Ancient Chola period temple unearthed in North
Jaffna special corr.
A heap of ruins where a Hindu temple of Chola period was believed to
have been buried has been unearthed in the Northern part of Delft.
The temple is 40 feet long and 10 feet wide. It is built with lime
stone.
|
Ancient findings |
| * 40 feet in
length
* 10 feet wide
* Built with limestones
|
The roof is covered with lime mixed plaster.
The other parts of the temple are in ruins.
Professor P. Pushparatnam of the Jaffna University History Department
commenting on the findings, said the people of the locality are unable
to say when this temple was built. The ruins indicate that the building
would have been built many years ago. It is opined that if this temple
had been built during the latter period of the Dutch reign or in the
beginning of British rule in Sri Lanka, the people would be in a
position to give some clues about the origin of the temple, he said.
The people of the area would not have allowed the temple to go to
ruin if it had been built during the Dutch or British period. It can be
surmised that the temple was built before European rule in Sri Lanka,
Prof. Pushparatnam said.
The statues and the art work on stones, irrigation pipes made of
baked clay and a coin found by one of Prof. Pushparatnam’s students with
the name of Rajaraja Cholan embossed on it clearly indicate that the
temple would have been built during the Chola period. |
