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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interpretation that 'their designation implies that they were
ever ready to defend the king and his cause with their lives
when occasion (v!ai) arose' It is not possible to determine
whether the element vai is the sane as the Tamil word meaning
time or occasion. It is quite possible that it is derived from
some other word now unknown to ue References to the V!aikkras
occur in Taniil inscriptions and literature from about the
eleventh century. These mercenaries were not all in the employ
of kings. Many were employed by village assemblies and other
institutions They seem to have been divided into different
types according to the nature of the duty performed by them.
We meet with the following types, for instance, in the sources
mentioned above:- a) P-VaikkLar (Tami]. p = flowers)t
b) K4a-fffr dr.ra (Tamil k4jaz' = robbers) c) Rkasa-V. dcrar
(skt. rkasa = giant) d) Tacca-V.aikkrar (Tainil Taccar=carpenters)?
1. LA.Nil2k1,ta Sastri, The Cas, p. k5k.
2. Cf., Indoneasian word b&la, 'to defend'.
3. B.A..Saletore, I, . cit., p. 3k8.
4. K.LNilakanta Sastri, 'VijayabThu I, The Liberator of Ceylon', p.67.
5. . . R. for 1914, No. 368 of 1914.
6. M. .R. for 1921, No. 393 of 1921.
7. LR. for 192k, No. 194 of 192k.