No. 27. — 1884.] tissamahArama archeology. 



13 



Tammannatota means the landing-place, or ferry, or port 

 of (or for) Tammanna. From the neighbourhood of Kirinde 

 the top of Adam's Peak is visible, and of course the extract 

 plainly indicates that the port for Tammanna was believed 

 by the compiler to be in the Southern Province. There 

 was thus a decided consensus of opinion in former times 

 that Wijaya both landed and founded his capital in the 

 south of Ceylon. 



Practically, this is the whole of the evidence which is 

 available regarding the arrival of Wijaya himself. But 

 there is very valuable information respecting the landing 

 of Wijaya's successor, Panduwasa Dewa, who came from the 

 same place, and presumably took the same route to Ceylon, 

 less than 40 years afterwards. If it were shown that 

 Panduwasa Dewa landed in the north or west of Ceylon, 

 that would be no proof that Wijaya landed in that part 

 of the Island. But if it can be shown that Panduwasa 

 Dewa landed in the south or south-east of Ceylon, we 

 shall have strong presumptive evidence that he took the 

 same circuitous route as his predecessor. It is most 

 unlikely that he would travel several hundred miles more 

 than were known to be absolutely necessary ; if he came 

 to the south, therefore, he took the usual route of vessels 

 from the Ganges. Vessels from the Ganges must at 

 first have all come during the north-east monsoon, just 

 as ships from the Far West were compelled to regulate 

 their voyages by the prevailing winds. The Rajawalliya 

 even says explicitly that Panduwasa Dewa arrived at " the 

 haven of Tammanna Nuwara," the same spot as Wijaya's 

 landing-place, after coming by ship from Simhala Nuwara 

 (p. 168). 



There is not the least reason for doubting the state- 

 ment in the Mahavamsa that Panduwasa Dewa landed 

 at the port of Gonagama at the mouth of the great 

 Kandara river ; and also that the Princess Bhaddhakacchana 

 afterwards landed at the same site. According to these 

 authorities, Gonagama is therefore the same spot as the 

 port for Tammanna Nuwara. As to this place, where 

 Panduwasa Dewa disembarked, no uncertainty need 

 exist. I am now able to suggest with confidence that 

 this great Kandara river is no other than the Magama 



