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Chola era temple excavated off Jaffna
COLOMBO: The History and Archeology Department
of Jaffna University has excavated a temple of
the Chola era in Nedunthivu or Delft Island, off
the Jaffna coast. The leader of the team, Prof P
Pushparatnam told news agencies that the 40-ft
long 10-ft wide temple belonged to the era of
Raja Raja Chola or 10th Century BC. Raja Raja
Chola, one of the most powerful rulers of the
Chola dynasty, ruled the Thanjavur-Cholamandalam
area from 985 to 1014 CE. Asked how he was able
to date the temple, of which he had only the
walls, the foundation and some vimana relief art
work, Pushparatnam said that he had gone by two
things: Firstly, coins of Raja Raja Chola had
been found in the vicinity. Secondly, so far,
historical structures found in the Delft Island
had been of the Dutch and British periods only.
This was the first time a structure predating
these two periods had been found there, he
pointed out. Pushparatnam said that more of the
temple might be found as the excavations go on.
Essentially, only a survey of the area had been
conducted so far, he clarified.
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Sri Lankan Tamil archeologists have been
complaining that they have not been encouraged to
excavate or look for historical material in the
Tamil-speaking North and East by Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese-
dominated archeological establishment. Pathmanathan,
formerly head of the Department of History in Peradeniya
University at Kandy, told news agencies that Sri Lankan
universities were not giving money for historical
research on the Tamil areas, and that PhD and post-
doctoral work on these areas had virtually ceased after
the intensification of the ethnic conflict in the
island. It is now hoped that with the return of peace
and normalcy, archeological work in the Tamil-speaking
North and East will be encouraged.
