Sri Lanka
Leopards, Long Island Iced Tea and a whole lot of lounging around.
At a Glance Fast Facts
WORLDGUIDE
Introduction
Background Info
See
Image Gallery
Events
Transport
Money
RELATED
Thorn Tree Forum
Tips From Travellers
Travel Links
More Places
Check out our other destinations: Within Sri Lanka Colombo View Map
Click here For a small island, Sri Lanka has many nicknames: Serendib, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Orient. This colourful collection reveals its richness and beauty, and the intensity of the affection it evokes in its visitors.
The beach thing may be a cliche, but don't miss them. Then head to the hills to cool off amidst tea plantations and ancient cities. The island teems with bird life, and even the occasional elephant or leopard. To top it all off, the people are friendly, the food is delicious and costs are low.
Tamil Tensions
Fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE (Tamil Tiger) faction means that the north and east of the country are particularly dangerous. Areas north of a line following the highway from Puttalam through Anuradhapura to Trincomalee, and east down to Batticaloa are unsafe for travellers as are the eastern areas around Ampara and Arugam Bay. Any travel to these areas should be reconsidered. The security situation in the Jaffna Peninsula remains very uncertain. Parts of these northern and eastern areas are heavily mined.
For further updates check this Safe Travel site.
The rest of the country remains at some risk of attack. The capital, Colombo, has experienced a number of bombings. Travellers should exercise a high level of caution, monitor local news sources and heed any local warnings regarding safety.
When To Go
Climatically the driest and best seasons are from December to March on the west and south coasts and in the Hill Country, and from May to September on the east coast. December to March is also the time when most foreign tourists come, the majority of them escaping the European winter.
Out of season travel has its advantages - it's less crowded, and many airfares and accommodation prices go right down. Nor does it rain all the time. Reefs may protect a beach area and make swimming quite feasible at places like Hikkaduwa, which during the monsoon can be quite pleasant.
July/August is the time of the Kandy Esala Perahera, the 10-day festival honouring the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, and also the time for the Kataragama Festival in the South. In both towns accommodation just before, during and immediately after the festivals is very difficult to come by, and rates usually double or treble. Be sure to book rooms well in advance.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Trincomalee , Sri Lanka
Trincomalee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section has multiple issues:
Its neutrality is disputed. Tagged since October 2007.
Its factual accuracy is disputed.Tagged since October 2007.
It needs sources or references that appear in third-party publications. Tagged since October 2007.
An editor has expressed concern that the article is unbalanced. Tagged since October 2007.
Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
Trincomalee District.
The Koneswaram Temple. Trincomalee.
Trincomalee District MapTrincomalee (Tamil: திருகோணமலை (Thirukonamalai, hist: Sirigonakanda); Sinhala: තිරිකුණාමළය (Thirikunamalaya)) is a district, a bay and a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours.
The Bay of Trincomalee is landlocked; the harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. The town also has the largest Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka. It is home to the Sri Lankan naval base and Sri Lankan Air Force base. Indian Navy has access
Contents [hide]
1 Names and Etomology
2 History
2.1 Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
2.2 The harbour
2.3 The hot springs
2.4 The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
2.5 The British in Trincomalee
3 Deutsche Welle Relay Station
4 Universities of Trincomalee
5 Maps
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] Names and Etomology
The name Trincomalee is derived from the Tamil Tiru-kona-malai, meaning "Sacred hill of the Lord". The ancient texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokarna in Sanskrit [1] or Gokanna in Pali. The word Gokarna comes from the Sanskrit for "the ear of the cow"[2] and suggests a place of Saivite religious significance. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of Lanka in the 3rd century[3]. The Mahavamsa documents that the King Mahasena destroyed a Deva temple and built a Buddhist shrine in its stead to expiate for an earlier heresy on his part. [4]. This explains the Buddhist archeological remains in the region. The South Indian Tevaram of Tiru-gnana Sambandar makes mention to the Siva temple in Trincomalee once again in the 6th century[5].
The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu[6] and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam[7]. This became the celebrated Konneswaram Temple. Unfortunately, much of this temple was destroyed by the Portuguese. The rebuilt temple, though smaller than Portuguese colonial sources suggest, has also become famous.
[edit] History
Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour that has attracted sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and East Asia since ancient times. The local name, Tirukonamalai, means "Sacred Hill of the Lord". The Sinhalese and Tamil historians have rival claims on the port city which probably reflects elements of both cultures from antiquity. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Kings. Parakramabahu I, circa 12th century, used Gokanna (Trinco) as his eastern port. An English sea captain and historical chronicle writer named Robert Knox came ashore by chance near Trinco and surrendered to the Dissawa (official) of the King of Kandy in 1659. Hence, it was an important trade city between Sri Lanka and the outside world, and one of the British Empire's most important ports in Asia during the second world war. From 1941-45, Trinco was the headquarters of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Allied Southeast Asia commander.
The Koneswaram temple attracted pilgrims from all parts of India. The SriGonakanda Buddhist temple had stood at the site of the Koneswaram temple at one time. Rodney Jocklass, a Sri Lankan underwater explorer rescued many of the artifacts of this ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, now displayed in the Trincomalee museum. The Koneswaram shrine itself was demolished in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the Temple of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction.
Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscription by Kulakottan (Kunakottan), the last Tamil king. It has an emblem including two fish and is engraved with a prophesy stating that, after the 16th century, westerners with different eye colours will rule the country for 500 years and, at the end of it, rule will revert back to Vadugus.
Trincomalee was next held by the Dutch, and subsequently by them and the French alternately, until the capture of Sri Lanka by the British in 1795.
Trincomalee lies close to the region of Sri Lanka where the population is mostly Hindu Tamils in contrast with the island's majority group, which are ethnic Sinhalese and Buddhists. Tamil political parties such as TNA and LTTE criticised the government for bringing many Sinhalese to Trincomalee after the country's independence. The 1981 census shows a population of 86,743 Tamils, 86,346 Sinhalese and 74,403 Moors. After Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, tension between the two groups intensified, culminating with the LTTE insurgency; the heaviest fighting took place in and around the city. Acts of "ethnic cleansing" by Tamil Tiger groups and Government forces have changed demographic patterns in different parts of the district. A cease-fire was negotiated in 2002, but Trincomalee remains underdeveloped, impoverished and weakened by ravages of war. On November 10, 2006 two Tamil boats laden with explosives and suspected of being on a Tamil Tiger suicide mission were destroyed off the coast of the city.
Trincomalee was one of the cities hardest hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004.
[edit] Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
There is controversy among Tamils and Sinhalese over ownership of Trincomalee. Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area.
Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists. Tiriyayi (in Sinhala: Thiriyaya), twenty-nine miles north of Trincomalee, is an example; the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery have been discovered. The remains include a Vatadage, a distinctively Sinhalese circular architectural form, occupying an area of about an acre (4,000 m²). In the centre of the site is a ruined stupa. A Sanskrit inscription on a rock gives the name of the shrine, the Giri Kanda Chaiththiya (stupa). The shrine is of great significance to the Buddhists, since it is believed to contain relics of the Buddha. At the four entrances to the shrine are moonstones of high artistic merit. Among the other striking features are the guard stones of the Makara and the Naga. The Kandyan kings built a temple to Siva in Thampalakamam in the 1700s according to the Culavamsa.
[edit] The harbour
Bay of Trincomalee (view from temple)Trincomalee's strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbour. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.
The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges.
Trincomalee's location, in a less well developed and sparsely populated area, has in the past hampered its own development. Nevertheless plans are under way to develop Trincomalee as a commercial seaport.
[edit] The hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya (Kal = stone; niya = land), on the road to Trincomalee. The original Sinhala name Unudiya [hot=unu, water=diya] may have been tamilzed to Kanniya and refers specifically to the hot springs. A high wall bounds the rectangular enclosure which includes all seven springs. Each is in turn enclosed by a dwarf wall to form a well. The water is warm, the temperature of each spring being slightly different. The use of the springs for bathing is controlled by the neighbouring Mari Amman Kovil, who holds the lease of the wells. The springs are on state land.
[edit] The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. It then went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.
On January 8, 1782 the fort was captured by the British, only to be recaptured by the French on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently Britain ceded it the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of India's Coromandel Coast. Today it is home to the SLNS Tissa naval base of the Sri Lankan Navy.
The Navy Base is home to a naval museum called The Hoods Tower Museum. The name of the museum refers to a watchtower built on a hill commanding a 360-degree view of the harbour and the bay.
[edit] The British in Trincomalee
Until 1957 Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty. One of the places inhabited by the British was Fort Fredrick which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Although some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, the British Government built groups of bungalows in the early 50's specifically for their employees. These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the groups of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace.
[edit] Deutsche Welle Relay Station
There is a Deutsche Welle Shortwave and Mediumwave Relay Station in Trincomalee. It was not adversely affected by the Tsunami of 2004 because of the sea terrain around Trincomalee. Deutsche Welle started broadcasting from Trincomalee Relay Station in 1984.
[edit] Universities of Trincomalee
The Naval and Maritime Academy of the Sri Lanka Navy is situated in Trincomalee as well as the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, which has its main campus in Batticaloa.
[edit] Maps
Detailed map of Trincomalee and Sri Lanka
[edit] See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
TrincomaleePlace names in Sri Lanka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section has multiple issues:
Its neutrality is disputed. Tagged since October 2007.
Its factual accuracy is disputed.Tagged since October 2007.
It needs sources or references that appear in third-party publications. Tagged since October 2007.
An editor has expressed concern that the article is unbalanced. Tagged since October 2007.
Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
Trincomalee District.
The Koneswaram Temple. Trincomalee.
Trincomalee District MapTrincomalee (Tamil: திருகோணமலை (Thirukonamalai, hist: Sirigonakanda); Sinhala: තිරිකුණාමළය (Thirikunamalaya)) is a district, a bay and a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours.
