Pre-second century well and cobra stone constructed by Naga Kings were found at the Neermuga Pillaiyar Temple at Vantharumoolai, Batticaloa.
A well, constructed with granite columns and a cobra stoned sculptured in granite stone were discovered in the excavations undertaken by Professor of History Department C.Pathmanathan and Archelogical group member and teacher S.Pathmanathan at thge premises of the Vantharumoolai Neermuga Pillaiyar Temple.
Commenting on these finds Professor S.Pathmanathan said that,
The megalithic Naga dynasty of the ancient iron age who were the ancestors of Tamil ancients, came and settled in Baticaloa by thge sea from the Kaviripoompattnam harbour in the coastal area of Chola empire of South India.
The megalithic Naga dynasty of the ancient iron age who came by sea established their settlements and fiefdoms in highlands near rivers, slopes of the hills, areas with forest boundaries, grass lands, and open plains.
The fiefdom established by the Nagas at the Neermugapillaiyaradi is a plain with land, sea and river accesses and with forest boundary.
The well found here was of square shape with 3’x3’ area, 20’ deep and built with granite columns. ‘Vezh Nagan’ is visible on the columns in Bramhy alphhabet. The Cobra stone is of 3’height and 2’wide.
‘Mani Nagan’ appears on it in Tamil Bramhy alphabet. The Naga race which settled here had introduced the methods of getting and using water from wells and home garden.
This seems to be Naga worshiping place and they had built the temple with granite columns. In later periods the columns of the temple had been pulled off to erect an ‘ ambalam’ , a shed for people to resting.
But, only the remains of the Ambalam could be seen now. The evidences that were found here belong to the Naga architecture design of the pre- 2century BC and this seems to a Naga fiefdom or chieftain’s area, said the Professor.