by Revd. BJ Alexander, November 17, 2004
sangam.org/articles/view2/642.html
A pre-production research panel met some months ago to brainstorm ideas about a TV/Radio Documentary for Holy Week 2005 on Suffering – particularly focusing on the theme of traumatic memories among exile communities in London, England. During the process of invigorating discussions: exchanging and comparing of notes springing from diverse experiences; a Rwandan filmmaker asked me in passing: “Father, you must be a Tamil?”
A couple of weeks after this meeting we met again for Tea (euphemism for a sumptuous meal) and this time my polite African friend brought me a small parcel wrapped in brick-red tissue paper; and on the top label written in Indigo: To – “Father Tamil.” Having given me a warm hug he said, “Father, this little book has been with my papa since his college days… read it please; this is about your people,” he emphasised. When I opened the wrapper I was over the moon. The title of the book was The History of the Kingdom of Jaffna, Translated from the Tamil by C Brito, published in Colombo, in 1879. According to the preface, Mayilvakanan, “a descendant of the celebrated Vaiya” authored this book. (Vaiya was a historian who penned the poem “para-rasa-sekaran-ula” and the chronicle “Rasa-murai”, written in the reign of king Seka-rasa-sekaran.)
The Vadukan Dynasty
Having devoured the book more than once, I thought it would be useful to Sangam readership (some of the information they might already know, perhaps) if I shared some interesting facts that I found in this book. Herein below we shall follow the translator’s spelling.
The book speaks of a prophecy that was found in a Kalveddu in Trincomalie. Kalveddu literally means an inscription carved upon a rock. The author points out that the inscription is unquestionably a work of great antiquity. This book also gives an account of an almost identical prophecy orally given in the presence of a Tamil sovereign named Para-rasa-sekaran in the court of Yalpanam. A saint named Supathidda-muni, a son of Siththa-muni; and grandson of Akasthiya-muni, delivered the prophecy.
A 16th century Tamil inscription found on a pillar of an ancient Vishnu temple at Thollammur near Villupuram.
The King asked the Muni: Enlighten us master with knowledge of what shall happen to this kingdom?
The Muni replies: “King! Your kingdom will flourish but a short time more…you will have no royal descendants to inherit your crown.” To this the king responds: “Master, I have two sons by my queen, and many children by the other wife..” The Muni replies: “True, it is you have these children. But the first prince dies by poison and the second by the sword. Your second wife’s eldest son will be deceived by smooth words into entrusting the government into the hands of Sangkili. And the kingdom will finally pass into the hands of strangers.” Lord! Shall the kingdom ever return to my dynasty?
The Prophecy
The Muni replies (prophetic utterance):
It will first fall into the hands of the Parangki (The Portuguese). He will destroy all Saivite places of worship, spread the Sathiya Vetham (The Bible) with force of arms and rule forty years with iron sceptre. The Ulanthes (The Dutch) will artfully overcome the Parangki and spread the Ireppramanthu Sathiya Vetham [Reformed version of the Bible?] with his power of the sword. He will prevent people worshipping their gods and will make regulations abolishing the religious observances and ancient customs of the country…. His cruel reign will last more than one hundred and twenty years. The Inthiresu (The English) king will take the kingdom from the Ulanthes king and will proclaim to all people’ liberty of conscience and freedom to build temples. He will reign 79 years with justice. And in the latter part of his reign the Inthiresan will not govern with justice, as he will do at the commencement. When the time approaches that he will lose the kingdom, preparations will be making to restore the sacred edifices built by Singkai Ariya Maharasa and Vijaya raja… after this, will come Singkam (Lion) to govern the whole Ceylon.
In the chapter where it speaks of “the origin of the Singhalese…” the following point is made: The language spoken by the Singhalese were gradually believed to be the “lion’s language.” In this chapter, it is also stated that the “Island bore the Tamil name ‘Ilam’ when Vijayo colonised it.” It further goes on to say that “Ilam” is a pure Tamil word and has no Ariyan origin. The author reminds us that this island was called “Illa-thesam, Ila-mandalam = Ceylon; Ila-kulam, Ilathar, Ila-thesath-thar = Ceylonese.”
According to the Kalveddu, “prior to the colonisation by the Parangkis the Vadukan (Tamils) have reigned over all Ceylon.” Consequently “the Cholar dynasty will then be diminished” it foretells, after the Hollanders snatch portions of territory.
These prophecies seem to be accurate thus far and fly in the face of those who tend to take flights of fancy that the Ceylon Tamils have had no kingdom in the past.
The Dravidas
On the history of Tamils this book gives out some noteworthy information. The Tamils are a branch of the great Dravida race, it says, which inhabit the Dekan. The Dravidas are supposed to be Scythians of the northern parts of Europe and Asia, who came to India through the Northwest Passage and settled first between the Himalayas and the Vindia Mountains. Later the Ariyans gradually drove them southwards into the Dekan.
Dr. Caldwell’s comments are quoted in this book regarding the pre-Ariyan civilisation of the Dravidas. “They had ‘kings’ who dwelt in ‘strong houses’ and ruled over small ‘districts.’ They had ‘minstrels’ who recited ‘songs’ at festivals and they seem to have had alphabetical characters’ written with a ‘style’ on palmyra leaves. A bundle of those leaves was called a ‘book’ – “Yeadu” as the Tamils would call it.
Speaking of Saivite spirituality some intriguing findings surface: “They were without hereditary ‘priests’ and ‘idols’ and appear to have had no idea of ‘heaven’ or ‘hell,’ of the ‘soul’ or ‘sin’; but they acknowledge the existence of God, whom they styled ‘Ko’ or King, a realistic title little known to orthodox Hinduism. They erected to his honour a ‘temple’, which they called ‘Ko-il’, God’s house; But I cannot find any trace of sacrificial worship that they offered to him.”
In terms of social structure, it is found that they had ‘laws’ and ‘customs’ but no lawyers or judges. Marriage existed among them. They were acquainted with the ordinary metals, with the exception of ‘tin’ and ‘lead’ and ‘Zinc’; with the planets which were ordinarily known to the ancients, with exception of ‘Mercury’ and ‘Saturn’. They had numerals up to hundred, – some of them up to a thousand…
The Battle
After a reign of 44 years, it records, Ellala, the Tamil King was slain in battle, in B.C 161. According to Rajaratnacari, eight million Tamils were put to death on that occasion!
“Dutugamini was the first Ceylonese monarch it states, who openly and mainly relied on the religious differences between himself and the enemy as a means to rouse the enthusiasm of his soldiers, or quiet his own disturbed conscience. Before marching against Elaro he declared his object to be ‘the restoration of the religion’ and proclaimed ‘I fight not for dominion but for the sake of the religion of Buddha.’”
Ear Piercing
It is observed that wearing earrings is purely a Tamil practice but it was once general among Singhalese. King Duttugamini had in his youth undergone a ceremony of ear piercing and wore ear ornaments throughout his life.
This is something that the Tamil youths have revived, particularly in the Diaspora. It seems that this was more than a fashion statement.
I hope that the things that are been shared here will be picked up by keen young minds and will trigger research into Tamil roots. This is about your people. As the saying goes, none need to pierce our ears pertaining to our rightful birthright!