இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
The Siva temples have also been
depicted in the pre Christian coins of
Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. A depiction of a
temple has been found in a coin discovered
at Pallikuda in the Poonakary region of
northern Sri Lanka (Pushparatnam. P. 2002:
73 74). Here a hut shaped temple with a
roof in an inverted crescent form supported
by five pillars is depicted. Similarly in the
Pandyan coins (200 B.C-100 B.C) we could
see the depiction of temple, along with
bull and crescent (Krishnamurthy R. 1997:
34, 35). Pandyan coins discovered at
Kantarodai have symbols Trisula with battle
axe (Krishnamoorthy R. 1997: 36).
VII
The perusal of the evidence collated so
far clearly indicate that the cult of Siva has
a long history in Sri Lanka, running to many
centuries before the Christian era. Unlike in
Sri Lanka, Siva is not mentioned either in
the Sangam literature or in the Brahmi
inscriptions of Tamil Nadu of this period.
However the depiction of Siva temples, and
the symbol and associated with the cult of
Siva such as Trisula, battle axe, crescent
taurine symbols, lingam in the coins datable
Banerjea, JN, 1966 Pauranic and Tantric Religions- Early phase,
(Culcutta).
Bibliography
Bopearachchi Osmand and Wickremesinghe Rajah 1999, Ropuna- An
Ancient Civilization Re-Visited, Numismatic and Archaeological
Evidence on Intand and Maritime Trade, (Nugegoda).
Codrington, H.W, 1924 Ceylon Coins and Currency (Colombo).
Deraniyagala, PEP 1960 "The Maradan Maduwa Tobbova Culture of
Ceylon" Spolia Zeylanica, Vol 1, 29, part I, pp 92-92.
Deraniyagala, S.1972. "The Age of the Terracotta objects of the Maradan
Maduwa Phallic cult" Ancient Ceylon, Appendix II, pp 164-165.
Dhatuvamsa 1925. (ed) Law, B.C (Lohore).
Ellawala, H. 1969, Social History of Early Ceylon (Colombo).
Keith, A.B, 1920 History of Sanskrit Literature (Oxford).
Krishnamurthy. R. 1997 Sangam Age Tamil Coins (Madras).
Krishnarajah, S.1998 Tolliyalum Jalppanat Tamilar Panpattu Tonmayum.
(in Tamil) Prainila Publication. (Jaffna).
M.V. Mahavamsa 1960 Trans and Ed. Geiger, W. (Colombo).
Mahavamsa Tika, Vol II 1936 (ed) Malalasekara G.P, PTS edition
(London).
to 200 B.C shows this cult was prevalent in
ancient Thamilakam as in Sri Lanka.
However, the Pan Indian development of
this cult is evident from the description of
Siva found in the Sangam literature. In fact
the physical and other qualities of Siva as
found in the Sangam literature fully echo
the vedic and epic description of this God.
Some of the descriptions are; Siva has long
braids of hair; He wears garlands made of
konrai flowers on his chest and head; he
wears the crescent moon on his head; he has
three eyes; his throat is blue; he holds an axe
in his hand; his vehicle is the bull and his
banner is marked with the figure of the bull;
he shares his body with Uma.
Malalasekera, GP 1928 The Pali Literature of Ceylon, (London).
Marshall, Sir John, 1931, Mohenjodaro and the Indus Valley Civilzation,
Vol I (London).
Thus the cult of Siva which had its origin
in the Pre-Indus cultures of India matured in
the Indus Valley civilization. During the
post-Indus phase it assumed prominence
and this led to its development as a
pan-Indian cult. This is evident from the
study of Puranas, Epics, Sangam Literature
and the archaeological sources. The data
from the Sri Lankan literary and archaeo-
logical sources further confirm the influence
of India in the development of this cult of
Siva in Sri Lanka during the early centuries
preceding the Christian era.
43
Paranavitana, S. 1929 Pre-Buddhist religious beliefs in Ceylon. J.R.A.S
(C.B) Vol XXXI No 82, pp 302-327.
Paranavitana, S. 1957 The God of Adam's Peak (Switzerland).
Paranavitana, S. 1959 History of Ceylon, Vol I. Part I (Colombo).
