Kayts Island

Description

Kayts Island, located in the Jaffna Peninsula of northern Sri Lanka, is a peaceful destination rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. Once an important point in colonial trade, the island still holds ruins of Dutch and Portuguese forts, churches, and traditional settlements. Today, it is connected to the mainland by a causeway, making travel convenient. Visitors can explore quiet fishing villages, scenic lagoons, and sandy shores while experiencing authentic Tamil culture. Local livelihoods such as fishing, farming, and palmyrah-based industries continue to thrive, giving the island a timeless charm. Religious diversity is also a highlight, with sacred Hindu temples and historic Christian churches scattered across the land. Away from crowded tourist routes, Kayts offers an off-the-beaten-path experience filled with calm landscapes, cultural heritage, and delicious seafood.

More Details about this Attraction

Kayts Island’s rich history includes mentions in ancient Tamil Sangam literature from adjacent Tamil Nadu, such as Manimekalai, where it was highlighted under the broader cultural geography of the Jaffna Peninsula. It is also mentioned in ancient Buddhist legends from Sri Lanka, such as the Mahavamsa. Furthermore, in the first century CE, Ptolemy, the Greek cartographer, referred to the islands surrounding the Jaffna Peninsula—including Kayts—as “Nagadiba.”

In historical documents, Kayts was part of the region once known as Nka Tivu / Nka Nadu, which encompassed the entire Jaffna Peninsula. Buddhist stories describe interactions between the people of Kayts and the Buddha. The second-century Tamil epics Kundalakesi and Manimekalai mention islets in this region as sources of diamonds and conch shells. In these tales, the sea goddess Manimekhala transports the heroine to Kayts, where she worships the Buddha.

Among the most famous stories is the account of the Buddha settling a quarrel between two Naga princes over a gem-set throne seat. This episode is said to have occurred on an island in the Kayts region, which scholars have connected to the ancient cultural centers of the north. An inscription from the 12th century CE recalls the presence of foreign traders arriving at ports in Kayts, their protection, and rituals linked to shipwrecks.

The epic Manimekalai also tells of the Chola king Killi, who fell in love with a Naga princess named Pilivalai while visiting Kayts. From this union, Tondaiman Ilamtiraiyan was born. The princess sent the child to the Chola realm in the care of a merchant named Kambala Chetty, who traded in woollen blankets. However, the ship was wrecked in rough seas. The boy survived by wrapping a Tondai twig around his leg, earning the name Tondaiman Ilam Tiraiyan, “one of the seas or waves.” He later rose to rule the northern section of the Chola kingdom, known as Tondaimandalam, contributing to the origins of the Pallava dynasty.

According to Ptolemy’s reports, the Naga people of this region were famed for their snake worship, a Dravidian cultural tradition, and they spoke Tamil. They may also have spoken Prakrit, a language linked to the Amaravathi region in Guntur, which maintained close cultural ties with early Tamils of Jaffna. Archaeological findings confirm the presence of the Nka clan and serpent worship traditions in both Dravidian India and Sri Lanka during the megalithic period, strengthening the historical importance of Kayts Island.

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