India & its close proximity to Sri Lanka                       A Buddha statue
 

                  


A Map of Sri Lanka - Please note Jaffna, Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa



The major factors which influenced influx of the Tamils to Sri Lanka since ancient times were; Sri Lanka's close proximity to India and its easy accessibility by sea from all ports of coastal India. Therefore, over centuries, the Tamils came to Sri Lanka as peaceful immigrants or as invaders. 

In an effort to discuss historical roots of Sri Lankan Tamils, no doubtly, the starting point must be the works of Prof. Karthigesu Indrapala, Professor of History of the Jaffna University. He has been the only person to pioneer research on the early settlements and has written a comprihensive history of the Tamils from their earliest settlements until the begining of the Kingdom of Jaffna. In his article on " EARLY TAMIL SETTLEMENTS IN CEYLON ", published in the Royal Asiatic Society Journal of 1969, Vol. XIII, Prof. Indrapala said;

" There is no reliable evidence in the chronicals to say that there were " Tamil settlements in the pre-Christian period or in the early Centuries of the Christian era. " 

" Looking back on the whole body of evidence that is available to us, we have to conclude that there were no widespread Tamil settlements before the 10th Century ".

According to " Mahawansa " ( The Great Chronical ) and amply corroborated by other historical evidence, Sinhala Kings ruled Sri Lanka including Jaffna peninsula from the 06th Century BC to the 11th Century AD from Anuradhapura. In the first millenium after Sinhalese colonisation of Sri Lanka, Tamil influence was experienced in succesive ways and Sinhala Kings have adopted a tolerant attitude over these immigrant Tamils who came from South India. These Tamils had not their own permanant and extensive settlements. However, here they continued practising their own ways of life, language and religion. 

In the 03rd Century BC, two Tamils, "Sena" and "Guttika" were able to overthrow the Sinhala King, Surathissa and hold power for a period of 22 years. The Tamil King Elara did the same from Anuradhapura for 44 years during the 02nd Century BC. It should be understood that in the early Anuradhapura period there were 03 seperate Sinhala Kingdoms located in Anuradhapura, Kelaniya and Magama and whenever South Indian invaders seized power in Anuradhapura, the Sinhala Kings withdrew land, regrouped, obtained reinforcements and chased out the enemy. In the 10th Century AD, South Indian invasions become ever so frequent and Anuradhapura was ransacked and plundered many times. Analysing this situation, Prof. K. Indrapala said;

" But, considering the number of Tamil invasions and the number of occassions when Tamil mercenaries were enlisted, it appears that more Tamils came to Ceylon as invaders and hired soldires than as traders. "

In 1017, the Chola Emperor Rajaraja conquered and sacked Anuradhapura, establishing his power over the " Rajarata " and shifting the capital from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa. Rajaraja and his successors held power until Sinhala King, " Vijayabahu I " defeated the Cholas in 1070 AD. During this time ( almost a century ), many Tamils took advantage of the Chola occupation, thus adding to the Tamil element of the population of nothern Sri Lanka.


According to Prof. Indrapala, " only by about 10th Century that permanant settlements of the Tamils began ". According to him, the location of these Tamil settlements in this first phase were;

"....... still outside the Jaffna district. Of the present day Tamil areas, only the upper half of the Eastern Province and parts of the Western coast had Tamil settlers in the 11th and 12th Centuries. The main stage in the process of Tamil settlement which led to the transformation of the present Nothern Province into an exclusively Tamil-speaking area had not yet been reached with the conquest of " MAGHA "and it is doubtful that the Tamil settlements of the period before the 13th Century would have resulted in the division of the country into two linguistic regions."

After the demise of King Vijayabahu I, once again there was internal conflicts and signs of political disintegration. However, the emergence of King Parakramabahu the Great ( 1153 - 1186 AD ) saw the reunification of the country and the ushering in of the golden age of medieval Sinhala civilisation; hitherto  battered by fierce and ruthless South Indian invasions.  

According to Prof. Indrapala, " the earliest Tamil inscription discoverd in the Jaffna District is by Sinhala King Parakramabahu I ". This inscription was found at the entrance to the Nakapusani Amman Temple in Nainativu or Nagadeepa and contains Trade Regulations concerning wreckages off the Port of Uratturai or Kyts. This goes to prove that the Sinhalese Monarchs were in complete control of the nothern most region of the island and also substantiates the volume of shipping that passed via the Palk Strait. There are a few Tamil inscriptions in Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee Districts such as the famous Welgamvehera Slab inscription; but they belong to the South Indian Chola rulers who forcibly occupied the Rajarata in the 11th Century AD. Among the well known Sinhalese inscriptions in the Eastern Province are; Lahugala rock inscription of the 02nd Century AD, the Kondawatuwana Rock inscription of Sinhala King Dappula IV ( 934 AD ) in Ampara, the Kandarodai inscription by the same king, and the Tiruketeeswaran Pillar inscription by Sinhala King Sena II ( 835 AD ).