The Bay of Trincomalee is landlocked; the harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. The town also has the largest Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka. It is home to the Sri Lankan naval base and Sri Lankan Air Force base. Indian Navy has access
Contents [hide]
1 Names and Etomology
2 History
2.1 Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
2.2 The harbour
2.3 The hot springs
2.4 The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
2.5 The British in Trincomalee
3 Deutsche Welle Relay Station
4 Universities of Trincomalee
5 Maps
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] Names and Etomology
The name Trincomalee is derived from the Tamil Tiru-kona-malai, meaning "Sacred hill of the Lord". The ancient texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokarna in Sanskrit [1] or Gokanna in Pali. The word Gokarna comes from the Sanskrit for "the ear of the cow"[2] and suggests a place of Saivite religious significance. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of Lanka in the 3rd century[3]. The Mahavamsa documents that the King Mahasena destroyed a Deva temple and built a Buddhist shrine in its stead to expiate for an earlier heresy on his part. [4]. This explains the Buddhist archeological remains in the region. The South Indian Tevaram of Tiru-gnana Sambandar makes mention to the Siva temple in Trincomalee once again in the 6th century[5].
The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu[6] and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam[7]. This became the celebrated Konneswaram Temple. Unfortunately, much of this temple was destroyed by the Portuguese. The rebuilt temple, though smaller than Portuguese colonial sources suggest, has also become famous.
[edit] History
Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour that has attracted sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and East Asia since ancient times. The local name, Tirukonamalai, means "Sacred Hill of the Lord". The Sinhalese and Tamil historians have rival claims on the port city which probably reflects elements of both cultures from antiquity. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Kings. Parakramabahu I, circa 12th century, used Gokanna (Trinco) as his eastern port. An English sea captain and historical chronicle writer named Robert Knox came ashore by chance near Trinco and surrendered to the Dissawa (official) of the King of Kandy in 1659. Hence, it was an important trade city between Sri Lanka and the outside world, and one of the British Empire's most important ports in Asia during the second world war. From 1941-45, Trinco was the headquarters of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Allied Southeast Asia commander.
The Koneswaram temple attracted pilgrims from all parts of India. The SriGonakanda Buddhist temple had stood at the site of the Koneswaram temple at one time. Rodney Jocklass, a Sri Lankan underwater explorer rescued many of the artifacts of this ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, now displayed in the Trincomalee museum. The Koneswaram shrine itself was demolished in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the Temple of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction.
Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscription by Kulakottan (Kunakottan), the last Tamil king. It has an emblem including two fish and is engraved with a prophesy stating that, after the 16th century, westerners with different eye colours will rule the country for 500 years and, at the end of it, rule will revert back to Vadugus.
Trincomalee was next held by the Dutch, and subsequently by them and the French alternately, until the capture of Sri Lanka by the British in 1795.
Trincomalee lies close to the region of Sri Lanka where the population is mostly Hindu Tamils in contrast with the island's majority group, which are ethnic Sinhalese and Buddhists. Tamil political parties such as TNA and LTTE criticised the government for bringing many Sinhalese to Trincomalee after the country's independence. The 1981 census shows a population of 86,743 Tamils, 86,346 Sinhalese and 74,403 Moors. After Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, tension between the two groups intensified, culminating with the LTTE insurgency; the heaviest fighting took place in and around the city. Acts of "ethnic cleansing" by Tamil Tiger groups and Government forces have changed demographic patterns in different parts of the district. A cease-fire was negotiated in 2002, but Trincomalee remains underdeveloped, impoverished and weakened by ravages of war. On November 10, 2006 two Tamil boats laden with explosives and suspected of being on a Tamil Tiger suicide mission were destroyed off the coast of the city.
Trincomalee was one of the cities hardest hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004.
[edit] Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
There is controversy among Tamils and Sinhalese over ownership of Trincomalee. Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area.
Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists. Tiriyayi (in Sinhala: Thiriyaya), twenty-nine miles north of Trincomalee, is an example; the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery have been discovered. The remains include a Vatadage, a distinctively Sinhalese circular architectural form, occupying an area of about an acre (4,000 m²). In the centre of the site is a ruined stupa. A Sanskrit inscription on a rock gives the name of the shrine, the Giri Kanda Chaiththiya (stupa). The shrine is of great significance to the Buddhists, since it is believed to contain relics of the Buddha. At the four entrances to the shrine are moonstones of high artistic merit. Among the other striking features are the guard stones of the Makara and the Naga. The Kandyan kings built a temple to Siva in Thampalakamam in the 1700s according to the Culavamsa.
[edit] The harbour
Bay of Trincomalee (view from temple)Trincomalee's strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbour. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.
The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges.
Trincomalee's location, in a less well developed and sparsely populated area, has in the past hampered its own development. Nevertheless plans are under way to develop Trincomalee as a commercial seaport.
[edit] The hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya (Kal = stone; niya = land), on the road to Trincomalee. The original Sinhala name Unudiya [hot=unu, water=diya] may have been tamilzed to Kanniya and refers specifically to the hot springs. A high wall bounds the rectangular enclosure which includes all seven springs. Each is in turn enclosed by a dwarf wall to form a well. The water is warm, the temperature of each spring being slightly different. The use of the springs for bathing is controlled by the neighbouring Mari Amman Kovil, who holds the lease of the wells. The springs are on state land.
[edit] The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. It then went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.
On January 8, 1782 the fort was captured by the British, only to be recaptured by the French on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently Britain ceded it the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of India's Coromandel Coast. Today it is home to the SLNS Tissa naval base of the Sri Lankan Navy.
The Navy Base is home to a naval museum called The Hoods Tower Museum. The name of the museum refers to a watchtower built on a hill commanding a 360-degree view of the harbour and the bay.
[edit] The British in Trincomalee
Until 1957 Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty. One of the places inhabited by the British was Fort Fredrick which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Although some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, the British Government built groups of bungalows in the early 50's specifically for their employees. These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the groups of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace.
[edit] Deutsche Welle Relay Station
There is a Deutsche Welle Shortwave and Mediumwave Relay Station in Trincomalee. It was not adversely affected by the Tsunami of 2004 because of the sea terrain around Trincomalee. Deutsche Welle started broadcasting from Trincomalee Relay Station in 1984.
[edit] Universities of Trincomalee
The Naval and Maritime Academy of the Sri Lanka Navy is situated in Trincomalee as well as the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, which has its main campus in Batticaloa.
[edit] Maps
Detailed map of Trincomalee and Sri Lanka
[edit] See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
TrincomaleePlace names in Sri Lanka
Trincomalee , Sri Lanka
Trincomalee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section has multiple issues:
Its neutrality is disputed. Tagged since October 2007.
Its factual accuracy is disputed.Tagged since October 2007.
It needs sources or references that appear in third-party publications. Tagged since October 2007.
An editor has expressed concern that the article is unbalanced. Tagged since October 2007.
Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
Trincomalee District.
The Koneswaram Temple. Trincomalee.
Trincomalee District MapTrincomalee (Tamil: திருகோணமலை (Thirukonamalai, hist: Sirigonakanda); Sinhala: තිරිකුණාමළය (Thirikunamalaya)) is a district, a bay and a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours.
The Bay of Trincomalee is landlocked; the harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. The town also has the largest Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka. It is home to the Sri Lankan naval base and Sri Lankan Air Force base. Indian Navy has access
Contents [hide]
1 Names and Etomology
2 History
2.1 Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
2.2 The harbour
2.3 The hot springs
2.4 The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
2.5 The British in Trincomalee
3 Deutsche Welle Relay Station
4 Universities of Trincomalee
5 Maps
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] Names and Etomology
The name Trincomalee is derived from the Tamil Tiru-kona-malai, meaning "Sacred hill of the Lord". The ancient texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokarna in Sanskrit [1] or Gokanna in Pali. The word Gokarna comes from the Sanskrit for "the ear of the cow"[2] and suggests a place of Saivite religious significance. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of Lanka in the 3rd century[3]. The Mahavamsa documents that the King Mahasena destroyed a Deva temple and built a Buddhist shrine in its stead to expiate for an earlier heresy on his part. [4]. This explains the Buddhist archeological remains in the region. The South Indian Tevaram of Tiru-gnana Sambandar makes mention to the Siva temple in Trincomalee once again in the 6th century[5].
The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu[6] and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam[7]. This became the celebrated Konneswaram Temple. Unfortunately, much of this temple was destroyed by the Portuguese. The rebuilt temple, though smaller than Portuguese colonial sources suggest, has also become famous.
[edit] History
Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour that has attracted sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and East Asia since ancient times. The local name, Tirukonamalai, means "Sacred Hill of the Lord". The Sinhalese and Tamil historians have rival claims on the port city which probably reflects elements of both cultures from antiquity. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Kings. Parakramabahu I, circa 12th century, used Gokanna (Trinco) as his eastern port. An English sea captain and historical chronicle writer named Robert Knox came ashore by chance near Trinco and surrendered to the Dissawa (official) of the King of Kandy in 1659. Hence, it was an important trade city between Sri Lanka and the outside world, and one of the British Empire's most important ports in Asia during the second world war. From 1941-45, Trinco was the headquarters of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Allied Southeast Asia commander.
The Koneswaram temple attracted pilgrims from all parts of India. The SriGonakanda Buddhist temple had stood at the site of the Koneswaram temple at one time. Rodney Jocklass, a Sri Lankan underwater explorer rescued many of the artifacts of this ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, now displayed in the Trincomalee museum. The Koneswaram shrine itself was demolished in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the Temple of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction.
Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscription by Kulakottan (Kunakottan), the last Tamil king. It has an emblem including two fish and is engraved with a prophesy stating that, after the 16th century, westerners with different eye colours will rule the country for 500 years and, at the end of it, rule will revert back to Vadugus.
