Thursday, April 12, 2012

Nagadeepa, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

The 'Thorana' being constructed.
A statue of Lord Buddha being protected by a Naga King.

'Nagadeepa' is recorded in the ancient 'Pali' chronicles, as the site where Lord Buddha paid a dispute to settle a feud between two Naga rulers. It is also mentioned in the Tamil Buddhist Kavya 'Manimekalai', written about the second century AD. Manimekalai the heroine of the kavya is left stranded on this Island. She is shown by a resident tree God, the place of Lord Buddha's visit, where he preached a sermon to the assembled Nagas, who a moment before were at each others throats.