2,200 years old stone inscriptions in Sagamamkandi

 Professor Pathmanathan ( University of Jaffna)

We got an opportunity to go to Sangamamkandy to inspect some Archeological remains in May 2013.

Former Provincial Council Member Pushparajah made all arrangements to take us there. Archeological remains are found spread all over the jungle areas of Sangamamkandy. They are very important in the study of the ancient history of Tamils. It could be seen at the Sangamamkandy forest area that the political, social and cultural traditions of the country of Batticaloa, belong to a period before Christ.

we took along the only male student in the class Sathananthan.  Based on the report of what Sathananthan had seen and photographs taken by people gone with him some observation could be expressed. A lid of a grave, another stone piece and few pottery pieces were brought by them. letters could be observed on the pottery pieces. Although there were letters on stone pieces, they seemed to be wasted very much by soil erosion. But with the experience of reading Tamil Pramy edicts found in Batticaloa District over the past few months, We  were able to read these letters.  Inscription found on them are as follows:

1.      Vezh  Nakan mahan vezh kannan ….Vezh kannan mahan vezh nakan.

2.      Vezh kannan mahan vezh nakan… Vezh kannan mahazh vezh nakan.

The first sentence is on the left side of a grave lid. This is a note about three generations of Vezhir. As per the tradition of Nagas, this phrase is repeated again and again. The photograph of one side only had been taken. There may be phrases inscribed  on the other side. Although it had been spoken of burial graves available in Eastern Sri Lanka and Kathraveli, nobody had spoken about edicts of those graves. Hence, finding of a grave lid with letters or phrases in Sangamamkandy is of much importance in the study of Nagas. A suspicion is prevailing among the researchers of South India, whether there were contacts between Vezhir and early iron era (Megalithic) society. This find had put an end to those suspicions. Now it had been confirmed that Vezhir had close contacts with Megalithic culture and Nagas are part of the society of that culture.

Similar lids with inscriptions had existed in some places where archaeological excavation had been done. It is matter for sorrow that the experts who conducted these excavations in these regions, collected much publicity for themselves but had not mentioned anything about their finds. Sathananthan who accompanied us says that there several other lids in Sangamamkandy. Preserving them and studying them are urgently needed.

A senior professor of the Archaeological Higher studies Institute had done excavations in Vanchamadama , located in Empilipitiya,  Rathnapura District. He had excavated six stone burial graves. We were able to witness directly that, there are phrases containing notes pertaining to Nagas. It is a special feature that, a figure of a Thiri Soolam(Three pronged fork) is inscribed on one of the graves. It could also be seen that the heads of two cobras, the ensign of the Nagas had been inscribed symbolically on a grave. The Sangamamkandy  stone inscription mentioned above speak about three generations of Vezhirs. Hence, it is clear that, Sangamamkandy, had grown into a Vezh puram in around 2nd century BC. Population increase and wealth increasing through production methods must have caused this growth. The stone inscriptions at those stone graves are Stone inscriptions in Tamil. The developments of the alphabetical figures belong to the first two centuries BC.

The second inscription is written in the base of a round stone. The sentence, Vezh kannan mahan vezh nakan mahan Vezh kannan is written on it. Nagas had a tradition of inscribing their designations on all items like earthen wares, building materials, and roof tiles used by them.

The phrase ‘ vezh nakan mahan Vezh kannan’ is visible on the three earthenware debris brought from Sangamamkandy. On the fourth earthenware debris, only ‘ vezh nakan mahan’ is visible. On the fifth piece, only the name ‘Vezh kannan’ is visible.

The Earthenware debris and pieces found in Sangamamkandy, are have connections with the stone burial graves. They belong to the same period. The earthen wares used there, resembled the ones used by the Megalithic culture people. As the Sangamamkandy archeological remains have much historical importance, the Eastern Provincial Council has the duty and responsibility to protect them and preserve them.