Trincomalee was next held by the Dutch, and subsequently by them and the French alternately, until the capture of Sri Lanka by the British in 1795.
Trincomalee lies close to the region of Sri Lanka where the population is mostly Hindu Tamils in contrast with the island's majority group, which are ethnic Sinhalese and Buddhists. Tamil political parties such as TNA and LTTE criticised the government for bringing many Sinhalese to Trincomalee after the country's independence. The 1981 census shows a population of 86,743 Tamils, 86,346 Sinhalese and 74,403 Moors. After Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, tension between the two groups intensified, culminating with the LTTE insurgency; the heaviest fighting took place in and around the city. Acts of "ethnic cleansing" by Tamil Tiger groups and Government forces have changed demographic patterns in different parts of the district. A cease-fire was negotiated in 2002, but Trincomalee remains underdeveloped, impoverished and weakened by ravages of war. On November 10, 2006 two Tamil boats laden with explosives and suspected of being on a Tamil Tiger suicide mission were destroyed off the coast of the city.
Trincomalee was one of the cities hardest hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004.
[edit] Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
There is controversy among Tamils and Sinhalese over ownership of Trincomalee. Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area.
Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists. Tiriyayi (in Sinhala: Thiriyaya), twenty-nine miles north of Trincomalee, is an example; the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery have been discovered. The remains include a Vatadage, a distinctively Sinhalese circular architectural form, occupying an area of about an acre (4,000 m²). In the centre of the site is a ruined stupa. A Sanskrit inscription on a rock gives the name of the shrine, the Giri Kanda Chaiththiya (stupa). The shrine is of great significance to the Buddhists, since it is believed to contain relics of the Buddha. At the four entrances to the shrine are moonstones of high artistic merit. Among the other striking features are the guard stones of the Makara and the Naga. The Kandyan kings built a temple to Siva in Thampalakamam in the 1700s according to the Culavamsa.
[edit] The harbour
Bay of Trincomalee (view from temple)Trincomalee's strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbour. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.
The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges.
Trincomalee's location, in a less well developed and sparsely populated area, has in the past hampered its own development. Nevertheless plans are under way to develop Trincomalee as a commercial seaport.
[edit] The hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya (Kal = stone; niya = land), on the road to Trincomalee. The original Sinhala name Unudiya [hot=unu, water=diya] may have been tamilzed to Kanniya and refers specifically to the hot springs. A high wall bounds the rectangular enclosure which includes all seven springs. Each is in turn enclosed by a dwarf wall to form a well. The water is warm, the temperature of each spring being slightly different. The use of the springs for bathing is controlled by the neighbouring Mari Amman Kovil, who holds the lease of the wells. The springs are on state land.
[edit] The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. It then went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.
On January 8, 1782 the fort was captured by the British, only to be recaptured by the French on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently Britain ceded it the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of India's Coromandel Coast. Today it is home to the SLNS Tissa naval base of the Sri Lankan Navy.
The Navy Base is home to a naval museum called The Hoods Tower Museum. The name of the museum refers to a watchtower built on a hill commanding a 360-degree view of the harbour and the bay.
[edit] The British in Trincomalee
Until 1957 Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty. One of the places inhabited by the British was Fort Fredrick which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Although some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, the British Government built groups of bungalows in the early 50's specifically for their employees. These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the groups of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace.
[edit] Deutsche Welle Relay Station
There is a Deutsche Welle Shortwave and Mediumwave Relay Station in Trincomalee. It was not adversely affected by the Tsunami of 2004 because of the sea terrain around Trincomalee. Deutsche Welle started broadcasting from Trincomalee Relay Station in 1984.
[edit] Universities of Trincomalee
The Naval and Maritime Academy of the Sri Lanka Navy is situated in Trincomalee as well as the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, which has its main campus in Batticaloa.
[edit] Maps
Detailed map of Trincomalee and Sri Lanka
[edit] See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
TrincomaleePlace names in Sri Lanka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section has multiple issues:
Its neutrality is disputed. Tagged since October 2007.
Its factual accuracy is disputed.Tagged since October 2007.
It needs sources or references that appear in third-party publications. Tagged since October 2007.
An editor has expressed concern that the article is unbalanced. Tagged since October 2007.
Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
Trincomalee District.
The Koneswaram Temple. Trincomalee.
Trincomalee District MapTrincomalee (Tamil: திருகோணமலை (Thirukonamalai, hist: Sirigonakanda); Sinhala: තිරිකුණාමළය (Thirikunamalaya)) is a district, a bay and a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours.
The Bay of Trincomalee is landlocked; the harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. The town also has the largest Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka. It is home to the Sri Lankan naval base and Sri Lankan Air Force base. Indian Navy has access
Contents [hide]
1 Names and Etomology
2 History
2.1 Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
2.2 The harbour
2.3 The hot springs
2.4 The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
2.5 The British in Trincomalee
3 Deutsche Welle Relay Station
4 Universities of Trincomalee
5 Maps
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] Names and Etomology
The name Trincomalee is derived from the Tamil Tiru-kona-malai, meaning "Sacred hill of the Lord". The ancient texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokarna in Sanskrit [1] or Gokanna in Pali. The word Gokarna comes from the Sanskrit for "the ear of the cow"[2] and suggests a place of Saivite religious significance. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of Lanka in the 3rd century[3]. The Mahavamsa documents that the King Mahasena destroyed a Deva temple and built a Buddhist shrine in its stead to expiate for an earlier heresy on his part. [4]. This explains the Buddhist archeological remains in the region. The South Indian Tevaram of Tiru-gnana Sambandar makes mention to the Siva temple in Trincomalee once again in the 6th century[5].
The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu[6] and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam[7]. This became the celebrated Konneswaram Temple. Unfortunately, much of this temple was destroyed by the Portuguese. The rebuilt temple, though smaller than Portuguese colonial sources suggest, has also become famous.
[edit] History
Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour that has attracted sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and East Asia since ancient times. The local name, Tirukonamalai, means "Sacred Hill of the Lord". The Sinhalese and Tamil historians have rival claims on the port city which probably reflects elements of both cultures from antiquity. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Kings. Parakramabahu I, circa 12th century, used Gokanna (Trinco) as his eastern port. An English sea captain and historical chronicle writer named Robert Knox came ashore by chance near Trinco and surrendered to the Dissawa (official) of the King of Kandy in 1659. Hence, it was an important trade city between Sri Lanka and the outside world, and one of the British Empire's most important ports in Asia during the second world war. From 1941-45, Trinco was the headquarters of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Allied Southeast Asia commander.
The Koneswaram temple attracted pilgrims from all parts of India. The SriGonakanda Buddhist temple had stood at the site of the Koneswaram temple at one time. Rodney Jocklass, a Sri Lankan underwater explorer rescued many of the artifacts of this ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples, now displayed in the Trincomalee museum. The Koneswaram shrine itself was demolished in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the Temple of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction.
Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscription by Kulakottan (Kunakottan), the last Tamil king. It has an emblem including two fish and is engraved with a prophesy stating that, after the 16th century, westerners with different eye colours will rule the country for 500 years and, at the end of it, rule will revert back to Vadugus.
Trincomalee was next held by the Dutch, and subsequently by them and the French alternately, until the capture of Sri Lanka by the British in 1795.
Trincomalee lies close to the region of Sri Lanka where the population is mostly Hindu Tamils in contrast with the island's majority group, which are ethnic Sinhalese and Buddhists. Tamil political parties such as TNA and LTTE criticised the government for bringing many Sinhalese to Trincomalee after the country's independence. The 1981 census shows a population of 86,743 Tamils, 86,346 Sinhalese and 74,403 Moors. After Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, tension between the two groups intensified, culminating with the LTTE insurgency; the heaviest fighting took place in and around the city. Acts of "ethnic cleansing" by Tamil Tiger groups and Government forces have changed demographic patterns in different parts of the district. A cease-fire was negotiated in 2002, but Trincomalee remains underdeveloped, impoverished and weakened by ravages of war. On November 10, 2006 two Tamil boats laden with explosives and suspected of being on a Tamil Tiger suicide mission were destroyed off the coast of the city.
Trincomalee was one of the cities hardest hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004.
[edit] Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
There is controversy among Tamils and Sinhalese over ownership of Trincomalee. Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area.
Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists. Tiriyayi (in Sinhala: Thiriyaya), twenty-nine miles north of Trincomalee, is an example; the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery have been discovered. The remains include a Vatadage, a distinctively Sinhalese circular architectural form, occupying an area of about an acre (4,000 m²). In the centre of the site is a ruined stupa. A Sanskrit inscription on a rock gives the name of the shrine, the Giri Kanda Chaiththiya (stupa). The shrine is of great significance to the Buddhists, since it is believed to contain relics of the Buddha. At the four entrances to the shrine are moonstones of high artistic merit. Among the other striking features are the guard stones of the Makara and the Naga. The Kandyan kings built a temple to Siva in Thampalakamam in the 1700s according to the Culavamsa.
[edit] The harbour
Bay of Trincomalee (view from temple)Trincomalee's strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbour. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.
The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges.
Trincomalee's location, in a less well developed and sparsely populated area, has in the past hampered its own development. Nevertheless plans are under way to develop Trincomalee as a commercial seaport.
[edit] The hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya (Kal = stone; niya = land), on the road to Trincomalee. The original Sinhala name Unudiya [hot=unu, water=diya] may have been tamilzed to Kanniya and refers specifically to the hot springs. A high wall bounds the rectangular enclosure which includes all seven springs. Each is in turn enclosed by a dwarf wall to form a well. The water is warm, the temperature of each spring being slightly different. The use of the springs for bathing is controlled by the neighbouring Mari Amman Kovil, who holds the lease of the wells. The springs are on state land.
