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Nainativu
நயினாதீவு නාගදීපය | |
|---|---|
 Nagapooshani Amman Kovil | |
  Nainativu | |
| Coordinates: 9°36′0″N 79°46′0″E / 9.60000°N 79.76667°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Northern |
| District | Jaffna |
| DS Division | Island South |
Nainativu (Tamil: நயினாதீவு Nainatheevu, Sinhala: නාගදීපය Nagadeepa),[1][2] is a small but notable island off the coast of Jaffna Peninsula in the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. The name of the island alludes to the folklore inhabitants, the Naga people. It is home to the Hindu shrine of Nagapooshani Amman Temple; one of the prominent 64 Shakti Peethas, and the Buddhist shrine Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya.
Historians note the island is mentioned in the ancient Tamil Sangam literature of nearby Tamil Nadu such as Manimekalai where it was mentioned as Manipallavam (Tamil: மணிபல்லவம்), and ancient Buddhist legends of Sri Lanka such as Mahavamsa. Ptolemy, a Greek cartographer, describes the islands around the Jaffna peninsula as Nagadiba (Greek: Ναγάδιβα)[3] in the first century CE.[4][5][6]
- ^ "Neṭun-tīvu, Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Nayiṉā-tīvu, Eḻuvai-tīvu, Maṇṭai-tīvu". TamilNet. 15 July 2007.
- ^ "Naaka-naadu, Naaka-theevu, Naaga-deepa". TamilNet. 7 May 2010.
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Nagadiba
- ^ Nicholas, C.W. (1963). Historical topography of ancient and medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series (Vol VI). p. 10.
Other obvious identifications are Nagadiba with Nagadipa or Nakadiva (the Jaffna peninsula) and Rhogandanoi with the inhabitants of Rohana (Ruhuna).
- ^ "Claudius Ptolemy's Sri Lankan Map". Archaeology.lk. 2 November 2020.
- ^ Rajeswaran, S. T. B. (2012). Geographical Aspects of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. University of Jaffna: Governor's Office, Department of Geography. p. 61.