Paranavitana, $ 1970 Inscriptions of Ceylon, Vol I (Colombo).
Pieris Paul E. 1922. Nagadipa and Buddhist Remains in Jaffna" Part I,
J.R.A.S. (CB) Vol XXVI No, 70. 1917-1918.
Pushparatnam, P. 1998 Anmaiyil Vadailankaiyil Kidaitta Laksmi
Nanayankal Oru Melparicelanai" (in Tamil) A paper submitted
at the Ninth Tamil Nadu Archaeological Conference at
Puthukkoddai, Tamil Nadu.
Pushparatnam, P. 2002 Ancient Coins of Sri Lankan Tamil Rulers, Bavani
Pathippakam (Puttur).
Rahula, W. 1956 History of Buddhism in Ceylon, (Colombo).
Sarachandra, E.R. 1966 The Folk Drama of Ceylon (Colombo).
Seyon, K.N.V 1998 Some Old coins found in Early Ceylon
(Nawala, Sri Lanka).
Sinnatamby, JR. 1968 Ceylon in Ptolemy's Geography (Colombo).
Williams, Monier, 1963, Sanskrit- English Dictionary (Oxford).
Yalppanavaipavamalai-1949 (Ed) Kula Sabanathan, Mudaliyar
(Colombo).
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
The
Siva
temples
have
also
been
depicted
in
the
pre
Christian
coins
of
Sri
Lanka
and
Tamil
Nadu
.
A
depiction
of
a
temple
has
been
found
in
a
coin
discovered
at
Pallikuda
in
the
Poonakary
region
of
northern
Sri
Lanka
(
Pushparatnam
.
P.
2002
:
73
74
)
.
Here
a
hut
shaped
temple
with
a
roof
in
an
inverted
crescent
form
supported
by
five
pillars
is
depicted
.
Similarly
in
the
Pandyan
coins
(
200
B.C
-
100
B.C
)
we
could
see
the
depiction
of
temple
along
with
bull
and
crescent
(
Krishnamurthy
R.
1997
:
34
35
)
.
Pandyan
coins
discovered
at
Kantarodai
have
symbols
Trisula
with
battle
axe
(
Krishnamoorthy
R.
1997
:
36
)
.
VII
The
perusal
of
the
evidence
collated
so
far
clearly
indicate
that
the
cult
of
Siva
has
a
long
history
in
Sri
Lanka
running
to
many
centuries
before
the
Christian
era
.
Unlike
in
Sri
Lanka
Siva
is
not
mentioned
either
in
the
Sangam
literature
or
in
the
Brahmi
inscriptions
of
Tamil
Nadu
of
this
period
.
However
the
depiction
of
Siva
temples
and
the
symbol
and
associated
with
the
cult
of
Siva
such
as
Trisula
battle
axe
crescent
taurine
symbols
lingam
in
the
coins
datable
Banerjea
JN
1966
Pauranic
and
Tantric
Religions-
Early
phase
(
Culcutta
)
.
Bibliography
Bopearachchi
Osmand
and
Wickremesinghe
Rajah
1999
Ropuna-
An
Ancient
Civilization
Re
-
Visited
Numismatic
and
Archaeological
Evidence
on
Intand
and
Maritime
Trade
(
Nugegoda
)
.
Codrington
H.W
1924
Ceylon
Coins
and
Currency
(
Colombo
)
.
Deraniyagala
PEP
1960
The
Maradan
Maduwa
Tobbova
Culture
of
Ceylon
Spolia
Zeylanica
Vol
1
29
part
I
pp
92-92
.
Deraniyagala
S.1972
.
The
Age
of
the
Terracotta
objects
of
the
Maradan
Maduwa
Phallic
cult
Ancient
Ceylon
Appendix
II
pp
164-165
.
Dhatuvamsa
1925.
(
ed
)
Law
B.C
(
Lohore
)
.
Ellawala
H.
1969
Social
History
of
Early
Ceylon
(
Colombo
)
.
Keith
A.B
1920
History
of
Sanskrit
Literature
(
Oxford
)
.
Krishnamurthy
.
R.
1997
Sangam
Age
Tamil
Coins
(
Madras
)
.
Krishnarajah
S.1998
Tolliyalum
Jalppanat
Tamilar
Panpattu
Tonmayum
.
