BUDDHIST VIHARAS AND EELAM Part 13B1.
Posted on February 8th, 2024
KAMALIKA PIERIS
The North and east of Sri Lanka was Sinhala and Buddhist throughout the ancient, medieval and modern period, right up to the start of British rule in 1815.There is plenty of evidence to prove this, if proof is necessary.
To start with, the north was an integral part of the Raja Rata of the Anuradhapura kingdom. The Raja Rata was divided into uttara passa (north) dakkhina, (south) pacina, (east) and pajjima (west). Uttara passa consisted of today’s Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, and Jaffna. Each division was ruled by officer appointed by king.
The Northern Province was under the Sinhala king in the ancient and medieval periods. Periyakulam inscription says that during the time of Devanam Piyatissa, Vavuniya was ruled by ‘Naga’ and ‘Uti’ and Mannar was ruled by ‘Kana’. During the time of the Sinhala attakatha, Nagadipa ruler was under Sinhala king, as diparaja.
In Vasabha’s time ((67-111 AD) Jaffna was ruled by Vasabha’s Minister Isigiri. Nelugala inscription indicated that a minister, also named, Asgiri administered the north under Bhatiya Tissa II (143-167) and Kanitta Tissa (167-186). Inscription of Kassapa IV((898-914) at Kadurugoda said Kassapa was the ruler of the south as well as the north. Mannar pillar inscription of Kassapa IV spoke of three Buddhist viharas in the area, Bahaduru Sen Piyangala, Na Vihara and Rakkha vihara.
Kokila sandesaya (15th century) gives a route from Kotte to Jaffna via Mannar. Mannar was a part of the Sitawaka kingdom in the 16th century . During the time of Rajasinha I, (1581-93) Manamperi Mohottala administered Mannar. Baldeus (1632-72) writing during the Dutch occupation, gave a list of places under the Sinhala king. It included Trincomalee, Mannar, Batticaloa, and Jaffna.
When the British, Danish and French envoys came to meet the Udarata king in the 18th century ,they came in through the harbours at Trincomalee and Batticaloa. These ports were under the Udarata king. Batticaloa port was an unfamiliar port and the Udarata king sent experts to guide the ship into Batticaloa port, when it brought in the foreign envoys, who were from Denmark or France, I forget which.
The Northern and Eastern Provinces remained within the last Sinhala kingdom, the Udarata kingdom until the Udarata kingdom came to an end in 1815. The Udarata kingdom was huge, about three times the size of the Portuguese and Dutch possessions.
Another way of showing that the North was ruled by the Sinhala king was by comparing the language and script in northern inscription and those elsewhere, said Ven. Ellawela Medhananda. Medhananda found two cave inscriptions dated to 2 ADat Kandakudichchi aru ruins( Ampara). The script and language resembled that at Ritigala, Vessagiriya, Mihintale. inscriptions of Kassapa IV were found in south, east and northwest of the island. The script and language was the same. Language and script were the same in the Mailagastota , Kallampattuva and Tunukai inscriptions . Mailagastota was in the south, Kallampattuva in the east and Tunukai in the north of Sri Lanka .
.Not only was the north- east Sinhala, it was also Buddhist . It was a part of Sri Lanka ‘s Buddhist heritage. Inscriptions show that in the Anuradhapura period, Abhayagiri Nikaya had monasteries all over the island. They were at Kantaroda in Jaffna, Nedunkerni and Ottimalai in Vanni, also at Badulla, Yapahuwa, Panduvasnuwara and Ramba vihara in Hambantota.
Kannimaduwa inscription found near Kongarayam kulam , Vavuniya speaks of Salapavu vehera and its villages. Vavuniya still retains evidence of this civilization. Kirivehera at Atambagaskada, 6 km from Vavuniya, has a Samadhi Buddha statue, which is far superior to those found in this area. It is 2’ 21/2” high. The head dress or ketumala is unique ,said Ellawela Medhananda. Villagers says it was brought from elsewhere.
Medhananda says the North is full of Buddhist remains, every hill, every mound has a Buddhist building. Every village had an aramaya. Medhananda said that there were over 1500 Buddhist archaeological sites in the districts of Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar. Each time I went to Vavuniya and Mullaitivu I found new ruins. He has found foundations of buildings, lived-in caves, inscriptions, pada lanjana and bricks. He says there are many more sites. Medhananda said there are more than 20 archaeological sites on the small Dollar Farm village alone.
Vavuniya and Mullaitivu are full of Buddhist ruins. There are hundreds of Buddhist ruins in Vavuniya. there are three sets of ruins in a straight line, at Mahakachca kodiya, Erupotana, and Periyapuliyam kulam malai. Odiamalai, Thadda malai, Kurundam malai had inscriptions. Kurundammalai , originally Kurunvashoka vihara, had a lot of ruins. Medhananda said that this was the place where he saw the most ruins. Have not seen so many ruins in any other place I have gone to.
Vavuniya and Mullaitivu Buddhist ruins have not been examined fully by anyone., said Medhananda . Most of these are not recorded by Department of Archaeology. ‘We have never explored these areas, said Medhananda . Our archeology only concentrated on Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and a few other places.
