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Naga people (Lanka)

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Cobra symbolism in a Sri Lankan, Hindu statue of Lord Vishnu.
Cobra symbolism in a Sri Lankan Buddhist statue. According to Buddhist scripture the Naga king Muchalinda shielded the Buddha from getting wet in the rain by coiling round him and holding his large hood above the Buddha's head.[1]

The Naga people (Naga meaning Snake or Serpent)[2] were the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka who existed in 6 BCE to 3 CE in the Western and Northern part of Sri Lanka, mostly along the coast. They lived among the Yakkha, Raksha and Deva. They may have been snake-worshippers (Cobra) and Dravidian.[3] Some scholars suggest that they were Tamil speaking based on Ptolemy's description of the Naga people.[4]. Their name could also be due to their head covering being the shape of a hydra-headed cobra.[5] The Jaffna peninsula was referred to as Nagadipa ("Island of Serpents") for many centuries.[6]. H. Parker, a British historian and author of "Ancient Ceylon" considers the Naga to be an offshoot of the Nayars of South India.[7]

History

Conversion to Buddhism

The Mahavamsa describe the Nagas as super natural beings whose natural form was a serpent, but they could assume any a form at will.[8] The Mahavamsa also mentions that Buddha visited Sri Lanka on three occasions. On the second occasion Lord Buddha visited Nagadipa in 581 BCE to resolve a conflict between the Naga kings (Chulodara and Mahodara) in Kelaniya (Near present day Colombo)[9] and Wadenawagallaf (formerly Seven Korles) over a jem-set throne of gold. On the eve of the battle it is said that Buddha came to Nagadipa and converted them to Buddhism. [10]

Decline of Naga identity and assimilation

The Nagas are likely to have lost their identity over time, due to their loss of power and the formation of alliances with the new settlers of Sri lanka. Thus becoming part of the Sinhalese [6] Elements of their cobra beliefs were incorparated into Sinhalese Buddhists, Sri Lanka Tamil Hindus, folklore and superstition. For example cobras are associated with the the incarnation of dead people who guard Buddhist temples, bo trees, and hidden treasures[2] It is considered bad karma among the Sinhalese to kill a cobra.[11] Muchilinda, the serpent who protected Buddha from the rain, and Naga statues are used as guardians in the portals of buddhist shrines.[3] Similarly, Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus regard the Cobra as a divine being and the cobra can be found entwining itself round the neck of the supreme Hindu god Shiva as serpent king Vasuki. Cobras can also be found in images of Lord Vishnu.[1][12][3]

Naga Kings of Anuradhapura

Main articles: List of Sri Lankan monarchs and House of Lambakanna I
See also: Anuradhapura Kingdom

Culture

Architecture

The Naga used to have kingdoms and temples in Sri Lanka.[13][2] The Nagas built a temple in Medawattha, Mathara called Nagavila today. It used to hold a statue of Lord Buddha sitting on the Muchalinda, the Cobra. Naga maidens used to perform dances there. [14]

Irrigation

It is also believed they were great irrigation engineers who built water storages.[1] The Yoda Wewa dam and reservoir system in Mannar, Sri Lanka is considered by some (Such as Author, Mudaliyar C. Rajanayagam) to have been built by the Nagas based on the extensive ruins and the presence of villages with surronding the port with Naga name (e.g. Nagarkulam, Nagathazhvu and Sirunagarkulam). [15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Godwin Witane . (2003). The growth of the cobra cult in Sri Lanka . Available: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2003/09/21/fea17.html. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c WWW Virtual Library Sri Lanka. (2009). The original inhabitants of Lanka: Yakkas & Nagas. Available: http://www.lankalibrary.com/cul/yakkas.htm. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Laura Smid (2003). South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Great Britain: Routledge. 429.
  4. ^ Chelvadurai Manogaran (1987). Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka . United States of America: University of Hawaii Press. 21.
  5. ^ Srilankanreference. (2009). Sri Lanka - Yakksha and Naga Times. Available: http://www.info.lk/srilanka/srilankahistory/yaksa_naga.htm. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  6. ^ a b John M. Senaveratna (1997). The Story of the Sinhalese. Colombo: Asian Educational Services. 3.
  7. ^ H. Parker (1909). Ancient Ceylon. New Dehli: Asian Educational Services. 7.
  8. ^ Prof. S.Ranwella. (2009). THE SO-CALLED TAMIL KINGDOM OF JAFFNA. Available: http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/hist/hist4.html. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  9. ^ Patrick Peebles (2006). The history of Sri Lanka. United States of America: Greenwood Press. 14.
  10. ^ Internet Archive. (2009). Eleven years in Ceylon. Comprising sketches of the field sports and natural history of that colony, and an account of its history and antiquities" . Available: http://www.archive.org/stream/elevenyearsincey02forb/elevenyearsincey02forb_djvu.txt. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  11. ^ South Asia Media. (2009). Ethnic Groups in Sri Lanka and Their Origins. Available: http://www.southasianmedia.net/profile/srilanka/srilanka_ethnology.cfm. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  12. ^ 'Naga' Worship in India and. (2004). 'Naga' Worship in India and. Available: http://puthettusarppakkavu.tripod.com/id7.html. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  13. ^ Wilhelm Geiger . (2003). The Mahavamsa. Available: http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/mahavamsa/chap001.html. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
  14. ^ Paravi Sandeshaya verse 128/ Kokila Sandeshaya
  15. ^ Lionel Wijesiri . (2009). The giant wakes up Revival of Yoda Wewa . Available: http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/10/20/fea21.asp. Last accessed 07 March 2010.
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