(
in
Tamil
)
Prainila
Publication
.
(
Jaffna
)
.
M.V.
Mahavamsa
1960
Trans
and
Ed
.
Geiger
W.
(
Colombo
)
.
Mahavamsa
Tika
Vol
II
1936
(
ed
)
Malalasekara
G.P
PTS
edition
(
London
)
.
to
200
B.C
shows
this
cult
was
prevalent
in
ancient
Thamilakam
as
in
Sri
Lanka
.
However
the
Pan
Indian
development
of
this
cult
is
evident
from
the
description
of
Siva
found
in
the
Sangam
literature
.
In
fact
the
physical
and
other
qualities
of
Siva
as
found
in
the
Sangam
literature
fully
echo
the
vedic
and
epic
description
of
this
God
.
Some
of
the
descriptions
are
;
Siva
has
long
braids
of
hair
;
He
wears
garlands
made
of
konrai
flowers
on
his
chest
and
head
;
he
wears
the
crescent
moon
on
his
head
;
he
has
three
eyes
;
his
throat
is
blue
;
he
holds
an
axe
in
his
hand
;
his
vehicle
is
the
bull
and
his
banner
is
marked
with
the
figure
of
the
bull
;
he
shares
his
body
with
Uma
.
Malalasekera
GP
1928
The
Pali
Literature
of
Ceylon
(
London
)
.
Marshall
Sir
John
1931
Mohenjodaro
and
the
Indus
Valley
Civilzation
Vol
I
(
London
)
.
Thus
the
cult
of
Siva
which
had
its
origin
in
the
Pre
-
Indus
cultures
of
India
matured
in
the
Indus
Valley
civilization
.
During
the
post
-
Indus
phase
it
assumed
prominence
and
this
led
to
its
development
as
a
pan
-
Indian
cult
.
This
is
evident
from
the
study
of
Puranas
Epics
Sangam
Literature
and
the
archaeological
sources
.
The
data
from
the
Sri
Lankan
literary
and
archaeo
logical
sources
further
confirm
the
influence
of
India
in
the
development
of
this
cult
of
Siva
in
Sri
Lanka
during
the
early
centuries
preceding
the
Christian
era
.
43
Paranavitana
S.
1929
Pre
-
Buddhist
religious
beliefs
in
Ceylon
.
J.R.A.S
(
C.B
)
Vol
XXXI
No
82
pp
302-327
.
Paranavitana
S.
1957
The
God
of
Adam's
Peak
(
Switzerland
)
.
Paranavitana
S.
1959
History
of
Ceylon
Vol
I.
Part
I
(
Colombo
)
.
Paranavitana
$
1970
Inscriptions
of
Ceylon
Vol
I
(
Colombo
)
.
Pieris
Paul
E.
1922.
Nagadipa
and
Buddhist
Remains
in
Jaffna
Part
I
J.R.A.S.
(
CB
)
Vol
XXVI
No
70.
1917-1918
.
Pushparatnam
P.
1998
Anmaiyil
Vadailankaiyil
Kidaitta
Laksmi
Nanayankal
Oru
Melparicelanai
(
in
Tamil
)
A
paper
submitted
at
the
Ninth
Tamil
Nadu
Archaeological
Conference
at
Puthukkoddai
Tamil
Nadu
.
Pushparatnam
P.
2002
Ancient
Coins
of
Sri
Lankan
Tamil
Rulers
Bavani
Pathippakam
(
Puttur
)
.
Rahula
W.
1956
History
of
Buddhism
in
Ceylon
(
Colombo
)
.
Sarachandra
E.R.
1966
The
Folk
Drama
of
Ceylon
(
Colombo
)
.
Seyon
K.N.V
1998
Some
Old
coins
found
in
Early
Ceylon
(
Nawala
Sri
Lanka
)
.
Sinnatamby
JR
.
1968
Ceylon
in
Ptolemy's
Geography
(
Colombo
)
.
Williams
Monier
1963
Sanskrit-
English
Dictionary
(
Oxford
)
.
Yalppanavaipavamalai
-
1949
(
Ed
)
Kula
Sabanathan
Mudaliyar
(
Colombo
)
.