From Jaffna to Wilpattu, all along the ocean strip, one sees places with over 100 ruins. No explorations have been done in this area. These sites were never examined carefully, other than presenting a random report.
In his book Pacina passsa, uttara passa, nagenahira palata ha uturu palate Sinhala Bauddha Urumaya” Medhananda gives a list of Buddhist ruins seen by him in the Northern Province. The viharas seen by Medhananda in his northern explorations include Atambagaskada kiri vihara , Buddhanehela Raja Maha Vihara , Galgiriyagama kanda vihara , Iratperiyakulam vihara , Kadurugoda vihara , Kurundammalai vihara , Madukande Dalada vihara , Mahakachcha kodiya vihara, Mangana vihara . Piyagukatissa vihara , Paribhoga chaitya, Salavana vihara , Tonigala vihara , Valli vihara, Vedikinarimalai Vaddamana parvata vihara ,
Medhananda gives 48 places in Jaffna where he has seen Buddhist ruins He says there are others as well. the places listed are Algiriya, Anai kottai, Analativu,Ariyalai, Atchuveli, Buddhatottam, Buddhawalawwa, Chakaveli, Changanai, Chulipuram, Chunnakam, Delft, Elavativu, Gotamalu watte, Karaitivu,Kodiyavatte Mahiyapiddy, Mallakam, Manipai, Marattamadam,Mavaddipuram, Nagachcha kovil precincts, Nagarkovil, Nainativu,Nallur, Neelavarai, Pinwatte, Ponnalai, Poonaryn, Pukuditivu, Puloli, Puttur,Sambaturai,Tellipilai, Tennavali, Tiruadanilai, Tisamalai, Tunukai, Udupiddy, Uduvil, Uratota,Uraturai, Vadukkodai, Valikamam and Valvettiturai. Medhananda says these ruins show bricks, tiles, statues, potsherds, inscriptions. Most are in private lands, Medhananda observed.
Medhananda has given a detailed description of the sites he has visited. In Vavuniya, Medhananda explored Buddanehela Raja Maha Vihara . Ruins are fast deteriorating he said. Galkiriyagama kande vihara, had remains of a huge stupa , a Siripatula and ponds. Inscriptions show king Uththiya’s queen had built a structure here.
In Vavuniya and Mullaitivu Medhananda has explored the following places: Ariyamadu,Atambagaskada, Bogaswewa, Buddha kovil, Bumaya, Chelliyar villu, Chenkal veddi kulam,Chenmadu, Dollar farm, Eeratperiyakulam, Erupothana, , Iluppu kulam, Iranai illupun kulam, Iranamadu, Irasattiram kulam,Iruvil,Kachchilamadu, Kallaru, Kalnattan kulam, Kalukundammaduwa, Kanagarayam kulam, Kanchiramuddai, Karadikulam, Karavil kulam, Karidikkulam, Kokkavelliya, Kongaraya kulam, Kontaka karnakulam, Kovil puliyan kulam,Kumbakarna malai,Kurum puliyan kulam, Madukanda, Mahakachchkodiya, Mahamailan kulam, Mamaduwa, Manikai, Maniyar kulam,Mankalkeni,Mannan kadal,Manthri vihara, Maradamadu,Maratamadu, Menik farm, Mohonnan kulam, Molliyavela, Mudaliyakulam,Namban kulam, Navagama Kirivehera, Nayaru,Nedunkerni, Nelukkulam, Nochchiya moddai,Oddusuddan, Odiyamalai, Olumaduva, Omandan, Paddikudiirippu, Padivettukulam, Palamoddai, Panaiyan kulam,Panangama, Patta kattuveli, Pavattakulam, Periyakulam, Periyamar iluppai,Periyauttukai, Pokkaravanni tunukai, Pudukudi iruppukulam,Puleliya, Pumaduva, Puravasan kulam, Puvarasankulam, Ruvanmadu, Samalankulama, Sirappanmaduva,Tachcankulam,Tadikkulam, Tambankulama, Tapassavellliya, Tiranamadu, Tiraviyamalai,Tonigala,Tukkumarattadi, Tuntimuruppu wewa, Udavelikulam, Ulakkulam,Unjaral kaddi, Vadamarachhci, Variyakuddiuru, Veherabanda wewa, Vettilkulam, Vettiyakulam and Yakumadu yaya.
In Mannar Ven. Medhananda has visited Arippu , Cholayan kaddu, Compotukki, Ilukpeyikadachei, Irantivu, Kadappiditti kulam, Kohala wewa, Kunchi kulam, Magana, Malikai kulam, Mannankulam, Mantota, Moderagam ara, Mudalikulam, Mukkarayakulam, Mulliyakkulam, Musali, Na vehera, Olivettikulam, Pachcha addappan wewa, Paniyankulam, Pannankamam, Periyanavakkulam, Pesalai, Puliyankulam, Rajakulama, Rajamaduva,Rakkha vihara, Samadetiya, Talaimannar, Tiruketiswaram, Ttuvavali, Valli vihara, Vachinikulam and Vellantarai. ( continued)