoric individual from the Wat Komnou cemetery at the Angkor Borei site in Cambodia contains substantial level of South Asian admixture (ca. 40–50%).

Radiocarbon dating result on the human bone (95% confidence interval is 78–234 calCE) indicate that this individual lived during the early period of Funan.^[10]

The history of maritime links along with the inscriptions analysis corresponding to the region can provide insights into the origins of Kaundinya in India. The origin of the name Kaundinya, which is not usually a common first name in India but a gotra (i.e. derived from ancestors by the Brahmins and gurus by other classes) of a group of Brahmins who lived on the eastern coastline of India especially along the Odisha-Andhra-Tamil coastline. Hence this corresponds to the ancient Kalinga region (now modern Odisha) considering the early Indian mariners were trading from this region as evident from their ancient maritime history around 3rd century BC^[7][11] and the port of Palur (near Ganjam) which was referred to by Ptolemy as a prominent international port during the 2nd century CE.^[12] The links with Kalinga are also noted from the copper plate land grants given by the rulers of Kalinga to Kaundinya Brahmins who lived in the Mahendragiri region of Ganjam with the most notable one being the Ragolu inscription copper plate grant issued by the ruler Nandaprabhanjanavarman of the Pitrbhakta dynasty,^[13][14] the Shaivite customs mentioned in the Chinese work History of the Southern Dynasties during the reign of Kaundinya's descendant Jayavarman Kaundinya with regards to Mount Mo-tan in Funan,^[15][16] bearing affinity with the early Saivism and its relation to Mahendragiri mountain which was the prevalent religion during the reign of different dynasties of Kalinga^[17] and the diplomatic relations between Funan and the Murunda dynasty of northern Kalinga during 3rd cen CE, when King Dhamadamadhara (Dharmatamadharasya) of Murunda received envoy Su-Wu representing King Fan Chan of Funan (225-250 CE).^[18][19][17]

As per other legends, he was the son of king Adityavamsa “Intapah” who was banished from Indraprastha, located about 20 miles south of Delhi, India.^[20]

Legacy

The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Kaundinya was inducted at the Naval Base in Karwar on 21 May 2025. Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, proposed the concept of a stitched ship and stated that it was named Kaundinya in honor of the renowned Indian mariner. The vessel is a recreation of a 5th-century ship depicted in the Ajanta caves. It was built using ancient stitching techniques by artisans from Kerala, incorporating coconut fibre stitching, traditional wooden joinery, coir rope, and natural resins, and is powered by cotton sails. The ship's design reflects India's maritime heritage, featuring culturally significant symbols like the Gandabherunda, the Simha Yali, and a Harappan-style stone anchor. Unlike modern vessels, it has square sails and trailing oars instead of rudders, requiring sailors to relearn traditional navigation methods. INSV Kaundinya is expected to set sail on a historic journey to Oman by the end of 2025, retracing ancient trade routes as part of India's initiative to revive its rich maritime heritage. The project is a collaboration between the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Culture, and Hodi Innovations (OPC) Private Ltd.^[6]