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

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who accompanied the mercantile bodies. The Vhalkaa inscription
has a list of several military personalities who were associated
with the Ceis, VTrakkoiyar and the Valafljiyar. They have
such titles as C!pati (army chief), mallan (wrestler) and
(victor). A certain Citta, is referred to as the Valaftceyar
Cpati, apparently because he was in the service of the
Valafijiyar. Mercantile communities may have employed mercenary
forces to protect their endowments as well as to safeguard
their trust properties. This perhaps explains the presence of
Munimuridaas ( a class of mercenaries) on many occasions when
grants were made by the mercantile communities
Some at least of the mercenary communities from
which the Vai1dras were drawn seem to have gone to the island
along with the mercantile communities. The claim of the }1ahtantras,
a section of the rja1kkras, that the Valafijiyar were their
elders and the invitation extended tè the Valafljiyar and the
Nakarattr to attend an important meeting of the aikkaa
at Polonnaruva show that these mercenary bodies were closely
associated with the leading mercantile communities from South
Indja
1. VII, p. 159 of the text ; E.G., IX, p. 83 of the text;
E.G., XI, p1 126 of the text.