Actually Sinhalese are not original inhabitants, Jaffna Tamils are living there for more then 3,000 Yrs. There are plenty of scientific proofs are available for this
King Vijayan from Kalinga [Present day Orissa] is the ancestor for Sinhalese, the Sinhalese language is derived from Pali, the language of the Buddhist scriptures. Pali is part of the old Indo-Aryan languages like Sanskrit
RE:Inhabitants
by Edwin Navaratnam on Aug 01, 2008 03:54 PM Permalink
DNA tests have proved that the SInhalese are overwhelmingly of Tamil descent. It is very well known fact that the SInhala aristocracy is of South Indian Tamil orogin. It is also a well known fact that around 50%|of the present Sinhala population consinting of the castes of Karawe Durawe Salagama Hunu Hali Berawayo etc are of very recent South Indian Tamil Origin.Their Tamil ancestors migrted from the present Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala( when Kerala was Tamil speaking) around 600 to 100 yers ago. The oroginal Sinhala people were founded by Indo Aryan soeaking migratns and their Pandyan Tamil wives( so at the very inception itself they were half Tamil) However ever due to mass scale conversion to BUddhism many indenous Tamils and other tribes became Sinhalised. All other migratons other than these original migration was from the south of Idnia. This is the reason that most Sinhalese look like Tamils and thoer food habbits music dance nad culture resemble the South Indian/Tamil people.Smililrly mamy native Eelam Tamils are of the original sinhala blood the ones who did not get converted to Buddhism and remainied in th4 North and East of Sri Lanka and go Tamilised. Both people over the thousands of yeras hve hevily intermarried with each other that you really cannot define them as two seperate races popele are still migrqating form South India and becoming Sinhalas. The Sinhala languge is mixture of Pali/Sanskrit and old Tamil, The Tamil element is around 35 to 40%
RE:RE:Inhabitants
by Edwin Navaratnam on Aug 01, 2008 04:12 PM Permalink
The Tamil Identity in the NOrth and East and until very recently in the North west Tamil Kingdom of Jaffna which covered North Sri Lanka large parts of the present Trincomalle district and the north western Puttamla nd Chilaw areas.The East of Sri lalnka was ruled by powerful Tamil chieftans called Vannimars or Vaniimanai, however they came undeer the contrlo of the Tamil/Sinhala Nayaka kings around thr 16th to 17th century but were stil very independent. Due to this the Tamil language the HIndu religion and the Tamil identity was preserved,even the large Sinhql aminority living in these regions were Tamilised and became HIndus over the centuries. The ancient Sinhala or Tamil kings even when they captured each others areas were not interested in destroying the Sinhala or Tamil identity of their subjects as they were only interested in capturing land . this is due to the fact that most Sinhala kings were only nomnally Sinhal;a but really Tamil by blood. ( the Sinhala kings mostly udes to marry Tamil princess from South India at times Kalinga ) 2) the Sinhlas Chola Pandyan and Chra kings were all usually first cousins oor uncles and nephews. Durin gancinet times caste was more important than ethnicity so a Sinhlas and Tamil from the same caste level will intermarry with each other than into thoer lower4e caste ethnic brotheren. This anti Tamil genicidal mwnia is a recent phenomina, which is largely supported by recently Sihalised South Indian Migrants.
RE:RE:RE:Inhabitants
by Edwin Navaratnam on Aug 01, 2008 04:17 PM Permalink
Sorry the Tamil Identity in the NOrth,east and until very recently the North West of SriLanka consisting of the present distrcts of Negombo,Chilaw and Puttlam just North of Colombo was preserved due the powerful Tamil Kingdom of Jaffna.
RE:Inhabitants
by sethu madhavan on Aug 01, 2008 05:32 PM Permalink
Dear navrathna, Note here that the present day people have nothing to do with cholas or their race. pls correct yourselves
RE:Inhabitants
by Jackson on Aug 02, 2008 12:00 AM Permalink
the present day people are the descendants of their ancestors .. For Tamil ppl. especially in Jaffna, the Cholas are among their ancestors.
RE:Inhabitants
by Jackson on Aug 02, 2008 12:00 AM Permalink
the present day people are the descendants of their ancestors .. For Tamil ppl. especially in Jaffna, the Cholas are among their ancestors.
RE:Inhabitants
by Edwin Navaratnam on Aug 02, 2008 05:29 PM Permalink
Dear Sethu Madhavan Many Jaffna Tamils have Chola blood in them that is a well known fact. especially its Vellalar(Hindu and Christian) population makes up around 50% of the northern Tamils.I still have my family tree on my paternal side.which goes back to several centuries, both my father's family both maternal and paternal is directly decended from the same ancestor. Ne was the youngest son of the Chola king's last wife. He was sent to Jaffna when a Chola Princess married in to the Jaffna Royal family. He was part of the retinue that accompanied her.. The Pandyans had a lot of alliqances with the Sinhalas,However the Cholas were very closely connected to the native Eelam Tamils and many had blood tied with them. This is true to the NOrth of Sri Lanka and the Trincomalee area, Especially in the Jaffna region. However in the East most Tamils belong to the Mukkuva community and are more closer to the people of present day Kerala. However the Eastern Vellalars are of the same stock as the Jaffan Velllars.
RE:Inhabitants
by guest on Aug 01, 2008 05:46 PM Permalink
People need to know about their past. Navratha gave an insight about the past. Educate yourself or challenge his insight of the past Sethu Madhavan. But donot make as if history is irrelevant.