[edit] The Dutch Fort and Naval Museum
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. It then went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.
On January 8, 1782 the fort was captured by the British, only to be recaptured by the French on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently Britain ceded it the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of India's Coromandel Coast. Today it is home to the SLNS Tissa naval base of the Sri Lankan Navy.
The Navy Base is home to a naval museum called The Hoods Tower Museum. The name of the museum refers to a watchtower built on a hill commanding a 360-degree view of the harbour and the bay.
[edit] The British in Trincomalee
Until 1957 Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty. One of the places inhabited by the British was Fort Fredrick which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Although some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, the British Government built groups of bungalows in the early 50's specifically for their employees. These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the groups of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace.
[edit] Deutsche Welle Relay Station
There is a Deutsche Welle Shortwave and Mediumwave Relay Station in Trincomalee. It was not adversely affected by the Tsunami of 2004 because of the sea terrain around Trincomalee. Deutsche Welle started broadcasting from Trincomalee Relay Station in 1984.
[edit] Universities of Trincomalee
The Naval and Maritime Academy of the Sri Lanka Navy is situated in Trincomalee as well as the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, which has its main campus in Batticaloa.
[edit] Maps
Detailed map of Trincomalee and Sri Lanka
[edit] See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
TrincomaleePlace names in Sri Lanka
Jaffna , Sri Lanka
Jaffna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Have questions? Find out how to ask questions and get answers. •Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the capital of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. For other uses, see Jaffna (disambiguation).
Jaffna District.
Map of Jaffna Peninsula.Jaffna or Yazhpanam (யாழ்ப்பாணம் in Tamil meaning யாழ்=harp, பாணம்=town of harper, යාපනය in Sinhala) the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Most of the residents of Jaffna are Sri Lankan Tamils with a presence of Sri Lankan Moors. It had been the second largest city in the country for several decades, until the recent civil conflict.
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The Jaffna Kingdom
1.2 Invasion and Colonization by the West
1.2.1 Colony of Portugal
1.2.2 Colony of the Netherlands
1.2.3 Colony of Great Britain
2 Etymology
3 Demography
4 Culture
4.1 Arts
4.2 Literature
5 Economic activities
5.1 Jaffna Harbour
6 Media
7 Educational instituitions
8 Ethnic conflict
8.1 Mass exodus and ethnic cleansing
8.1.1 Christian missionary activity
9 References
10 External links
[edit] History
Main article: Jaffna Kingdom
The ports of Jaffna were in the ancient silk route which can be traced from China via Vietnam,Cambodia,Thailand, Java and Malaya. Marco Polo has described vividly about the various aspects of life in Jaffna. He was travelling by the silk route by sea guarding a Chinese princess - a daughter of Kublai Khan - and a future wife of Persian king. Jaffna was the safest route for an emperor's daughter and a future queen of Persia.
The Northern Sri Lankan city of Jaffna has a written history of 2000 years. Along with the Mahavamsa and Chulavamsa, The Yalpana Vaipava Malai, Kailaya Malai, and Irasamurai are some of the books containing historical facts of Jaffna. The Abitta Jataka in the Pali canon refers to the Brahmin sage Akitta (Agastya?) who had visited the island of Kara adjacent to Nagadipa. This is identified by some as the present Karaitivu or Karainagar.
The Mahavamsa mentions that Lord Buddha used his iddhi or yogic powers to visit Jaffna by air to resolve a crisis over a jewel between the Naga chieftains and introduced Buddhism to them. It refers to the port of Jambukola Pattuna, now known as Sambalturai, where ships embarked to India. The Mahavamsa Tika - a commentary to the chronicle, speaks of a Thera Dhammadinna in the island of Piyangudipa which is probably the present island of Punguduteevu. The Sangam era Tamil literature in the early centuries of the common era included poets from Mantai in what is today the Mannar District in Sri Lanka. The Tamil epic the Manimekalai refers to a place called Manipallavam which might well be Jaffna[citation needed]. The archeological ruins in Kantarodai might well confirm this literary reference.
[edit] The Jaffna Kingdom
Main article: Jaffna Kingdom
The development of the Dravidic people in the past twenty centuries gave rise to states like the Pallava, Pandyan, Chola, Chera and Vijayanagar kingdoms in Southern India. From time to time one or the other of these Dravidian states reached pre-eminence, but undoubtedly the greatest of these was the Chola Empire, which encompassed not only south India but parts of Sri Lanka and the Maldives to the south to outposts in the Andaman islands, Malaya and Sumatra in the east.
The political, socio-economic and cultural impact and influence of the Chola empire under the kings Parantaka, Aditya, Raja Raja and Rajendra was extensive. It had a lasting politico-socio-economic and cultural impact and influence on Sri Lanka. The Cholas had annexed the northern half of the island of Ceylon in 993 CE but were evicted by a resurgent Sinhalese power in Polonnaruwa allied to both the Pandyas and Kalinga (Orissa) in 1070 CE. However, the Chola inter-regnum consolidated the Tamil presence in the northern districts of Ceylon as researched by Professor K. Indrapala in his PhD thesis - Early Tamil Settlements in Ceylon - submitted to the University of London.
There were numerous Malay kingdoms in the 2nd and 3rd century CE—as many as 30 according to Chinese sources. Kedah—known as Kedaram or Kataha, in ancient Pallava or Sanskrit—was in the direct route of invasions of Indian traders and kings. Rajendra Chola, who is now thought to have laid Kota Gelanggi to waste, put Kedah to heel in 1025 but his successor, Vir Rajendra Chola, had to put down a Kedah rebellion to overthrow the invaders. The coming of the Chola reduced the majesty of Srivijaya which had exerted influence over Kedah and Pattani and even as far as Ligor.
The Buddhist kingdom of Ligor took control of Kedah shortly after, and its King Chandrabhanu used it as a base to attack Sri Lanka in the 11th century, an event noted in a stone inscription in Nagapattinum in Tamil Nadu and in the Sri Lankan chronicles, Mahavamsa. During the first millennium, the people of the Malay peninsula adopted Hinduism and Buddhism and the use of the Sanskrit language until they eventually converted to Islam, but not before Hinduism, Buddhism and Sanskrit became embedded into the Malay worldview. Traces of the influences in political ideas, social structure, rituals, language, arts and cultural practices still can be seen to this day.
There are reports of other areas older than Kedah—the ancient kingdom of Gangganegara, around Bruas in Perak, for instance, pushes Malaysian history even further into antiquity. If that is not enough, a Tamil poem, Pattinapaalai, of the second century CE, describes goods from Kadaram heaped in the broad streets of the Chola capital; a seventh century Sanskrit drama, Kaumudhimahotsva, refers to Kedah as Kataha-nagari. The Agnipurana also mentions a territory known Anda-Kataha with one of its boundaries delineated by a peak, which scholars believe is Gunong Jerai. Stories from the Katasaritasagaram describe the elegance of life in Kataha.
S. Pathmanathan in his "Kingdom of Jaffna" published in Colombo in 1978 attributes the origins of the Tamil Hindu Kingdom in north Sri Lanka to Magha of Kalinga (Orissa) who had invaded the Polonnaruwa kingdom in 1215 CE and destroyed the economic underpinnings of the old Sinhalese hydraulic civilization that had been weakened by earlier Chola onslaughts. Magha depended on South Indian troops. The destruction of the Polonnaruwa kingdom facilitated the rise of the Kingdom of Jaffna.
According to Yalpana Vaipava Maalai (which was written by Mayilvagana Pulavar, during Dutch period), the first king in turn assumed the throne of Jaffna Kingdom in 1215 CE as "Segarajasekeran Singhai Ariyar Chakravarti" (Kulasekara Segarajasekeran Seliyasekaran Vijeyar Singhai Ariyar Chakravarti: 1215-1240).
By the end of his rule, he had subjugated most of Sri Lanka. The Batticaloa chronicle states that Segarajasekeran captured Polonnaruwa. The Chulavamsa and the Rajavaliya, another Sinhalese chronicle, mention that Segarajasekeran stationed troops at Trincomalee, Koddiyaram, Kantalai, Padavikulam, Kaddukkulam, Kayts, Pulachery and dominated Rajarata, the heartland of what had been the Sinhalese hydraulic civilization until then.
After Segarajasekeran's death in 1240, his son Kulasegaran succeeded to the throne under the name Pararajasekeran and ruled from Nallur in the Jaffna Peninsula.
Statue of King Sangili, Nallur.Kulathungan succeeded his father and reigned until 1279 under the name Segarajasekeran II. Vikraman, son of Kulothungan, reigned from 1279 to 1302. He was known under the throne name of Pararajasekeran II. Varothayan succeeded his father and reigned from 1302 to 1325 under the name of Segarajasekeran III. Varothayan's son Marthanda Perumal became the ruler as Pararajasekeran III. He reigned from 1325 to 1348.
When the Pandyan empire in Tamil Nadu - successors to the Chola - in turn collapsed as a result of inroads from the Delhi Sultanate in the early 1300s CE, waves of Tamil immigrants moved to the peninsula. The Yalpana Vaipava Malai documents this in considerable detail.
Gunapushanam succeeded his father and reigned as Segarajasekeran IV from 1348 to 1371. In 1371, Virothayan followed his father and reigned until 1380 as Pararajasekeran IV. From 1380 to 1410, Jeyaveeran, son of Virothayan, reigned as Segarajasekeran V. Virothayan's son Kunaveeran held the throne as Pararajasekeran V from 1410 to 1446.
The Jaffna Kingdom had control over the Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Vanni Districts, Mannar, Pearl rich western Puttalam coast.[citation needed].
