World heritage site of Gambia at Kunta Kinteh Island is located in the middle of the River Gambia which helps in joining the island with the Atlantic Ocean. Explorers and merchants used the sea route to India via this island. But the River Gambia formed the first trade route to the inland of Africa. Though the heritage site’s seven locations find island’s history linked to early European occupation of the African continent, ancient history of the migrants to this island speaks differently of their earliest homeland near Gambhira, a sea port of the ancient world. The River Gambhira is mentioned as a channel branching off from the Parakkama Samudda, also known as Paropanisus to some other ancient authors.  It started at the point of flood-escape known as Makara; on its bank was Upatissa-gama. So the migrants gave name to the land and its river from the memory of their ancient homelands in Magadha where the Paropanisus was then located.

Kunta Kinteh though refers to a village in the name of Kanti and a river in the name of Kontimara which Vessantara passed during his banishment to Venkagiri; Kunta identifies the throne where an image is placed; and Kinteh refers to the name of a Kinnari; Kuntavara is identified with a group of soldiers who hailed from a village in this name. Kutakannatissa was the second son of Mahaculi, and was king of Ceylon(Kolhan). Khuntia is a title as well as a social group of people who belong to the ancient ‘Khattiya’ tribe. Kunta Kinteh heritage site identifies the ancient migrants from ancient Kolhana where the sacred pillar or Kunta or Khunta stands at Kintneh same as Kantha or Sri-Kantha or Kinthi or Kannha.