380 



On the site of Kurkki 



[April 



distant about 30 miles, as having been the habitation of Vamsa 

 Colasakhara Pandyan who built the temple. This circumstance, sup- 

 ported by the coincidences which I am about to point out on comparing 

 the situation of Gorrkai in the Tinnevelly district with Dr. Wilson's 

 Historical Sketch, inclines me to believe that this is the place spoken 

 of by the authority from which the Professor quotes. 



Gorrkai is situated on the northern bank of the river Tombrapoor- 

 ney, not far from its mouth, and within a short distance from the towns 

 of Pinnacoil and Koyelputnum upon the coast, to which belong a con- 

 siderable number of the vessels employed in the pearl fisheries, both 

 at the beds upon the coast in the immediate neighbourhood and those at 

 Manar in Ceylo-n.* There is no town in the neighbourhood of Gorrkai 

 that now bears the name of Kalyanapur: but there is a place about 

 20 miles west of it called LbgssnljUQS)'—^'^® (Manapadeividoo), a 

 name of similar import signifying " the place of the marriage," which, 

 like Gorrkai, is believed by the natives of this province to have once 

 been the habitation of the Pandyan kings. This town is south of the 

 river, and, supposing it to be the place mentioned by the name of 

 Kullyanapiir in the Historical Sketch, it is easy to conceive that a 

 party might, during the rains, be prevented for a month from crossing 

 over to Gorrkai. The town built by Kula Sek'hara and called after 

 himself is to this day a flourishing seaport and retains its original 

 name. The distance from Cape Kumari (or Comorin), however, is 

 greater than that mentioned in Dr. Wilson's paper, being about 45 

 miles. It may be found in Arrowsmith's new map, mis-spelt Golasair- 

 patam, immediately to the north of Point Munahpaud. Its distance 

 from Gorrkai is about 17 miles, southward. Neither Gorrkai nor 

 Manapadeividoo are of sufficient size or importance in the present day 

 to have a pltice in the map ; but it is not to be marvelled at that 

 they should have dwindled into insignificance during the period of 

 nearly three thousand years, which, according to Dr. Wilson's com- 

 putation, have elapsed since they ceased to be seats of royalty. 



I am indebted to an intelligent native, Soolochenum Moodeliar, 

 the deputy sherestadar of Tinnevelly, for pointing out to me the 

 following lines extracted from the 45th Tiruvilliadel, which perhaps 

 may be regarded as establishing the pretensions of the Tinnevelly 

 Gorrkai beyond question. 



* Vide note at foot of page 180, No. 16, Madras Journal of Literature and Sciences 



