113992242-Dravidian-Settlements-in-Ceylon-and-the-Beginnings-of-the-Kingdom-of-Jaffna-By-Karthigesu-Indrapala-Complete-Phd-Thesis-University-of-London-1965

the 1a1r,rattir as one of their leaders The V1?ri- were often
considered to be of a higher social atatus than the IaI%kRi
Although the ffaikk ra forces in Ceylon were drawn from both
sections, as they admit in our inscription, the Nabltantra
division, who alone call the Valafijiyar their m±taik4,
appears to have been drawn from the Valkii. This assumption
is further strengthened by the fact that the 'Nakaratt.r 4ir'
are referred to as those who accompany the atantra The
phrase Nakarattr baa been translated by Paranavitana
as the 'Nakarattir and others'f' But literally uiffr means
'those included', from uflitu meaning 'include'. The phrase
would, therefore, mean 'those included (in a group) with the
Nakarattir'. This seems to be a reference to the Iafi1tai leaders.
The reason why this group is mentioned as those who accompany
the Z4ahitantra must be the subordinate position held by them
in the presence of the ValAksi. The leaders of both sections
were invited for the meeting of the aik1ra.g obviously
because the latter were drawn from both seetions of the Dravidians.
1. E.G., XI, p. 61 of the text ; The Imperial Gazetteer of India,
XVIII, pp. 198-199.
2. B.A.Saletore, 2• cit., p. 68 ff.
3. See supra, p. 151
k. See supra, p. s5S