Nagadipa (Nainativu) Island

The island Nagadipa (Nainativu) is in the Divisional Secretariat of Islands South of the Jaffna District. It comprises of Grama Nildhari Divisions Nainativu North, Nainativu Centre and Nainativu South.

Nagadipa is referred to as Nainativu or Manipallavam or Maninaga Island as well. It could be reached from Jaffna through Kayts and Pungudutivu island up to the Jetty in Kurikadduwan island along the AB39 and taking a 30 min. Boat ride to either Nainativu North jetty or the Jetty of the Nagadipa RajamahaVihara, located about 2.8 km from Kurikadduwan, a total distance from Jaffna being 35.8 km.

The island, 4 square kilometres in extent, is completely isolated from any landmass. It is believed that from ancient times, the Nagas had lived on this island; therefore, it was named Nagadipa in Sinhala, Manipuram (Maninaga) by the Hindus and as Nainativuin Tamil. The Rajayatana dagoba and the Bo tree stand on this island to commemorate where the Lord Buddha set foot in Nagadipa on his second visit to Sri Lanka.

This island has two monuments, Nagadipa Dagoba and the Viharaya, known as the Buddha Valawwa, believed to be the most sacred to the Buddhists and the Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman (Parvati Devi, wife of Lord Shiva) Temple abundantly deified and venerated by the Hindus. Nagadipa also gives ample recognition to the adherents of Islam by having established on its soil the most sacred Jumma Masjid mosque and the Catholics number of Catholic churches.

A stone inscription m Tamil had been identified in the premises of the Nagapooshani Amman Temple. This slab inscription of dimensions 2 feet 5 inches in width and 5feet m high had been indited by King Parakramabahu the Great as mentioned in the inscription itself. When transliterated, it proclaims that foreigners who disembark from their ships at the Urkava_tu_ai port shall remain under the state's security and foreigners disembarking from any other port shall also assemble in the Urkava_tu_ai(Kayts)port premises. Ships that suffer wreckage in transit through these waters shall forego one-fourth of the cargo to the treasury while the owner could retain the balance three fourth of the cargo.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF THE JAFFNA PENINSULA

Dr. Malini Dias M. A. (Kelaniya) Ph.d. (London)

Sunil Bandara Koralage B.A.(Hons), Msc. (Kelaniya)

M. V. G. Kalpa Asanga B.A., Post Graduate Dip. Archaeology (Kelaniya)

Department of Archaeology 2016 P:201

Unique Sri Lanka

Nagadipa (Nainativu) Island

CONTACT US

Email: info@virandesilva.com

CONNECT WITH US