Thiriyai
Encyclopedia
Thiriyai or Tiriyayi is a small Tamil
village
in the eastern Trincomalee District
of Sri Lanka
and is an old seaport of the Jaffna Kingdom
. It is situated about 25 miles north of Trincomalee
town through Nilaveli
. Thiriyai is among the ancient Tamil villages of the district and had over 700 families. But due to the ethnic conflict, most families fled the village and are now living elsewhere in the country or overseas. Several Tamil refugees returned to the village in the early 21st century during a ceasefire.
Thiriyai is referred to as Thalakori in the 2nd century map of Ptolemy. Pre-Christian Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found in the area, the oldest belonging to the 2nd century B.C. Thiriyai formed a prominent village of Jaffna's Vannimai
districts in the medieval period. The site is home to Mahayana Buddhist vatadage ruins worshipped by the locals during the rise of Tamil Buddhism
in the area. During Paramesvaravarman I
's reign, the famous Tiriyai Pallava Grantha Manipravalam
inscriptions of 7th-8th century Tamilakkam were recorded in the village. The inscription refers to Tamil merchant mariners from Tamil Nadu
, their sea faring and commerce to Trincomalee. It details their endowment of this shrine dedicated to the Buddhist deity Avalokitesvara and his consort Tara. Dvarapala
sculptures found at the ruins are early contributions of the Pallava
school of art to the island. The area has remained predominantly Tamil while the Sri Lankan government has attempted to establish Sinhala colonies near the village and monastery in the 20th-21st century.
The Vaiya Paadal, a 17th century Tamil historical text, refers to the Iyer
Cupatittu who ruled Tiriyai, an Aanasingam who administered Kattukulampattu, a Maamukan who ruled Verukal and Thampalakamam, and a Mayilan who ruled over Kottiyaaram in the 1400s.
Thiriyai is home to the Neelan Panikkan Malai and Neelan Pannikan Kulam, the hill and tank named after the famous Neela Panikkan, a brave Tamil Vanniar Chief
of the Vanni
. Ruins of his fortress palace are found on the hilltop.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the eastern Trincomalee District
Trincomalee District
Trincomalee district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka...
of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and is an old seaport of the Jaffna Kingdom
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
. It is situated about 25 miles north of Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
town through Nilaveli
Nilaveli
Nilaveli is a coastal resort town located about 20 km North-West of Trincomalee, Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka...
. Thiriyai is among the ancient Tamil villages of the district and had over 700 families. But due to the ethnic conflict, most families fled the village and are now living elsewhere in the country or overseas. Several Tamil refugees returned to the village in the early 21st century during a ceasefire.
Thiriyai is referred to as Thalakori in the 2nd century map of Ptolemy. Pre-Christian Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found in the area, the oldest belonging to the 2nd century B.C. Thiriyai formed a prominent village of Jaffna's Vannimai
Vannimai
The Vannimais, or Vanni chieftaincies, were feudal land divisions ruled by petty chiefs south of the Jaffna peninsula in the present-day Northern, North Central and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. These chieftaincies arose in the 12th century, with the rise of the medieval Tamil kingdom's golden...
districts in the medieval period. The site is home to Mahayana Buddhist vatadage ruins worshipped by the locals during the rise of Tamil Buddhism
Tamil Buddhism
Tamil Buddhism refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that flourished in the ancient Tamil country which is corresponding roughly to the territories of the present-day Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Laccadives, parts of Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Karnataka, as well as...
in the area. During Paramesvaravarman I
Paramesvaravarman I
Parameswaravarman I was a Pallava emperor who ruled in South India in the latter half of the seventh century.He ascended to the throne after the death of his father Mahendravarman II in 670 CE. His grandfather Narasimhavarman I had already made the Pallava empire the most powerful force in the...
's reign, the famous Tiriyai Pallava Grantha Manipravalam
Manipravalam
Manipravalam was a literary style used in medieval liturgical texts in South India, which used an admixture of Tamil and Sanskrit. Manipravalam is termed a mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil...
inscriptions of 7th-8th century Tamilakkam were recorded in the village. The inscription refers to Tamil merchant mariners from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, their sea faring and commerce to Trincomalee. It details their endowment of this shrine dedicated to the Buddhist deity Avalokitesvara and his consort Tara. Dvarapala
Dvarapala
Dvarapala is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as warrior or fearsome asura giant, usually armed with a weapon, the most common is gadha mace...
sculptures found at the ruins are early contributions of the Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
school of art to the island. The area has remained predominantly Tamil while the Sri Lankan government has attempted to establish Sinhala colonies near the village and monastery in the 20th-21st century.
The Vaiya Paadal, a 17th century Tamil historical text, refers to the Iyer
Iyer
Iyer is the title given to the caste of Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil origin. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara...
Cupatittu who ruled Tiriyai, an Aanasingam who administered Kattukulampattu, a Maamukan who ruled Verukal and Thampalakamam, and a Mayilan who ruled over Kottiyaaram in the 1400s.
Thiriyai is home to the Neelan Panikkan Malai and Neelan Pannikan Kulam, the hill and tank named after the famous Neela Panikkan, a brave Tamil Vanniar Chief
Vanniar (Chieftain)
Vanniar or Vannia is a title of a feudal chief in medieval Sri Lanka who ruled the Vannimai regions as tribute payers to the Jaffna kingdom. They were intermittently subdued by other powers before being recovered. Vanniar is recorded as that of a name of a caste amongst Sri Lankan Tamils in the...
of the Vanni
Vanni
Vanni may refer to:* Vanni , an area of northern Sri Lanka* Vanni Electoral District, an electoral district of Sri Lanka* Vanni Wang, international fashion designer China, USA...
. Ruins of his fortress palace are found on the hilltop.