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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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264<br />

One could suppose that <strong>the</strong> numerous <strong>in</strong>ternec<strong>in</strong>e wars that<br />

characterised <strong>the</strong> decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cas would have led to <strong>the</strong><br />

flight <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> defeated to places like <strong>Ceylon</strong>. The Muslim<br />

<strong>in</strong>vasions would have certa<strong>in</strong>ly led to such flights, but South<br />

India was hardly affected by <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> thirteenth century.<br />

We hear very little about fim<strong>in</strong>es or any o<strong>the</strong>r forms <strong>of</strong> distress<br />

that might have led to <strong>the</strong> migration <strong>of</strong> people. In <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>scriptions<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> Kulttuñga III <strong>the</strong>re are references to fRm<strong>in</strong>ea<br />

<strong>in</strong> two areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ca k<strong>in</strong>gdom. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>scriptions from<br />

Tiruppmburam, dated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> twenty-third year <strong>of</strong> KuJZttuhga III<br />

(A.D. 1301), refers to <strong>the</strong> distress<strong>in</strong>g circumstances that prevailed<br />

<strong>in</strong> that village <strong>and</strong> to <strong>the</strong> sad <strong>in</strong>cident o a <strong>and</strong> his<br />

two daughters sell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>mselves to <strong>the</strong> local temple to be<br />

saved from starvation In ano<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>scription from TaAv1r,<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> year 1305, <strong>the</strong>re is an allusion to similar distress be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

suffered by <strong>the</strong> villagers for a long time But we are not <strong>in</strong> a<br />

position to say whe<strong>the</strong>r such conditions were widespread <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Ca country dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g years <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> empire.<br />

1. LE.R. for 1911, Inscription No.86 <strong>of</strong> 1911, p.7k.<br />

2. LE.P. for 191k, Inscription o.k58 <strong>of</strong> 1913, p. 91.

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