by Wimal Patabandige – Academician, Lawyer, Retired Solicitor

Before 1833, the nearest land between Yapapatuna (Jaffna Peninsula*) and the Eastern Province was the land belonging to Kurundugamurata Disavani (Mulativ District*). It is necessary to look into the historical information & archaeological facts related to this piece of land says the author Wimal Patabandige. 

Reporting on this area was Portuguese Captain Ribeiro who was in Sri Lanka from 1640 for 18 years. He mentions that the land between a river in the southern jurisdiction of Yapapatuna and a river in the northern jurisdiction of Trincomalee was an area inhabited by the Vedi people.

The report also mentions that it was a densely forested area with a broad belt of ten leagues, extending more than eight leagues into the country, and that the population was very sparse.

(The two rivers are not named. According to him, it is probably the area between the Kanakarayanaru, which flows into the Kilali Lagoon, and the Ma Oya, which flows into the North Sea). 

As per his record, even in the 17^th century, this area was a forest area inhabited by Vedi people.

During the time of the Dutch, in the French map published in 1722, this area is indicated as “Vedirata” (Country of Bedas). (* This area and the area inhabited by the Vedds indicated by Ribeiro are almost identical in size)

The area comprising present-day Kilinochchi District, Mullaitivu District and part of Vavuniya District is referred to as the land inhabited by Forestmen*.

That is the land where the Vanni people lived. This area is designated as Robert Knox Vanneen’s Land. That area is slightly larger than the above territory.

Valentine mentions that the Vedi people lived in the dense forest to the north of Trincomalee. (* And J. P. Lewis mentions that even in the 19th century, except for a few miles from the coast, this area was covered with dense forest.

As per the 1722 French map, the Vanni people lived in the dense forest between Yapapatuna and Trincomalee and was referred to as Forestmen”. The possessed physical features similar to the Portuguese and spoke a language different to Indian was how Portuguese captain Ribeiro described the Vanni people. 

Franciscois Valentine says that the people who lived in the area spoke Sinhala.

Thus, these foreign reports further strengthens the argument that the area that belonged to the Kurundugamura District was under the Sinhala State.

More importantly, it ascertains that Dravidian/Tamils DID NOT live in this area before the 19^th century.

Those promoting the bogus theory of Tamil homeland must be able to prove that a permanent Dravidian/Tamil settlement existed in the Eastern Province from 13^th century onwards. 

However, The data reported by Ribeiro, Sear, Robert Knox, Valentine, and Lewis confirm that this is not the case.

Yapapatuna was under Sinhalese rule until the end of the Polonnaru Kingdom period. It is speculated that in 1255 Kalinga Magha fled to the Jaffna Peninsula and was its ruler. Six years later in 1262, there is evidence that the Javaka Chandrabhanu invader who fled after losing the battle against King Parakramabahu II stayed in Nagadeep (Yapapatune*).

There is no confirmed information that Kalinga Magha was present Nagadeepe (Yapapatune*)

There is no information about Magha when Chandrabhanu fled to Yapapatuna. Did Magha really die as the chronicles say? If not, did you run away – this is uncertain.

For the invasion, Kalinga Magha had brought Kerala soldiers. Chandrabhanu had brought at first a Ja army and second Ja army in addition to Dravidian mercenaries.

(* Kalinga Magha (not Tamil*) and Chandrabhanu who invaded Kerala during the 13th century used Dravidian mercenaries.

However, if the Jaffna Peninsula had been an independent Tamil kingdom or state at that time, Magha and Chandrabhanu would not have been able to freely enter or stay there and become a ruler. There is no such information even in Tamil poetry.

That Chandrabhanu was a member of the ruling Buddhist dynasty of the Java country, receiving the support of the Buddhist Ja troops and Sinhala Buddhist people in Kurundi, Padi, Manawatu, Gokanna, etc. is available even in the 18^th century as there were a number of important Buddhist shrines in Yapapatuna. There is no doubt that he may have ruled according to the Buddhist political and social philosophy as per his custom.

The remains of ancient Buddhist shrines still exist today. Marco Polo (* mentions that the ruler of Yapapatune at the end of the 13th century was a man named “Sendamen” (Chandrabhanu*). It is confirmed by the place names “Javankotte” and “Chavakachcheri” which are still in use today.

That Chandrabhanu lineage members were the rulers of Jaffna until the end of the 14th century is explained by Dr. P.A.T Gunasinghe.

