The Tamils of the island are descendants of the Nagar and Iyakkar clans who predate the arrival of Vijayan and his 700 followers in the 5th century BCE, the ancestors of the Sinhalese on the island. Archaeological excavations by S.U. Deraniyagala (Iranaimadu Formation by S.U. Deraniyagala) have also uncovered evidence establishing that Eelam Tamils lived there around 500-700 BC, with palm leaf scriptures serving as corroborative evidence (as referenced in “Kantarodai Civilization of Ancient Jaffna” by Dr. Siva Thiagarajah). Notably, during Dutugamini’s reign, Tamil kings were in power over the majority of regions in Sri Lanka, except the Ruhunu south governed by Dutugamini himself. The Mahavamsa also mentions thirty-two Demela kings who were defeated by Dutugamini on his way to reach Anuradhapura (as recorded in the Mahavamsa).