Late medieval Sinhalese texts such as the Rajavaliya and the Nikaya Sangrahaya refer to the tax collectors of the Arya Chakravarti in Biyagama in what is today close to the Colombo airport and to naval attacks on Panadura south of Colombo. The Sinhalese turned to Alagakonara, a military genius of Kerala origin, to contain the inroads of the Arya Chakravarti. The tide changed with the Sinhalese temporarily occupying Jaffna under Parakrama Bahu VI in the 1400s CE.
The Tamil Hindu Kingdom of Jaffna had its distinct traditions of jurisprudence referred to as the Tesavalamai which has been documented by Dr. H.W. Tambiah's "The Laws and Customs of the Tamils of Jaffna" reprinted in Colombo in 2000.
[edit] Invasion and Colonization by the West
[edit] Colony of Portugal
Main article: Portuguese Ceylon
After lasting for over 400 years the Dravidian influenced Jaffna Kingdom finally lost its independence to the Portuguese in 1621. The Portuguese captured the King of Jaffna Sangili Kumaran and had took him to Goa in India along with his sons. After trial, the Portuguese found him guilty of treason and hanged him along with his sons. With the Jaffna Kingdom’s demise, the only indigenous independent political entity that was not Sinhalese and Buddhist in character came to an end in the Island. The Portuguese built the Jaffna Fort and the moat around it.
[edit] Colony of the Netherlands
Main article: Dutch Ceylon
The Tamils and the Kandyan Kingdom collaborated and conspired with the Dutch rulers of Batavia( today's Jakarta in Indonesia). The Dutch invasion from Batavia brought religious freedom for Tamils and Muslims.The Dutch and the later colonial English ruler reigned approximately 3 centuries in length with each ruling for approximately 150 years. The Jaffna Tamil has several Portuguese and Dutch words still in usage.
The islands of Palk Straits are renamed during Dutch rule in Dutch as Leiden, Kayts and other cities of the Netherlands. Dutch priest Rev Philippus Baldeus has written a great historical record similar to Mahawamsa on the Jaffna people and their culture and it was immediately published in Dutch and German with several beautiful pictures. Still at the Point Pedro Market Square a granite stone inscription marks the place where Rev Baldeus has preached to the Tamils under a big tamarind tree. This tamarind tree was uprooted during the cyclone of 1963.
[edit] Colony of Great Britain
Main article: British Ceylon
The British started their rule in 1798. Many eductional institutions were established during this period. English language was taught to the locals. The Jaffna Tamils were given higher ranks in government institutions. At this time American missionaries and Anglican missionaries were in close competition with Catholic missionaries and establishing churches and schools in every nook and corner. The Hindu Board of Education in turn established its own network of schools. Several high schools and western education became the hallmark of Jaffna. Jaffna Tamils became loyal subjects of the ever-expanding British Imperialism and took the middle-level positions in public service throughout South East Asian countries of the British Raj (Burma, Malaya, Borneo and Singapore) in the late 1800s/early 1900s.
[edit] Etymology
The general area of Jaffna peninsula boasts a written history dating back to circa 4th century BC. Yakshaganam is a type of music found in India. Yazhpanam may be a similar name for Yakshaganam. Nagapatnam is a city 40 kilometers North across the Palk Straits in India. Mahavamsa is full of references to Yakshas, Nagas and Tamilas as Kings of Lanka at various times.
A prominent port in the area was known as Yapa Patuna in Sinhala and Yaalpaana Pattinam in Tamil since the medieval times. In the local Tamil dialect it currently spelt as Yaalpaanam and some local Tamils believe the term Yaalpaanam is derived from Yaal and Paanam meaning land of the lute player alluding to a myth of a blind lute player receiving the land as a royal grant. Currently in Sinhalese, it is known as Yapanaya. Jaffna may be a latter-day simplification of the names either Yapa Patuna or Yaalpaana Pattinam.
Pattanam means a city on the seacoast. Yal Panam comes from two separate words. Yal is a mutation of Yaka or Yaksha and Panam is a mutation of pattanam. It simply means the City of Yakshas. (Compare the Nagapattanam which is the City of Nagas).
[edit] Demography
Prior to the civil war most residents of Jaffna were Tamil speaking, Sri Lankan Tamils, with a notable Muslim(Moor) and Sinhalese presence. Thus the 1981 Census gives: Tamils 800,000; Moors 14,000; Sinhala 5,000. compared to 20,514 Sinhala speakers in 1971 and none by 1988.
85% of the population of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts were Hindus. The Hindus followed the Saivite tradition. The remainder were largely Roman Catholic or Protestant. The Tamils were divided along caste lines with farmer-caste Vellalar forming the majority. The maritime caste known as the Karaiyar dominated the coast.
[edit] Culture
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, JaffnaMost Jaffna tamils belong to the Dravidian cultural group and The Pongal, The Hindu New Year in April, Christmas, Deepavali, Navaratri and Shivaratri are some of the religious festivals celebrated. During the colonial period Jaffna people were attracted to western culture and these features can be identified even today in the Jaffna society.
[edit] Arts
The traditional dance of the Sri Lankan Tamils is called Kooththu. These are a variety of stage dramas. Karthavarayan Kooththu, Sangiliyan Kooththu and Poothaththambi Kooththu are some of the famous Kooththus in Jaffna. The Poothaththambi Kooththu has been Staged from the Dutch era. These arts are mainly focused on the historical values of the community and to entertain the people. The villuppattu is one of the famous art of tamils. Oyilaattam is a notable variety of dance in the jaffna peninsula. The South Indian dance and music is also indigenous to Jaffna. Noteworthy here would be Bharata Natyam and Carnatic Music in the classical high tradition of Hinduism.
[edit] Literature
A poet called Eelattu Poothanthevanar is mentioned in the ancient Tamil sangam existed in Madurai. He was most probably from the North of Sri lanka. The Chief Nalliyakodan of Mantai in what is today Mannar sponsored several Sangam era poets in the Tamil land. Kumanan, another chief from Kudiramalai, also sponsored poets. However, the precise identity of Nalliyakodan and Kumanan is under doubt. This is discussed in Mudaliyar C. Rasanayagam's "Ancient Jaffna".
The medieval Tamil court in Jaffna hardly produced any literature of worth except for the rare manuscript on astronomy or ayurveda.
Turning to modern times, Arumuga Navalar was born in Nallur in December 1822. He died in 1879. He helped develop modern Tamil prose and freed the language from what had become the stitled classicism of the past with his freer use of words. He had translated the Bible into Tamil and then researched Hindu doctrine. Navalar had written many Hindu religious books and was an outstanding orator. He was the pioneer of religious reforms in the Jaffna Hindu society. C.W Thamotheram pillai, another native of Jaffna, was one of the first two graduates in the Madras Presidency. He obtained his degree from the University of Madras in 1858 and contributed to Tamil studies. Dr. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy contributed extensively to the study of Indian art in its social context. He was born in 1877.
Mallikai, Sudar, Samar, Siriththiran, Alai and Kathambam were some of the Tamil magazines published in 1970s. Many of them disappeared after the ethnic tension in late 1980s.
The term Pulampeyar Ilakkiyam is the literature of the Tamil speaking people migrated away from their native places. Viduthalai Ilakkiyam is the literature of various Tamil nationalist organizations.
[edit] Economic activities
Sea products, red onion, and tobacco are the main products in Jaffna. Prior to the civil war it was a place of many small scale industries manufacturing household items as well as packaging and food processing for export. Most industrialists have left or closed shops. The present Jaffna economy is facing setbacks because of the unstable connectivity with the south. The prices of goods in Jaffna are relatively very high compared to the south. Currently the primary economic activity is related to trading. The foreign remittance from the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora sustains many people.
Coconut Trees in Jaffna
[edit] Jaffna Harbour
The pending Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project may increase the productivity of the Jaffna Harbour positively. Enlargement of the harbour will bring benefits to Sri Lanka. The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu in India. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour.
[edit] Media
The first newspaper in Jaffna, Uthayatharakai (Morning Star) was published in 1841 by C.W. Thamotharampillai[1]
Today it has number of newspapers including Eelamurasu and Uthayan.
Public Library, Jaffna
[edit] Educational instituitions
Jaffna is considered to be the most literate district in the whole of Sri Lanka[citation needed], which has a very high literacy level to begin with. In early days (before 1970s') Sri Lankan universities were dominated by Jaffna students but currently their enrollment is minimized due to the effects of district based quota system introduced in 1970s as well as the effects of the civil war. However, in 1974 the government opened the University of Jaffna which is de facto reserved for students from the region, while they have a quota based access to the other Sri Lankan universities as well. Peter Percival was a Wesleyan Missionary who started several schools in Jaffna including Jaffna Central College, Hartley College, Vembadi Girls School, and Methodist Girls High School. The first translation of Bible into Tamil was carried out by Fr Peter Percival and Arumuga Navalar.
The Jaffna Hindu College is one of the leading schools in Jaffna. This institution was established by a Hindu asscociation in 1890. The Hindu Board of Education had established a network of grant-in-aid schools. Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan established Ramanathan College for Girls and Parameshwarar College for Boys.
Founded by American missionaries in 1819, Jaffna College, has records of Malaysian, Singaporean, South Indian and even Japanese students enrollment in 1930s and 1940s. American missionaries also founded many other institutions of higher learning that are still functioning today. Today most students are locals.
[edit] Ethnic conflict
Main articles: Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, State terrorism in Sri Lanka, and Human Rights in Sri Lanka
Due to the current civil war, the city has witnessed wholesale massacres, disappearances of the civilian population and a deterioration in the human rights situation. Currently it is occupied by the Sri Lankan Army; prior to 1995 it was under control of the LTTE. Due to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, many residents had moved out of the city, and thus the population has been reduced dramatically. According to the 2001 census, the population of the municipality is about 145,600 [citation needed]. The population of the district is currently estimated by the district administration at 600,000. Jaffna also functions as the economic and cultural capital of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Jaffna was once a 'stronghold' of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a political and military organization seeking the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam for Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka. However, it is now under the control of the government of Sri Lanka.