Around 11^th century in Northern Indian, constant Muslim invasions led by the Delhi Sultan on the Northern Route downwards from Vindhya Range and the Narmada River, Southern India (Southern Path=Deccan*) was unable to defend itself.

By 1310, even the city of Madura in the Pandya kingdom was a seat of Muslim Sultanate rule.

At that time Tanjore was also ruled by a Muslim Sultan.

Ibn Battuta reveals that by the year 1344, the South Indian (Malabar and Coromandel* ocean region) was the domain of Muslim and Hindu pirates.

It also reveals that Arisakar (Ariyasakvithi*), referred to as Sultan, who was a friend of the Muslim pirate leader of Malabar, was overseeing the pearl harvest in Mannar and was a power in the Koromandala region of India.

Also, Ibn Battuta referred to the Sinhalese king as “Emperor”. It is shown that the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka by chance in pursuit of pirates in the region.

It means that King Vijayabahu III (1232-1236 AD) who started the Dambadeni kingdom era was a Vanni ruler during the Magha rule of terror.

After Chandrabhanu invader defeat in 1262, the Vanni rulers at Anuradhapura received authority, flags, and images to rule their respective territories on behalf of King Parakramabahu II (1236-1270 CE).

Since then, the engagement with the state administration organization at the state headquarters resumed. At this time, Minister Devapathiraja has been engaged in the development and religious activities of the West (including the North-West) coastal area and has also been engaged in worship at the Devinuwara Upulvan temple.

The relationship between the Vanni rulers and the state may have been loosened due to the struggle between court members for leadership and privileges during the Gampola kingdom period, especially the power struggle of the Sinhala royal family led by the Senalankadhikara and Alakeswara dynasties.

In addition, During the 14th century Raigama power unit and Jayawardanapura (Kotte*) can also be seen.

The Chola, Pandya and Chera territories under the rule of the Muslim sultans who used Madura and Tanjore as their headquarters were able to preserve Hinduism following the renaissance of Hinduism after 1335 – 1565 when the Muslim sultans power began to decline. 

The rulers of Vijayanagara have stationed a commander named Aryachakravarti in Jaffna to fight pirates. Although freed from Vijayanagara rule at the end of the 14th century, the Pandyas and Cholas were not dominant.

As a representative of Vijayanagara, Aryachakravarti was powerful in Jaffna with the support of a Vijayanagara Karnataka (Kannada* army*). He lost Vijayanagara support and patronage due to the division in the Vijayanagara empire from 1447 onwards.

Since the beginning of the 16th century, South India and Ceylon have been the prey of the Portuguese, Dutch, French, British and other European invaders.

Yapapatuna, which belonged to the Kotte kingdom from around 1449 (* for King Parakramabahu VI, Prince Sapumal established a royal council like the Kotte Raja Sabha and ruled until 1470 AD

(* Kandaswamy of Nallur, which is the main temple of Jaffna, built the temple (Kandadevyan*) It is stated that a prince named Vijayabahu ruled after he ascended the throne of Kotte under the royal title of Bhuvanekabahu VI (1470-1478 BC).

In addition, there is no historical evidence that its rule changed until the early 16th century. After this information about Yapapatuna comes from the time of the Portuguese invaders.

The political situation in the island and the historical information recorded by Queiroz, Baldeus, Valentine and Trinidad confirms that till the end of the 18th century, the Jaffna Peninsula was under the rule of Kotte and then Senkadagala (Nuwara)* Sinhalese state.

However, during the period of the Kotte Kingdom, from the second quarter of the 15th century, Vannia and Yapapatuna (Jaffna Peninsula*) were also under King Parakramabahu VI.

During the reign of King Bhuvanekabahu VI (1470-1478 AD* until Senasammatta Vikramabahu (1470-1511 AD*) created the Senkadagala Regional State*, the title held in the Kurundugamurata District, Kurundi and Gonagamthota (Tirikunamalaya*, Bukhara, Eravururata ( Batticaloa* and Samanthurae were territories belonging to the Kotte kingdom.

At the time of the Portuguese invasion, even in the 16th century, Yapapatuna was ruled under the rule of King Kotte, Queiros, Baldeus, Valentine, Trinidad clearly stated. King Don Juan Dharmapala of Kotte (1551-1597*) gave Yapapatuna to the Portuguese King in his dying will.

According to historical information and archeological factors from the 13th century BC. There is no evidence of permanent Dravidian/Tamil settlement or rule even in Yapapatuna, Jaffna Peninsula, during the early 16th century.

උතුර සහ නැගෙනහිර බැඳීම-2