No. 43. — 1892.] ETHNOLOGY OF CEYLON. 235 



be the ancient Taprobane. McCrindle, the latest translator 

 and editor of the Periplus Maris Erythrei, claims Taprobane 

 as the Greek transliteration of the Tamil Tambraparni, and 

 supposes that a band of colonists from Magadha gave the 

 name to the place where first they landed, which afterwards 

 extended to the whole island. The Mahdwaiisa (chap. VI.) 

 claims that Vijaya landed in the division Tambapanni of 

 Lanka. 



From the central city of Kolkei the three branches 

 of the race separated. Three royal brothers parted with 

 their followers. Pandiya remained at home, and Cheran 

 seeking his fortunes towards the north, Cholan went to the 

 west.* In 1064 A. D. Raj endra Chola became the first Chola 

 who gained the sovereignty over the Pandiyan kingdom. 



Chola (in Sinhalese Soli-rata) is now represented by the 

 south-east portion of the Tanjore Collectorate lying between 

 the Tondiman Raja's territory and the Ramnad Zemindary ; 

 that is, these limits represent at least part of the ancient 

 Chola kingdom. This locality yields a vast salt revenue to 

 the Madras Government and hunting grounds for sportsmen. 

 The land being also overspread with swamps, the inhabitants 

 had strong incentives to make military excursions. Thus 

 the Cholians defeated Mahalana Kitti, king of the Ruhuna 

 division, seized the crown and all the treasure, and sent 

 them to the king of Chola. When a king of Ruhuna, 

 Jugutipala, said to be sprung from the race of Rama, came 

 from Ayoddhya (Oude) and won the sovereignty, he was also 

 slain in battle by the Cholians, who sent his wife, daughter, 

 and treasure to their own country. After this Parakrama, 

 a son of the king of Pandu, reigned a little while, but the 

 Cholians made war against him and slew him also. The 

 Cholians were at last overcome by Makkhakudrusa, who 

 fixed his residence at Kataragama. 



It is impossible to consider the sovereignty of a king of 

 Pandu, who came from a part of India quite as distant as the 



* See Note A. 



G 2 



