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

chronology, for phonological principles, or for the
historical development of words and. forms. 1
31
Similarly the attempts of Raaanayagam to show that
the Ngas of Ceylon referred to in the Pli chronicles were
Tamil in culture and language are based on the erroneous
identification of some place-names in the Tamil Safigam texts,
without any consideration for chr.ogy or for known historical
facts An analysis of these early Tamil poems shows that the
geography of their accountá is mainly confined to the Tam.tl
country of their time, which was bounded in the north by the
Vñkaam (Vgaam) hills, in the south by Kuzriari (Cape Comorin)
and on the west and east by the seai There is no indication in
any of the poems that chieftains and rulers from outside these
limits were eulogised by the Tamil poets. A notable exception
is the Arya king Pirakatta, (Brasta) who is mentioned in the
colophon of Kapilar's ifici-pu Despite this factor,
Rasanaya,gam has tried to identify -ilaAk8i, }ntai and ICutirai
of the aigam poems with Ceylon, Mahtittha (in Ceylon) and
Kutirai-malai (in Ceylon) respectively The )-ilMciii of
1. W.Geiger, A Grammar of the Sinhalese Language, p. vii.
2. C.Rasanaragaii, . cit., pp. 13_h14.
3. Tolkppiyam, Pyiram, 11. 1-2 ; Cilappatikram, VIII, U. 1-2.
k. ifici-pu, Pattu-pu , ed. U.V.Cuvmfnata Ayyar, p. 380.
5. C.Rasanaagam, . cit., pp. 19-26.