Socio – economic and cultural relations existed between south india and sri lanka as gleaned from inscriptions

Abstract

South India and Sri Lanka had close relations from time immemorial. Due to their proximity, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka have maintained close contact since proto-historic times. From the early period onwards, the South Indian mercantile communities like Vanijha, Sattu, Aiyavole, Nāṉādesis, and Tisai Āiyirattu Aiňūṟṟuvar and their medieval, associated military communities like Vīrakkoṭiyār and Vēḷaikkārar in different periods, played an essential role in the economic and political history of the island. These relations can be testified not only from literary sources like Mahāvaṃsa and Saṃgam literature but also from the inscriptions and other archaeological artifacts. In this paper, an attempt has been made to gather historical facts highlighting the mutual relationship existed between Sri Lanka and South India through inscriptions. These inscriptions give evidence on three dimensions: trade, political and cultural. Here, it is supposed to pay attention to the pre-historic period to the end of the kingdom of Anurādhapura.