15th-Century Hindu Temple Unearthed In Jaffna COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, January 29, 2011: Archaeologists of Jaffna University, led by Prof. Pushparatnam, have discovered the ruins of a 15th-century Hindu temple buried in the sand in the middle of a thick jungle in Pooneryn in North Sri Lanka, which could unravel a part of Sri Lankan history in which the Pooneryn area of the Wanni was on the high road linking Jaffna with South Lanka.
'The temple, 130 ft by 30 ft, is located in Kaudaari Munai, on a narrow stretch of land almost fully surrounded by the sea. Most locals do not venture into this area because the place is snake- infested. However, they knew that there was a temple buried in the sand and informed us,' said Pushparatnam. The Jaffna team found to their astonishment, the remains of a garbhagraham, vimanam, karnakoodu, maadam and a place for the parivaara deivangal. Asked how ancient the temple might be, the historian said that dating it scientifically would take time because no inscriptions had been found yet. 'However, we are checking out if this was the temple which finds mention in the 15th Century Sinhalese Buddhist historical-poetic work Kokila Sandesaya,' he said. Sapumal Kumaraya was the adopted son of the Sinhalese king of Kotte in the South. He had conducted an expedition to Jaffna to seize it from the Tamil King Kanakasuriya Singaiya Rayan of the Arya Chakravarti dynasty around 1450. -- With best wishes S Chander
