Beyond the Myth of Cholanthiyam: Linking the Kolandiophonta of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea to the Tamil 'Kulla Thoni'

Authored and Released by: Nane Chozhan (நன்னிச் சோழன்)

• Introduction:

For decades, a popular theory has circulated in Indian maritime history identifying the Kolandiophonta — the "ships of great bulk" mentioned in the 1st-century Periplus—as the legendary vessels of the Chola dynasty. This narrative, championed by scholars like Prithwis Chandra Chakravarti and K.M. Panikkar, even led to the modern coinage of the term "Cholanthiyam" to provide a phonetic link to the dynasty. However, a deeper look into maritime ethnography reveals a more grounded reality. By revisiting the research of Colonel James Hornell from the 1918, we find that the mystery of the Kolandia is solved not through dynastic titles, but through the living language of the coast.

Hornell’s analysis suggests these were not traditional deep-sea hulls, but one-sided outrigger vessels known to local Tamil fishermen as the Kullan. By tracing the linguistic evolution from "Kulla Thoni" to "Kolandia," we can move past modern mythology to rediscover the veseel that allowed ancient Tamil sailors to dominate the routes to Southeast Asia.

Concentration: In this study, we will concentrate more on the interpretation of the terms Kolandiophonta by James Hornell.

• The Etymological Evolution: From "Kullan" to "Colandia"

Throughout the mid-20th century, a specific interpretation of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (a 1st-century Greco-Roman maritime log) gained significant traction among Indian historians. Scholars like Prithwis Chandra Chakravarti (1930) and later K.M. Panikkar (1959) sought to identify the "Kolandiophonta"—described by ancient Greeks as massive vessels capable of reaching the Ganges and Southeast Asia. They interpreted (or obtained from somewhere else) it as “Colandia” and “Colondia” respectively.

"The second kind, called Colandia, were very large in size and were meant for voyages to the Ganges and the Chryse."

- Chakravarti, Prithwis Chandra. "Naval Warfare in Ancient India." The Indian Historical Quarterly, vol. 4, no. 4, Dec. 1930, pp. 658.

"Periplus mentions 3 ports in Tamil country of which Kaveripatnam as center, as the places from which great ships, which calls colondia sailed to pacific islands."

- Panikkar, K. M. Geographical Factors in Indian History. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1959.

This line of thought eventually led to the coinage of the term "Cholanthiyam" (T. சொழாந்தியம்) by certain researchers in Tamil Nadu, who described it as massive Chola dynastic vessels. However, critics argue this term lacks a historical or philological basis in ancient Tamil literature, suggesting it was an "invented tradition" to provide a phonetic link between the Chola Dynasty and the Greek texts.

In contrast, the maritime ethnographer James Hornell, writing decades earlier in the seventh volume of the Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1918–1923), provided a more grounded, technical explanation. He asserted that the word was not a reference to a dynasty, but a Greek corruption of the Tamil word Kullan or Kulla in pages 215 & 216 of “PART IV.—THE CLASSES OF VESSELS EMPLOYED BY INDIANS IN ANCIENT DAYS PRIOR TO PORTUGUESE MARITIME DOMINANCE” of the above-mentioned book.

Kolandiophonta or kolandia, as rendered probably more correctly by Schoff, described as vessels of great bulk employed for overseas voyages to Bengal and Malaysia (Chryse), must almost certainly have been two-masted vessels with pointed ends and probably equipped with a stout outrigger, counterparts of the present-day Sinhalese yatrva-oruwa (yatra-dhoni in Tamil), but, unlike them, steered by quarter oars, the rudder not being then invented. I come to this conclusion partly because kolandia appears to be a Greek sailor’s rendering of the word kullan or kulla, the Tamil term both for a large outrigger fishing canoe and for the outrigger frame alone (kullan, the more correct and older form becomes shortened to kulla in the corrupt speech of Tamil fishermen), and partly from Pliny’s account of the ships used in the seas between India and Ceylon.

It is indeed a strange coincidence that this view of Kolandia being outrigger vessels should receive valuable support from Pliny, who says, “the sea between the island of Ceylon and India is full of shallows not more than six paces in depth, but in some channels so deep that no anchors can find the bottom. For this reason ships are built with prows at each end, for turning about in channels of extreme narrowness

In Tamil, a large single outrigger canoe is called kūllān or kūlla, and is commonly used by Sinhalese fishermen. This type of canoe, similar to some Polynesian designs, has a unique feature: the single outrigger must always be on the weather side. This placement is essential to counteract the wind's force on the sail and prevent the canoe from capsizing. Since the heavy outrigger cannot be moved at sea, fishermen handle changes in wind direction or course by moving the steering paddle to the opposite end of the boat, effectively changing the bow to the stern. This maneuver keeps the outrigger on the weather side. Based on this design, it is suggested that Pliny's description of "ships with prows at each end" refers to outrigger vessels similar to the modern-day yatra dhoni used in Ceylon's coastal trade and the kolandia mentioned in the Periplus.

The reason given for these boats having reversible ends is, of course, wrong, but this is immaterial.

First-century kolandia likely shared similarities with the two-masted Javanese outrigger ships depicted in the Boro Budur sculptures from the 8th or 9th century. The Periplus indicates that kolandia traded with Chryse, often identified with the Malay Peninsula, which probably included Sumatra and Java, where Indian missionaries were active in spreading their religion and influence.

The word Kulla Dhoni is also used by Casie Chitty in his book The Ceylon Gazetteer (1834, page: 44) to refer to the oruwa of the Galle area.

