Mukkara Hatana
Encyclopedia
The Mukkara Hatana is an old palm leaf manuscript
from Sri Lanka
now in the British Museum
. It is in the Hugh Neville collection of the British Museum and is catalogued as Or. 6606 (53). It is in the style of other local histories such as Kadaim-poth, Vitti-poth etc.
The story in the Mukkara Hatana is also found in Rajasimha Kale Pravrti and Vanni Upatha in much the same form. These are also in the British Museum and catalogued as Or. 6606 (54) and Or. 6606 (139). These palm leaf manuscript
s had been preserved with much care by the descendants of the Karava chiefs of Negombo
Hugh Neville had also discovered another version of this manuscript preserved with great care by the Karavas
of Tamankaduwa. Their copy additionally says that their ancestors betrayed the Karava leaders and the Portuguese, and helped King Rajasinghe II
to capture the port of Negombo in 1646 and were rewarded with Egoda Pattu and several villages in the Matale
district as fiefs.
The Mukkara Hatana is an account of the defeat of the Mukkuvar
by the Karavas in the Saka era
1159 and the taking of the fort of Puttalam
after a three month siege. They are said to have proceeded to Nagapattinam
where one of the royal leaders Manikka Thalavan was killed. That fort too is said to have been taken after the loss of 1,500 troops.
The leaders in this operation were Vaccanatu Devarir (Lord of Vacca (ie Kausambi ), where Nemi Sakkaram transferred his capital from Hastinapur ), Kurulula Nattu Devar (Lord of the Kuru country), Manikka Thalaivan, Adirasa Adappan, Varna Suriya Thomaram Nathan Adappan, Kurukula Surya Mudiyanse, Paradakula Suriya Mudiyanse, and Arasakula Suriya Mudiyanse . These were all chiefs of the Karavas
from Kanchi, Kilakarai
and Kaveri Puttanum. They had settled between Puttalam
and Negombo
.
The year of their arrival Saka 1159 poses some problems as it takes us back to the Dambadeniya
period of Sri Lanka’s history and Parâkkamabâhu II 1234-1267.
Although the events are said to have occurred during the reign of Parakramabâhu VI 1412-1467 of Kotte.
However as the date appears in three versions it is difficult to dismiss it as a copyist error. It may well be a mix up of the kings when recording a centuries old tradition. But since the manuscript gives the exact astrological time of the arrival as: the 15th Meena Rivi, Panchami lat Rivi dina, Rehena Nakatha, Simha Lagna, Guru Horava , a scholar with knowledge of the old calendar could easily unravel this issue.
Palm leaf manuscript
Palm leaf manuscripts are manuscripts made out of dried palm leaves. They served as the paper of the ancient world in parts of Asia as far back as the fifteenth century BCE. and possibly much earlier. They were used to record actual and mythical narratives in South Asia and in South East Asia...
from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
now in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. It is in the Hugh Neville collection of the British Museum and is catalogued as Or. 6606 (53). It is in the style of other local histories such as Kadaim-poth, Vitti-poth etc.
The story in the Mukkara Hatana is also found in Rajasimha Kale Pravrti and Vanni Upatha in much the same form. These are also in the British Museum and catalogued as Or. 6606 (54) and Or. 6606 (139). These palm leaf manuscript
Palm leaf manuscript
Palm leaf manuscripts are manuscripts made out of dried palm leaves. They served as the paper of the ancient world in parts of Asia as far back as the fifteenth century BCE. and possibly much earlier. They were used to record actual and mythical narratives in South Asia and in South East Asia...
s had been preserved with much care by the descendants of the Karava chiefs of Negombo
Negombo
Negombo is a town of about 121,933, approximately 37 km north of Colombo, in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, about 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport...
Hugh Neville had also discovered another version of this manuscript preserved with great care by the Karavas
Karavas
Karavas is the sister village of Lapithos in theKyrenia District of Cyprus. The village resides in the Turkish Occupied Part of Cyprus It is built on the ruins of Lampousa one of the ten ancient Greek city-kingdoms of Cyprus...
of Tamankaduwa. Their copy additionally says that their ancestors betrayed the Karava leaders and the Portuguese, and helped King Rajasinghe II
Râjasimha II
Rajasimha II, also known as Rajasingha II , was a Sinhalese king, reigned 1629 – 6 December 1687; third king of the kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. Rajasingha requested Dutch aid to help expel the Portuguese from the island, which they successfully did in 1656...
to capture the port of Negombo in 1646 and were rewarded with Egoda Pattu and several villages in the Matale
Matale
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, from Colombo and from Kandy. It is an area steeped in history and village living. The mayor of Matale is Hilmy Careem, as of May, 2006....
district as fiefs.
The Mukkara Hatana is an account of the defeat of the Mukkuvar
Mukkuvar
Mukkuvar also Mukkuva are a social group or caste primarily a fishing community, living in the coastal districts of Kerala, south Tamil Nadu in India and also in Sri Lanka. It is a community that has differing ethnic identities based on the state or country of domicile...
by the Karavas in the Saka era
Shalivahana era
The Shalivahana era, also known as the Saka era, is used with Hindu calendars, the Indian national calendar, and the Cambodian Buddhist calendar. Its year zero begins near the vernal equinox of the year 78....
1159 and the taking of the fort of Puttalam
Puttalam
Puttalam is the capital city of the Puttalam District in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.-History:The history of this dry zone dates back to the arrival of Prince Vijaya, nearly 2500 years ago, when his vessel washed ashore. The name "Puttalam" may be a modification of the Tamil word Uppuththalam...
after a three month siege. They are said to have proceeded to Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. It is a prominent seaport on the east coast of India and an important centre of trade and commerce.The town of Nagapattinam dates back to the Sangam period...
where one of the royal leaders Manikka Thalavan was killed. That fort too is said to have been taken after the loss of 1,500 troops.
Karavas
Karavas is the sister village of Lapithos in theKyrenia District of Cyprus. The village resides in the Turkish Occupied Part of Cyprus It is built on the ruins of Lampousa one of the ten ancient Greek city-kingdoms of Cyprus...
from Kanchi, Kilakarai
Karaikal
Karaikal is a major port city of east coast of India and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said...
and Kaveri Puttanum. They had settled between Puttalam
Puttalam
Puttalam is the capital city of the Puttalam District in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.-History:The history of this dry zone dates back to the arrival of Prince Vijaya, nearly 2500 years ago, when his vessel washed ashore. The name "Puttalam" may be a modification of the Tamil word Uppuththalam...
and Negombo
Negombo
Negombo is a town of about 121,933, approximately 37 km north of Colombo, in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, about 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport...
.
The year of their arrival Saka 1159 poses some problems as it takes us back to the Dambadeniya
Dambadeniya
Dambadeniya is a ruined ancient city situated in the North Western Province , Sri Lanka on the Kurunegala - Negombo road. It served as the capital of Sri Lanka in the mid 13th century. Much of Dambadeniya still lies buried on a huge fortified rock...
period of Sri Lanka’s history and Parâkkamabâhu II 1234-1267.
Although the events are said to have occurred during the reign of Parakramabâhu VI 1412-1467 of Kotte.
However as the date appears in three versions it is difficult to dismiss it as a copyist error. It may well be a mix up of the kings when recording a centuries old tradition. But since the manuscript gives the exact astrological time of the arrival as: the 15th Meena Rivi, Panchami lat Rivi dina, Rehena Nakatha, Simha Lagna, Guru Horava , a scholar with knowledge of the old calendar could easily unravel this issue.