The Jaffna Public library was burnt down by a Singhalese mob in June 1981, when ethnic tensions in the country were building steadily towards war. It was renovated in 2003 by the government of Sri Lanka. [2]
[edit] Mass exodus and ethnic cleansing
Main articles: Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora and Expulsion of Muslims from Jaffna
Many of the Tamils from this region have moved out to other parts of the island or to foreign countries. This exodus of Tamils from Jaffna has occurred for a number of reasons.
The entire Muslim and Sinhalese population of Jaffna was forced to leave within 48 hours in 1990 due to an ethnic cleansing order by the LTTE allegedly to avenge the ethnic cleansing of Tamils in the East. There have been claims of human rights violations on both sides. Due to Jaffna becoming a constant battleground between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE, many people have been displaced. The tense security situation over the years of the ceasefire has left Jaffna in a precarious position as it is likely to be a key target should the conflict renew in the future.
[edit] Christian missionary activity
Main article: Jaffna Roman Catholic diocese
Jaffna also has played an important role in the Roman Catholic religious administration of Sri Lanka. It also plays an important role in the administration of the Church of South India in Sri Lanka, a group of Protestant denominations. Some notable missionaries are
Eliza Agnew, Presbyterian missionary from New York City[1]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Have questions? Find out how to ask questions and get answers. •Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the capital of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. For other uses, see Jaffna (disambiguation).
Jaffna District.
Map of Jaffna Peninsula.Jaffna or Yazhpanam (யாழ்ப்பாணம் in Tamil meaning யாழ்=harp, பாணம்=town of harper, යාපනය in Sinhala) the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Most of the residents of Jaffna are Sri Lankan Tamils with a presence of Sri Lankan Moors. It had been the second largest city in the country for several decades, until the recent civil conflict.
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The Jaffna Kingdom
1.2 Invasion and Colonization by the West
1.2.1 Colony of Portugal
1.2.2 Colony of the Netherlands
1.2.3 Colony of Great Britain
2 Etymology
3 Demography
4 Culture
4.1 Arts
4.2 Literature
5 Economic activities
5.1 Jaffna Harbour
6 Media
7 Educational instituitions
8 Ethnic conflict
8.1 Mass exodus and ethnic cleansing
8.1.1 Christian missionary activity
9 References
10 External links
[edit] History
Main article: Jaffna Kingdom
The ports of Jaffna were in the ancient silk route which can be traced from China via Vietnam,Cambodia,Thailand, Java and Malaya. Marco Polo has described vividly about the various aspects of life in Jaffna. He was travelling by the silk route by sea guarding a Chinese princess - a daughter of Kublai Khan - and a future wife of Persian king. Jaffna was the safest route for an emperor's daughter and a future queen of Persia.
The Northern Sri Lankan city of Jaffna has a written history of 2000 years. Along with the Mahavamsa and Chulavamsa, The Yalpana Vaipava Malai, Kailaya Malai, and Irasamurai are some of the books containing historical facts of Jaffna. The Abitta Jataka in the Pali canon refers to the Brahmin sage Akitta (Agastya?) who had visited the island of Kara adjacent to Nagadipa. This is identified by some as the present Karaitivu or Karainagar.
The Mahavamsa mentions that Lord Buddha used his iddhi or yogic powers to visit Jaffna by air to resolve a crisis over a jewel between the Naga chieftains and introduced Buddhism to them. It refers to the port of Jambukola Pattuna, now known as Sambalturai, where ships embarked to India. The Mahavamsa Tika - a commentary to the chronicle, speaks of a Thera Dhammadinna in the island of Piyangudipa which is probably the present island of Punguduteevu. The Sangam era Tamil literature in the early centuries of the common era included poets from Mantai in what is today the Mannar District in Sri Lanka. The Tamil epic the Manimekalai refers to a place called Manipallavam which might well be Jaffna[citation needed]. The archeological ruins in Kantarodai might well confirm this literary reference.
[edit] The Jaffna Kingdom
Main article: Jaffna Kingdom
The development of the Dravidic people in the past twenty centuries gave rise to states like the Pallava, Pandyan, Chola, Chera and Vijayanagar kingdoms in Southern India. From time to time one or the other of these Dravidian states reached pre-eminence, but undoubtedly the greatest of these was the Chola Empire, which encompassed not only south India but parts of Sri Lanka and the Maldives to the south to outposts in the Andaman islands, Malaya and Sumatra in the east.
The political, socio-economic and cultural impact and influence of the Chola empire under the kings Parantaka, Aditya, Raja Raja and Rajendra was extensive. It had a lasting politico-socio-economic and cultural impact and influence on Sri Lanka. The Cholas had annexed the northern half of the island of Ceylon in 993 CE but were evicted by a resurgent Sinhalese power in Polonnaruwa allied to both the Pandyas and Kalinga (Orissa) in 1070 CE. However, the Chola inter-regnum consolidated the Tamil presence in the northern districts of Ceylon as researched by Professor K. Indrapala in his PhD thesis - Early Tamil Settlements in Ceylon - submitted to the University of London.
There were numerous Malay kingdoms in the 2nd and 3rd century CE—as many as 30 according to Chinese sources. Kedah—known as Kedaram or Kataha, in ancient Pallava or Sanskrit—was in the direct route of invasions of Indian traders and kings. Rajendra Chola, who is now thought to have laid Kota Gelanggi to waste, put Kedah to heel in 1025 but his successor, Vir Rajendra Chola, had to put down a Kedah rebellion to overthrow the invaders. The coming of the Chola reduced the majesty of Srivijaya which had exerted influence over Kedah and Pattani and even as far as Ligor.
The Buddhist kingdom of Ligor took control of Kedah shortly after, and its King Chandrabhanu used it as a base to attack Sri Lanka in the 11th century, an event noted in a stone inscription in Nagapattinum in Tamil Nadu and in the Sri Lankan chronicles, Mahavamsa. During the first millennium, the people of the Malay peninsula adopted Hinduism and Buddhism and the use of the Sanskrit language until they eventually converted to Islam, but not before Hinduism, Buddhism and Sanskrit became embedded into the Malay worldview. Traces of the influences in political ideas, social structure, rituals, language, arts and cultural practices still can be seen to this day.
There are reports of other areas older than Kedah—the ancient kingdom of Gangganegara, around Bruas in Perak, for instance, pushes Malaysian history even further into antiquity. If that is not enough, a Tamil poem, Pattinapaalai, of the second century CE, describes goods from Kadaram heaped in the broad streets of the Chola capital; a seventh century Sanskrit drama, Kaumudhimahotsva, refers to Kedah as Kataha-nagari. The Agnipurana also mentions a territory known Anda-Kataha with one of its boundaries delineated by a peak, which scholars believe is Gunong Jerai. Stories from the Katasaritasagaram describe the elegance of life in Kataha.
S. Pathmanathan in his "Kingdom of Jaffna" published in Colombo in 1978 attributes the origins of the Tamil Hindu Kingdom in north Sri Lanka to Magha of Kalinga (Orissa) who had invaded the Polonnaruwa kingdom in 1215 CE and destroyed the economic underpinnings of the old Sinhalese hydraulic civilization that had been weakened by earlier Chola onslaughts. Magha depended on South Indian troops. The destruction of the Polonnaruwa kingdom facilitated the rise of the Kingdom of Jaffna.
According to Yalpana Vaipava Maalai (which was written by Mayilvagana Pulavar, during Dutch period), the first king in turn assumed the throne of Jaffna Kingdom in 1215 CE as "Segarajasekeran Singhai Ariyar Chakravarti" (Kulasekara Segarajasekeran Seliyasekaran Vijeyar Singhai Ariyar Chakravarti: 1215-1240).
By the end of his rule, he had subjugated most of Sri Lanka. The Batticaloa chronicle states that Segarajasekeran captured Polonnaruwa. The Chulavamsa and the Rajavaliya, another Sinhalese chronicle, mention that Segarajasekeran stationed troops at Trincomalee, Koddiyaram, Kantalai, Padavikulam, Kaddukkulam, Kayts, Pulachery and dominated Rajarata, the heartland of what had been the Sinhalese hydraulic civilization until then.
After Segarajasekeran's death in 1240, his son Kulasegaran succeeded to the throne under the name Pararajasekeran and ruled from Nallur in the Jaffna Peninsula.
Statue of King Sangili, Nallur.Kulathungan succeeded his father and reigned until 1279 under the name Segarajasekeran II. Vikraman, son of Kulothungan, reigned from 1279 to 1302. He was known under the throne name of Pararajasekeran II. Varothayan succeeded his father and reigned from 1302 to 1325 under the name of Segarajasekeran III. Varothayan's son Marthanda Perumal became the ruler as Pararajasekeran III. He reigned from 1325 to 1348.
When the Pandyan empire in Tamil Nadu - successors to the Chola - in turn collapsed as a result of inroads from the Delhi Sultanate in the early 1300s CE, waves of Tamil immigrants moved to the peninsula. The Yalpana Vaipava Malai documents this in considerable detail.
Gunapushanam succeeded his father and reigned as Segarajasekeran IV from 1348 to 1371. In 1371, Virothayan followed his father and reigned until 1380 as Pararajasekeran IV. From 1380 to 1410, Jeyaveeran, son of Virothayan, reigned as Segarajasekeran V. Virothayan's son Kunaveeran held the throne as Pararajasekeran V from 1410 to 1446.
The Jaffna Kingdom had control over the Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Vanni Districts, Mannar, Pearl rich western Puttalam coast.[citation needed].
Late medieval Sinhalese texts such as the Rajavaliya and the Nikaya Sangrahaya refer to the tax collectors of the Arya Chakravarti in Biyagama in what is today close to the Colombo airport and to naval attacks on Panadura south of Colombo. The Sinhalese turned to Alagakonara, a military genius of Kerala origin, to contain the inroads of the Arya Chakravarti. The tide changed with the Sinhalese temporarily occupying Jaffna under Parakrama Bahu VI in the 1400s CE.
