title: Vellaveli Brahmi Inscription
text: # Vellaveli Brahmi Inscription
  
  Vellaveli Brahmi Inscription is a rock-cut record on rocks in Thalavai (Vellavely) of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. The place located 50 km away from Batticaloa through Kaluvanchikudy A4 road. The place is surrounded by rocks and hills. There are about four inscriptions, and 3 out of 4 cannot readable or damaged due to natural impact. Some parts of rocks are carved by human activity, which could have happened in ancient days. The initial finding says that it is dated to approximately 2200 years, and it has mix of both Brahmi and Prakrit.
  
  ## The inscription
  
  The following letters can be seen in the inscription:
  
     Parumaka Naavika Shamathaya Leno
  
  ## Translation
  
  The rough translation says “Ship caption Shamathaya, who has the title Parumaka, given this rock”. The word Parumaka literally means lord, and the word Naavika could be a sailboat as per use of Sangam literature’s wording.
  
  