08.04.2018 Views

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

218<br />

te pie, have been def<strong>in</strong>itely identified <strong>in</strong> this region so far.<br />

The only ancient iva temple <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> area is <strong>the</strong> well-known<br />

Muvaram shr<strong>in</strong>e, near Chilaw. The orig<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> this temple are<br />

unknown, though <strong>the</strong> Tanii]. puras trace its beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>gs to hoary<br />

antiquity The Tami]. <strong>in</strong>scriptions <strong>in</strong> this temple belong to about<br />

<strong>the</strong> fourteenth <strong>and</strong> fifteenth centuries Several f<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>in</strong> this<br />

place, such as brass lamps, camphor-burners <strong>and</strong> a c<strong>and</strong>elabrum,<br />

have been described by An<strong>and</strong>a Cooxnaraswaxny as medieval <strong>and</strong> may<br />

well date back to this period As Tamil literature <strong>and</strong> tradition<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> have venerated this temple along with Tiruktivaram<br />

<strong>and</strong>. K!varam as a place <strong>of</strong> special sanctity<br />

dat<strong>in</strong>g from early times, it is possible that this temple was<br />

<strong>in</strong> existence <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> twelfth century, with TanLi]. settlers around<br />

it as now. Its location close to <strong>the</strong> pQo.l banks <strong>of</strong> Chilaw<br />

suggests that it may have orig<strong>in</strong>ated as p place <strong>of</strong> worship for<br />

pearl divers from South India. The svara-mmiyam, tkie<br />

chronicle <strong>of</strong> this temple, gives a detailed account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

settlement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Muvaram district with people from <strong>the</strong><br />

1. Cf., Musvara-mmiyam, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sri Vaivmpik-sata<br />

a<strong>in</strong>tasvmi Tvastam Kyarccaai 1alar, Cob bo, 19&l, p.3ff.<br />

2. Unpublished.<br />

3. !emoirs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Colom o Museum, Series A, No.1, Colombo, 1914,<br />

pp. 28-29.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!