164 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



At Matavuvaittakulam, a fine ancient Sinhalese tank in 

 the same division, is a five-headed cobra now set up in a 

 Hindu temple on the bund. 



Metkumulai, the western division of the Wanni, bears 

 signs of having at one time been thickly populated. There are 

 many abandoned tanks, some of large size, and deserted 

 villages. At Iranaiyiluppaikkulam there are some ruins 

 close to the road in front of the village — a pillar, upright, 

 square, on a stone, other stones imbedded in earth, and a quan- 

 tity of square bricks, with an abandoned and filled-up well.* 



There are said to be ruins at a large abandoned tank north- 

 east of Palampuddi, called Malikai-kaddinairavi — pillars and 

 a stone house.| This, it may be remarked, is another place 

 which has retained the Sinhalese name maligawa, and in- 

 corporated it in its present Tamil name, and this word shows 

 that a building of some importance once existed here. 



At Vinaiyankulam, one mile south of Palampuddi, are to be 

 seen a mutilated Buddha and some pillars,J and at Chelliya- 

 villu, the extreme limit of the Mullaittivu District, on the 

 Mannar side, is a stone with a socket cut in it for a pillar ; and 

 bricks are scattered about in the neighbourhood^ 



Panankamam, the division north of Metkumulai, was the 

 headquarters of the Wanni in the time of the Wanni chiefs, 

 and perhaps for that reason the traces of the former Sinhalese 

 inhabitants are but slight. The ruins of Yavunikulam have 

 already been referred to. There is no record that any 

 distinctively Buddhist remains have so far been met with in 

 this pattu. 



Mr. Nevill states that there is a large tank four miles from 

 Pandarakatkulam, and " this was the residence of the Wanni 

 prince of this district until our time." He further states that 

 "the temple and houses are still standing, but in ruins." No 

 one appears to have been to visit them.|| 



* June 2, 1884. 



f May 15, 1886. The ruins do not seem to have yet been explored. 

 % Diary of September, 1886. j| Diary of June 7, 1889. 



§ Diary of October 2, 1886. 



