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Sefhupafi Coins. 
(By Rev. JAMES E. TEACY, m.a., Tirusiangalam.) 
The Sethupati line, or Marava dynasty of Eamnad, in 
Soutbern India, claims great antiquity. According to popu- 
lar legendary accounts it had its rise in the time of great 
Eama himself, who is said to have appointed on his victorious 
return from Lanka, seven guardians of the passage or bridge 
(Qs'S') connecting Ceylon with the mainland. These legends 
would carry the origin of the family back to the eleventh or 
twelfth century B.C. and indicate an antiquity hoary indeed ; 
such a supposition however without any trustworthy evidence 
to support it will not be accepted as historical. 
Another supposition places the rise of the family in the 
second or third century B.C. It rests its case principally 
upon a statement in the Mahawanso, according to which the 
last of the three Tamil invasions of Ceylon, which took place 
in the second or third century B.C., was under the leader- 
ship of seven chieftains, who are supposed, owing to the 
silence of Pandyan records on the subject of South Indian 
deaKngs with Ceylon, to have been neither Cheras, Cholas or 
Pandyans, but mere local adventurers whose territorial prox- 
imity and marauding ambition had tempted them to the 
undertaking. Some confirmation of this theory is supposed 
to be found in the fact that these seven invading chieftains 
are said to have had their capital at Nallur, which is identi- 
fied as the town now known as Virava NuUur, situated near 
Ramnad. 
This supposition, though, like the preceding, quite un- 
supported by worthy historical evidence, is nevertheless more 