The Tamil Hindu Kingdom of Jaffna had its distinct traditions of jurisprudence referred to as the Tesavalamai which has been documented by Dr. H.W. Tambiah's "The Laws and Customs of the Tamils of Jaffna" reprinted in Colombo in 2000.
[edit] Invasion and Colonization by the West
[edit] Colony of Portugal
Main article: Portuguese Ceylon
After lasting for over 400 years the Dravidian influenced Jaffna Kingdom finally lost its independence to the Portuguese in 1621. The Portuguese captured the King of Jaffna Sangili Kumaran and had took him to Goa in India along with his sons. After trial, the Portuguese found him guilty of treason and hanged him along with his sons. With the Jaffna Kingdom’s demise, the only indigenous independent political entity that was not Sinhalese and Buddhist in character came to an end in the Island. The Portuguese built the Jaffna Fort and the moat around it.
[edit] Colony of the Netherlands
Main article: Dutch Ceylon
The Tamils and the Kandyan Kingdom collaborated and conspired with the Dutch rulers of Batavia( today's Jakarta in Indonesia). The Dutch invasion from Batavia brought religious freedom for Tamils and Muslims.The Dutch and the later colonial English ruler reigned approximately 3 centuries in length with each ruling for approximately 150 years. The Jaffna Tamil has several Portuguese and Dutch words still in usage.
The islands of Palk Straits are renamed during Dutch rule in Dutch as Leiden, Kayts and other cities of the Netherlands. Dutch priest Rev Philippus Baldeus has written a great historical record similar to Mahawamsa on the Jaffna people and their culture and it was immediately published in Dutch and German with several beautiful pictures. Still at the Point Pedro Market Square a granite stone inscription marks the place where Rev Baldeus has preached to the Tamils under a big tamarind tree. This tamarind tree was uprooted during the cyclone of 1963.
[edit] Colony of Great Britain
Main article: British Ceylon
The British started their rule in 1798. Many eductional institutions were established during this period. English language was taught to the locals. The Jaffna Tamils were given higher ranks in government institutions. At this time American missionaries and Anglican missionaries were in close competition with Catholic missionaries and establishing churches and schools in every nook and corner. The Hindu Board of Education in turn established its own network of schools. Several high schools and western education became the hallmark of Jaffna. Jaffna Tamils became loyal subjects of the ever-expanding British Imperialism and took the middle-level positions in public service throughout South East Asian countries of the British Raj (Burma, Malaya, Borneo and Singapore) in the late 1800s/early 1900s.
[edit] Etymology
The general area of Jaffna peninsula boasts a written history dating back to circa 4th century BC. Yakshaganam is a type of music found in India. Yazhpanam may be a similar name for Yakshaganam. Nagapatnam is a city 40 kilometers North across the Palk Straits in India. Mahavamsa is full of references to Yakshas, Nagas and Tamilas as Kings of Lanka at various times.
A prominent port in the area was known as Yapa Patuna in Sinhala and Yaalpaana Pattinam in Tamil since the medieval times. In the local Tamil dialect it currently spelt as Yaalpaanam and some local Tamils believe the term Yaalpaanam is derived from Yaal and Paanam meaning land of the lute player alluding to a myth of a blind lute player receiving the land as a royal grant. Currently in Sinhalese, it is known as Yapanaya. Jaffna may be a latter-day simplification of the names either Yapa Patuna or Yaalpaana Pattinam.
Pattanam means a city on the seacoast. Yal Panam comes from two separate words. Yal is a mutation of Yaka or Yaksha and Panam is a mutation of pattanam. It simply means the City of Yakshas. (Compare the Nagapattanam which is the City of Nagas).
[edit] Demography
Prior to the civil war most residents of Jaffna were Tamil speaking, Sri Lankan Tamils, with a notable Muslim(Moor) and Sinhalese presence. Thus the 1981 Census gives: Tamils 800,000; Moors 14,000; Sinhala 5,000. compared to 20,514 Sinhala speakers in 1971 and none by 1988.
85% of the population of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts were Hindus. The Hindus followed the Saivite tradition. The remainder were largely Roman Catholic or Protestant. The Tamils were divided along caste lines with farmer-caste Vellalar forming the majority. The maritime caste known as the Karaiyar dominated the coast.
[edit] Culture
Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, JaffnaMost Jaffna tamils belong to the Dravidian cultural group and The Pongal, The Hindu New Year in April, Christmas, Deepavali, Navaratri and Shivaratri are some of the religious festivals celebrated. During the colonial period Jaffna people were attracted to western culture and these features can be identified even today in the Jaffna society.
[edit] Arts
The traditional dance of the Sri Lankan Tamils is called Kooththu. These are a variety of stage dramas. Karthavarayan Kooththu, Sangiliyan Kooththu and Poothaththambi Kooththu are some of the famous Kooththus in Jaffna. The Poothaththambi Kooththu has been Staged from the Dutch era. These arts are mainly focused on the historical values of the community and to entertain the people. The villuppattu is one of the famous art of tamils. Oyilaattam is a notable variety of dance in the jaffna peninsula. The South Indian dance and music is also indigenous to Jaffna. Noteworthy here would be Bharata Natyam and Carnatic Music in the classical high tradition of Hinduism.
[edit] Literature
A poet called Eelattu Poothanthevanar is mentioned in the ancient Tamil sangam existed in Madurai. He was most probably from the North of Sri lanka. The Chief Nalliyakodan of Mantai in what is today Mannar sponsored several Sangam era poets in the Tamil land. Kumanan, another chief from Kudiramalai, also sponsored poets. However, the precise identity of Nalliyakodan and Kumanan is under doubt. This is discussed in Mudaliyar C. Rasanayagam's "Ancient Jaffna".
The medieval Tamil court in Jaffna hardly produced any literature of worth except for the rare manuscript on astronomy or ayurveda.
Turning to modern times, Arumuga Navalar was born in Nallur in December 1822. He died in 1879. He helped develop modern Tamil prose and freed the language from what had become the stitled classicism of the past with his freer use of words. He had translated the Bible into Tamil and then researched Hindu doctrine. Navalar had written many Hindu religious books and was an outstanding orator. He was the pioneer of religious reforms in the Jaffna Hindu society. C.W Thamotheram pillai, another native of Jaffna, was one of the first two graduates in the Madras Presidency. He obtained his degree from the University of Madras in 1858 and contributed to Tamil studies. Dr. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy contributed extensively to the study of Indian art in its social context. He was born in 1877.
Mallikai, Sudar, Samar, Siriththiran, Alai and Kathambam were some of the Tamil magazines published in 1970s. Many of them disappeared after the ethnic tension in late 1980s.
The term Pulampeyar Ilakkiyam is the literature of the Tamil speaking people migrated away from their native places. Viduthalai Ilakkiyam is the literature of various Tamil nationalist organizations.
[edit] Economic activities
Sea products, red onion, and tobacco are the main products in Jaffna. Prior to the civil war it was a place of many small scale industries manufacturing household items as well as packaging and food processing for export. Most industrialists have left or closed shops. The present Jaffna economy is facing setbacks because of the unstable connectivity with the south. The prices of goods in Jaffna are relatively very high compared to the south. Currently the primary economic activity is related to trading. The foreign remittance from the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora sustains many people.
Coconut Trees in Jaffna
[edit] Jaffna Harbour
The pending Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project may increase the productivity of the Jaffna Harbour positively. Enlargement of the harbour will bring benefits to Sri Lanka. The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu in India. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour.
[edit] Media
The first newspaper in Jaffna, Uthayatharakai (Morning Star) was published in 1841 by C.W. Thamotharampillai[1]
Today it has number of newspapers including Eelamurasu and Uthayan.
Public Library, Jaffna
[edit] Educational instituitions
Jaffna is considered to be the most literate district in the whole of Sri Lanka[citation needed], which has a very high literacy level to begin with. In early days (before 1970s') Sri Lankan universities were dominated by Jaffna students but currently their enrollment is minimized due to the effects of district based quota system introduced in 1970s as well as the effects of the civil war. However, in 1974 the government opened the University of Jaffna which is de facto reserved for students from the region, while they have a quota based access to the other Sri Lankan universities as well. Peter Percival was a Wesleyan Missionary who started several schools in Jaffna including Jaffna Central College, Hartley College, Vembadi Girls School, and Methodist Girls High School. The first translation of Bible into Tamil was carried out by Fr Peter Percival and Arumuga Navalar.
The Jaffna Hindu College is one of the leading schools in Jaffna. This institution was established by a Hindu asscociation in 1890. The Hindu Board of Education had established a network of grant-in-aid schools. Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan established Ramanathan College for Girls and Parameshwarar College for Boys.
Founded by American missionaries in 1819, Jaffna College, has records of Malaysian, Singaporean, South Indian and even Japanese students enrollment in 1930s and 1940s. American missionaries also founded many other institutions of higher learning that are still functioning today. Today most students are locals.
[edit] Ethnic conflict
Main articles: Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, State terrorism in Sri Lanka, and Human Rights in Sri Lanka
Due to the current civil war, the city has witnessed wholesale massacres, disappearances of the civilian population and a deterioration in the human rights situation. Currently it is occupied by the Sri Lankan Army; prior to 1995 it was under control of the LTTE. Due to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, many residents had moved out of the city, and thus the population has been reduced dramatically. According to the 2001 census, the population of the municipality is about 145,600 [citation needed]. The population of the district is currently estimated by the district administration at 600,000. Jaffna also functions as the economic and cultural capital of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Jaffna was once a 'stronghold' of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a political and military organization seeking the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam for Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka. However, it is now under the control of the government of Sri Lanka.
