Thambiluvil

Thambiluvil
தம்பிலுவில்
තම්බිලුවිල්
Village
Thambiluvil Beach
Thambiluvil
Coordinates: 7°08′0″N 81°51′0″E / 7.13333°N 81.85000°E / 7.13333; 81.85000
Country Sri Lanka
Province Eastern
District Ampara
DS Division Thirukkovil

Thambiluvil (Tamil: தம்பிலுவில்) is a coastal village in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It is 78 km south of Batticaloa along the east coast of the main island. Near the western area of the village is a lagoon with paddy fields named Periya Kalappu. Thambiluvil is known for its preservation of Tamil culture and traditions of the ancient Mattakkalappu Desam.

Etymology

The medieval Eastern chronicle, "Mattakkalappu Purva Sarithiram" narrates that Megavarnan, son of Chola princess Thampathi nallāḷ and Kalinga prince Puvaṉēka kayavāku, renovated Nagarmunai Subramanyar Kovil and constructed a memorial tank in the name of his mother Tampativil (literally Pond of Tampati).[1][2] It is believed that Tampativil later became Tambiluvil.[3]

Another theory suggests that Thambiluvil is derived from "Thambal+Vil" (தம்பல்+வில்) which means "sludge puddle + Pond".[4][5] Quotes from old residents indicate that former Thambiluvil villages spread north to Kolavil and south to Thandiyady and included a vast water source used for Paddy cultivation near Koraikkalappu, a suburb near Thambiluvil.

Background

The inscription at Thambiluvil estuary dated 1902

Thambiluvil village has an area of 5.05 square kilometers and a population of 8937 inhabitants in 2686 families.[6] About 99.55% of the population are the followers of Hindu Saivism while the rest are Christians. The village is bordered by Thirukkovil village to the south and Thampaddai village to the north. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries are the main industries of the village.

Thambiluvil, along with its sister village, Thirukkovil, had significant importance in the history of Eastern Tamils. The villages were part of Mattakkalappu Desam (literally Batticaloa Country - present day Batticaloa and Ampara Districts) until 1961 when the new Ampara District, located at the southern part of old Batticaloa District, was formed. According to some old tales, Thambiluvil, Thirukkovil, and their suburbs were primitive settlements of the Nāga people, tribes of old Ceylon. The tribes were called "Nagarmunai".[7] The administration of well known Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Temple, which was also carried out by Thambiluvil inhabitants based on maternal clan "Kuty" system, was traditionally called "Pandu Paravani" though this tradition has since been abandoned. The Thambiluvil Inscription was found here and is now kept in the Thirukkovil temple.

Thambiluvil Sivan Kovil is still under construction after the Tsunami catastrophe 2004.

Social significance

Thambiluvil was once known for practicing Nattu Koothu and Vasanthan (a kind of Kummi), which are traditional dances of Batticaloa Tamils. These practices have died out as the village has endured ethnic conflict for the last 40 years. The cult of the Kannaki Amman, prevalent in Sri Lanka, is also observed here. Some legends suggest that Thambiluvil might be the origin of the Kannaki cult in the east coast.[8] The Thambiluvil Kannaki temple is highly regarded by the inhabitants of the area.

The anthropological and sociological significance of Thambiluvil village amidst Sri Lankan Tamils is well described by many anthropologists including Nur Yalman[9], Dennis B. McGilvray[10], and Lester Hiatt[11] in their research.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nadarajah, F.X.C (1998). Mattakkalappu Manmiyam (Tamil) (2 ed.). Batticaloa: Batticaloa District Cultural Board. p. 30.
  2. ↑ S.E.Kamalanathan, Kamala Kamalanathan (2005). Maṭṭakkaḷappu pūrva carittiram. Kumaran Book House. pp. 15–19. ISBN 9559429663.
  3. ↑ Navanāyakamūrtti, Nā (1999). Tambiluvil kaṇṇaki vaḻipāṭu. Akkaraipattu: Vāṉati veḷiyīṭu. pp. 15–24.
  4. ↑ Vāṇaṉ, Vākarai (2011). kiḻakkilaṅkait tamiḻakam (Tamil). Ahead Caritas. p. 46.
  5. ↑ "Pagood Tricoil at Dutch Ceylon map, 17th Century CE". Kaart van de Hooft-Fortificatien van Colombo, Jaffanapatnam, Gale en Batacalo, alsmede van de subalterne of mindere forten, onder voorgenoemde plaatsen behorende, en die aan Zee gelegen zyn. Nationaal archief of Nederlaands. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Census of Thirukkovil Division. Thirukkovil: Divisional Secretariat. 2004. pp. 8–12.
  7. ↑ Ramachandran, Nirmala (2004). The Hindu Legacy to Sri Lanka. Stamford Lake (Pvt.) Limited. p. 103. ISBN 9789558733974.
  8. ↑ "History". Invoking the goddess. Pattini - Kannaki Devotion in Sri Lanka. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Yalman, Nur (1967). Under the Bo Tree: Studies in Caste, Kinship and Marriage in the Interior of Ceylon. University of California Press. pp. 306–328.
  10. ↑ McGilvray, Dennis B. (2008). Crucible of Conflict: Tamil and Muslim Society on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. Duke University Press,. ISBN 9780822389187.
  11. ↑ Hiatt, Lester R (1973). "The Pattini Cult of Ceylon : a Tamil Perspective". Social Compass. 20 (2): 231–249.

Coordinates: 7°08′N 81°51′E / 7.133°N 81.850°E / 7.133; 81.850

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