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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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309<br />

Arier <strong>in</strong> bewu ten Gegensatz zu den Darni3as (3k. dravia)<br />

wie zu den Vddaa. Wir sehen also, da(5 schom im 13 Jahrhundert<br />

die Vannis ebenso, wie dies ihre heutigen Nachfahren<br />

tun, den Anepruch auf arieche Abkunft und vornehme Kaste<br />

erhoben, und davon dem Chronisten der zu.. Anfang des<br />

1k Jahrhunderts se<strong>in</strong> Werk Verfate, also ale Zeitgenosse<br />

gelten darf, dieser Anepruch <strong>of</strong> fenbar ale durchaus<br />

berechtigt anerkannt wurde. 1<br />

We shall presently,(that while Geiger is partly right <strong>in</strong> apply<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> name Vanni to a whole community or caste ra<strong>the</strong>r than to a<br />

group <strong>of</strong> chiefta<strong>in</strong>s, he is wrong <strong>in</strong> claim<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>y were all<br />

S<strong>in</strong>halese <strong>and</strong> consequently <strong>of</strong> Aryan descent. But before we come<br />

to that, let us consider <strong>the</strong> various derivations that have been<br />

suggested for <strong>the</strong> name Vanni. Tennent mentions two possible<br />

derivations, namely 'one significant <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> forest (vanam)zhich<br />

it (<strong>the</strong> Vanni region) covers to a great extent, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tense heat which characterisee <strong>the</strong> region' (vanni = fire<br />

Some have tried to derive it from <strong>the</strong> TaIL1 val, 'hard', denot<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> hardness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> soil Still o<strong>the</strong>rs have suggested a derivation<br />

from Baniy or merchant These are all fanciful derivations<br />

based on <strong>the</strong> similarity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir sounds with that <strong>of</strong> vanni.<br />

1. W.Geiger, 'Die Vannis', . cit., pp.k-5.<br />

2. .Tennent, <strong>Ceylon</strong>, II, (ktb edition), p.508.<br />

3. J.LA.S. (C.B.), )I" , No. 115, 189k , p. 151, note.<br />

i. Ibid.

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