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<ul>The history of the Kudiramalai area is also phenomenal. It was a famous ancient Port City with a natural harbour, opening into the Gulf of Mannar which was renowned for pearl banking.<br>
<br>The Aryan Prince named Vijaya, from Madura of India with his 700 followers, once came from sea to this mountainous area near the shore. Touching the sand on the shore, Vijaya’s troupe observed that their hands were getting reddish. Thus they named the land “Tambapanni” or “the land with reddish sand.”<br>
<br>The great Sri Lankan chronicle “Mahavamsa” referred that Price Vijaya settled down at the Tambapanni to become the founder of the Sinhala race. The remains of the settlements of the indigenous local people, who lived before Vijaya’s arrival, are located at Kalivillu, near Kudiramalai.<br>
<br>The archeological evidence confirms that the Kudiramalai area had been populated from the Mesolithic period. “Pomparippu” near Kudiramalai was a burial ground covering about 3-4 acres of land. Archeologists believe that the site may contain about 8,000 burial sites of remains of about 10,000-12,000 people.<br>
<br>According to French biblical scholar Samuel Bochart, who lived during King Soloman’s period (970-931 BC), the port called “Tarshish” which traded gold, pearl, ivory, and peacocks was referred to in the Old Testament of the Bible has resembled Kudiramalai. According to a Roman historian named Pliny, the Kudiramalai harbour had been named “Hipporus” during the period of Roman emperor Claudius (41-54 AD).</ul>