The current area of Wilpattu is a historically very important area that includes "Thambhapanni" (the beach with copper colour sand) where prince Vijaya had first arrived on the island of Lanka and met Kuveni (a princess of the Yakkha tribe that ruled the island). "Kudiramalai" (Horse Mountain) is an ancient harbour in the area, first claimed to be administered by a tribal warrior queen known as Alli-sarani (or Alli-rani, whom some believe to be none other that Kuveni) who controlled the pearl trade in the Bay of Mannar area, through her all-female army. She is said to have traded pearls in exchange to Arabian horses. The tomb of a Muslim saint that was found in the Kudiramalai beach area is believed to be an evidence of the Arab trade links of the area. It is said that there was a statute of a horse on the mound above the harbour that gave it its name 'Kudiramalai'. The Romans had called the port "Hippuros" (also meaning Horse Mountain') and had trade relations since the time of Emperor Cloaudius (41-54 AD). These photos of the brick base of where the horse statue had been and the tomb of the Muslim saint at Kudiramalai were taken in May 2011. Unfortunately now visitors are not permitted to go to this area, the reason been that visitors are said to have vandalised these monuments, and polluted the area....