• Analysis: What We Can Understand from Hornell’s Findings

1. The Technical Reality of Ancient Navigation

From Hornell’s research, we can conclude that the Kolandiophonta were likely specialized outrigger vessels rather than standard deep-hulled galleys. He also says that he has seen outrigger vessels from Ceylon in the south to Cuddalore and Kille (Cauveri River) on the East Coast (Page 218, J.Hornell).

By linking the Greek description to the physical requirements of the Palk Strait, Hornell demonstrates that these ships were designed for a specific environment. The "prows at each end" mentioned by Pliny indicate a double-ended design, allowing the vessel to reverse direction in narrow, shallow channels without turning around—a hallmark of outrigger technology rather than the heavy, fixed-rudder ships often imagined in later medieval naval warfare.

Hornell’s connection to the Tamil word Kullan—which refers to a large outrigger vessel—suggests that these ships were an advanced design used by both Tamils and Sinhalese mariners, similar to the Sinhala traditional Yatra-oruwa. He has provided a drawing about the Sinhalese Yatra Oruwa, which matches his description here.

2. The Linguistic Distortion of Maritime Terms

Instead of looking for a "Lost Kingdom" or a mythical "Cholanthiyam," Hornell suggests we look at the living language of fishermen.

Hornell’s work highlights how ancient Greek sailors likely phonetically adapted local Dravidian maritime terminology. He observes that while Kullan is the formal form, the shortened Kulla was common among the coastal labouring classes. So Kolandia is indeed a rendering of Kullan-thoni. It is far more likely that Greek merchants, interacting with local sailors and shipbuilders, would adopt the local technical name (Kulla-thoni or Kullan) rather than an imperial dynastic name.

It shifts our understanding of ancient Tamil shipping from a purely imperial narrative to one of functional, indigenous engineering. It implies that the "great size" recorded by the Greeks wasn't necessarily a reference to massive tonnage like a modern ship, but rather the impressive scale of these specialized outrigger crafts that were capable of crossing the Bay of Bengal to reach Chryse (Southeast Asia).

3. Cross-Cultural Maritime Links

He identifies a technological lineage between the 1st-century Kolandia and the 8th-century Javanese ships depicted in the Borobudur sculptures based on the outrigger types used in Java.

• The Missing Link: Visual Proof of the Tamils' Kulla Thoni

These Kulla Thonis (also known as Yatra Oruwa in Sinhala) were not exclusive to one group; they were a shared maritime tradition used by both Tamil and Sinhalese sailors. Supplementing Hornell’s findings, Admiral Paris, in his book named VOILIERS ET PIROGUES DU MONDE AU DÉBUT DU XIXE SIÈCLE (1843), provided detailed drawings of these vessels, and confirmed that they were common along the Coromandel Coast of India and the shores of Ceylon.

Image from the book VOILIERS ET PIROGUES DU MONDE AU DÉBUT DU XIXE SIÈCLE (1843) by Admiral Paris.

A similar image to the one drawn by Admiral Paris has been acquired and is provided below. In this image, the author has mentioned it as a Yatra Oruwa, contradicting the source from which it was based.

Image obtained from a European source.

In 1914, J.P. Lewis documented a vessel —which he identified as a "Calpentyn coaster"— similar to the Kulla Thoni through a distinct photograph taken in the coastal town of Katpitti (also known as Kalpitiya in Sinhala or Calpentyn in English).

“Boats and canoes of Ceylon” in Times of Ceylon, Christmas Number, Colombo, 1914 via THE LOST SHIPS OF LANKA, Lt. Cmdr. Somasiri Devendra, 2013.

An astonishing outriggered vessel's image was obtained from the same European source which resembles the admiral Paris drawing. This image is a vital piece of historical evidence that bridges the gap between Admiral Paris' drawings and physical maritime reality. It depicts a vessel from the Coromandel Coast, similar to the one mentioned by Admiral Paris in 1843, which serves as the "missing link" in the Kolandiophonta debate.

The illustration clearly shows a vessel built using the ancient "sewn-plank" technique. Instead of iron nails, the planks are bound together with coconut fiber (coir) and caulked with resin. To the side of the main hull is a stout outrigger, connected by arched wooden booms. This is the "Kulla" or "Kullan" that Hornell refers to. The outrigger provides the necessary buoyancy and leverage to carry large sails and heavy cargo across the open ocean to places like Malaysia (Chryse) and the Ganges, preventing the narrow hull from capsizing in high winds. In the illustration, the vessel is equipped with a large, powerful rudder suspended at the rear. It is designed to provide precise control for a vessel of "great bulk."

Image obtained from a European source. Note: This vessel is named as Delta Thoni (similar to Calpantyn Coaster, Tutucorin Coaster, Cochin Coaster) by the artist, without any specific names.

• Conclusion:

To summarize, the idea that these ships were named "Cholanthiyam" is likely a modern myth created by later authors. While it sounds impressive to link them to the Chola kings, the historical evidence points in a different direction. James Hornell’s research shows that the name Kolandia actually comes from the Tamil word Kullan, which was the local name for a large outrigger boat.

These ships were not just big; they were cleverly designed for the shallow and difficult waters between India and Sri Lanka. Because they had prows at both ends, they could change direction without turning the whole boat around. This kept the outrigger stable and safe from the wind. This same technology helped Tamil sailors travel all the way to Malaysia and Indonesia. Instead of looking for a lost royal name, we should celebrate the practical skill of the ancient Tamil shipbuilders who created such unique and successful vessels. Moving forward, our understanding of Tamil maritime history should prioritize these technical truths over modern linguistic inventions or “pride”.

Edited 58 minutes ago58 min by நன்னிச் சோழன்