The Jaffna Public library was burnt down by a Singhalese mob in June 1981, when ethnic tensions in the country were building steadily towards war. It was renovated in 2003 by the government of Sri Lanka. [2]
[edit] Mass exodus and ethnic cleansing
Main articles: Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora and Expulsion of Muslims from Jaffna
Many of the Tamils from this region have moved out to other parts of the island or to foreign countries. This exodus of Tamils from Jaffna has occurred for a number of reasons.
The entire Muslim and Sinhalese population of Jaffna was forced to leave within 48 hours in 1990 due to an ethnic cleansing order by the LTTE allegedly to avenge the ethnic cleansing of Tamils in the East. There have been claims of human rights violations on both sides. Due to Jaffna becoming a constant battleground between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE, many people have been displaced. The tense security situation over the years of the ceasefire has left Jaffna in a precarious position as it is likely to be a key target should the conflict renew in the future.
[edit] Christian missionary activity
Main article: Jaffna Roman Catholic diocese
Jaffna also has played an important role in the Roman Catholic religious administration of Sri Lanka. It also plays an important role in the administration of the Church of South India in Sri Lanka, a group of Protestant denominations. Some notable missionaries are
Eliza Agnew, Presbyterian missionary from New York City[1]
Kandy , World Heritage Site , Sri Lanka
Kandy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •Jump to: navigation, search
Coordinates: 7°17′49.06″N 80°38′18.43″E / 7.2969611, 80.6384528
For other uses, see Kandy (disambiguation).
Sacred City of Kandy*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Party Sri Lanka
Type Cultural
Criteria iv, vi
Reference 450
Region† Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Inscription 1988 (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.
Kandy (මහ නුවර mahā nuvara in Sinhala, கண்டி kaṇṭi in Tamil) is the English name for the city of Maha Nuvara (Senkadagalapura) in the centre of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of the Central Province and Kandy District. It lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy Valley which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea.
Contents [hide]
1 Quick Facts
2 History
3 Urban morphology
4 Demographics
5 World Heritage Site
6 Festivals
7 Sport
8 Shopping
9 Culinary
10 Nightlife
11 Botanical garden
12 Maps
13 See also
14 External links
[edit] Quick Facts
Historical Function: Administrative and religious.
Administrative Status: Capital of the Central Province (which encompasses the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya) and also of the administrative district of Kandy.
Foundation: 14th century.
Population : 110,049 (2001 census).
One of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka.
The name Kandy is derived from the Sinhalese kaⁿda uḍa pas raṭa, literally "the five districts on the mountain". The Portuguese shortened this to "Candea", using the name for both the kingdom and its capital Senkadagalapura.
In Sinhala, Kandy is called Maha Nuvara [ maha nuʋərə ] , meaning "Great City" or "Capital", although this is most often shortened to only Nuvara [ nuʋərə ].
The Kandy Sky Line
[edit] History
Historical records suggest that Kandy was first established by the King Wickramabahu (1357-1374 CE) near the Watapuluwa area, north of the present city, and named Senkadagalapura at the time, although some scholars suggest the name Katubulu Nuwara may also have been used. The origin of the more popular name for the city, Senkadagala, could have been from a number of sources. These include naming after a brahmin named Senkanda who lived in a cave near the city, after a queen of King Wickramabahu named Senkanda or after a colored stone named Senkadagala. The present name Kandy, an anglicized version of Kanda Uda Rata ("the land of mountains") originated in the colonial era.
In 1592 Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka after the coastal regions had been conquered by the Portuguese. Invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch (16th, 17th and 18th century) and also by the British (most notably in 1803) were repelled. The last ruling dynasty of Kandy were the Nayaks of Kandy. Kandy preserved its independence until it finally fell to the British in 1815. The British deposed the king, Sri Wikrama Rajasingha, and all claimants to the throne, thus ending the last traditional monarchy of Sri Lanka, and replaced it with their monarchy.
View of the lake from Rajapihilla Mawatha, on the right the golden roof of the Temple of the Tooth, top left a Toque MacaqueAs the capital, Kandy had become home to the relic of the tooth of the Buddha which symbolises a 4th-century tradition that used to be linked to royalty since the protector of the relic was seen fit to rule the land. Thus, the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth were associated with the administrative and religious functions of the capital city. Even after its conquest by the British, Kandy has preserved its function as the religious capital of the Sinhalese and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, namely those belonging to the Theravada school.
Portuguese invasions in the 16th century and 17th century were entirely unsuccessful. The kingdom tolerated a Dutch presence on the coast until 1761, when Kirti Sri attacked and overran most of the coast, leaving only the heavily fortified Negombo intact. When a Dutch retaliatory force returned to the island in 1763, Sri abandoned the coastline and withdrew into the interior. When the Dutch continued to the jungles the next year, they were constantly harassed by disease, heat, lack of provisions, and Kandyan sharpshooters, who hid in the jungle and inflicted heavy losses on the Dutch. The Dutch launched a better adapted force in January of 1765, replacing their troops' bayonets with machetes and using more practical uniforms and tactics suited to speedy movement. They were initially successful, capturing the capital, but they took a deserted city, and the Kandyans withdrew to the jungles once more, refusing to engage in open battle. The Dutch, worn down by constant attrition, came to terms in 1766.
See also History of Sri Lanka
[edit] Urban morphology
The city of Kandy lies at an altitude of about 500 m above sea level. Its plan developed around two open spaces: an elongated square at the end of which are the administration buildings of the old capital, and an artificial lake that is quadrangular in form. A public garden adds to the openness of the city's spatial organisation.
On the north shore of the lake, which is enclosed by a parapet of white stone dating to the beginning of the 19th century, are the city's official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth, known as the Dalada Maligawa (daḷadā māligāva). Reconstructed in the 18th century, the Dalanda Maligawa is built on a base of granite that was inspired by the temples of Sri Lanka's former capital city, Anuradhapura. An array of materials (limestone, marble, sculpted wood, ivory, etc.) contribute to the richness of this temple. Throughout this small holy city, a number of recent Buddhist monasteries can be found.
Kandy has now grown out to encompass Peradeniya, home to the University of Peradeniya and the Botanical Gardens, Katugastota to the north, and east to Kundasale, Tennekumbura and Gurudeniya.
[edit] Demographics
Kandy is a Sinhala majority city; there are sizeable communities belonging to other ethnic groups, such as Moors and Tamils.
Ethnicity Population % Of Total
Sinhala 77,560 70.48
Sri Lankan Moors 15,326 13.93
Sri Lankan Tamils 9,427 8.57
Indian Tamils 5,245 4.77
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 2,489 2.26
Total 110,049 100
Source: [1]
[edit] World Heritage Site
The tooth sanctuaryThe monumental ensemble of Kandy is an example of construction that associates the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth (palace of the tooth relic). It was one of a series of temples built in the places where the relic, the actual palladium of the Sinhalese monarchy, was brought following the various relocations of the capital city.
The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a cult which continues to be practiced today.
Inside the Temple of the Tooth
[edit] Festivals
Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera (ˈɶsələ ˌperəˌhɶrə) in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. This casket is taken on a tusker of royal caste. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames (lay custodians of temples ) wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephant. This ceremony which is annually held in the months of July or August, attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and also many foreign tourists.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •Jump to: navigation, search
Coordinates: 7°17′49.06″N 80°38′18.43″E / 7.2969611, 80.6384528
For other uses, see Kandy (disambiguation).
Sacred City of Kandy*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Party Sri Lanka
Type Cultural
Criteria iv, vi
Reference 450
Region† Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Inscription 1988 (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.
Kandy (මහ නුවර mahā nuvara in Sinhala, கண்டி kaṇṭi in Tamil) is the English name for the city of Maha Nuvara (Senkadagalapura) in the centre of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of the Central Province and Kandy District. It lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy Valley which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea.
Contents [hide]
1 Quick Facts
2 History
3 Urban morphology
4 Demographics
5 World Heritage Site
6 Festivals
7 Sport
8 Shopping
9 Culinary
10 Nightlife
11 Botanical garden
12 Maps
13 See also
14 External links
[edit] Quick Facts
Historical Function: Administrative and religious.
Administrative Status: Capital of the Central Province (which encompasses the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya) and also of the administrative district of Kandy.
Foundation: 14th century.
Population : 110,049 (2001 census).
One of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka.
The name Kandy is derived from the Sinhalese kaⁿda uḍa pas raṭa, literally "the five districts on the mountain". The Portuguese shortened this to "Candea", using the name for both the kingdom and its capital Senkadagalapura.
In Sinhala, Kandy is called Maha Nuvara [ maha nuʋərə ] , meaning "Great City" or "Capital", although this is most often shortened to only Nuvara [ nuʋərə ].
The Kandy Sky Line
[edit] History
Historical records suggest that Kandy was first established by the King Wickramabahu (1357-1374 CE) near the Watapuluwa area, north of the present city, and named Senkadagalapura at the time, although some scholars suggest the name Katubulu Nuwara may also have been used. The origin of the more popular name for the city, Senkadagala, could have been from a number of sources. These include naming after a brahmin named Senkanda who lived in a cave near the city, after a queen of King Wickramabahu named Senkanda or after a colored stone named Senkadagala. The present name Kandy, an anglicized version of Kanda Uda Rata ("the land of mountains") originated in the colonial era.
In 1592 Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka after the coastal regions had been conquered by the Portuguese. Invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch (16th, 17th and 18th century) and also by the British (most notably in 1803) were repelled. The last ruling dynasty of Kandy were the Nayaks of Kandy. Kandy preserved its independence until it finally fell to the British in 1815. The British deposed the king, Sri Wikrama Rajasingha, and all claimants to the throne, thus ending the last traditional monarchy of Sri Lanka, and replaced it with their monarchy.
View of the lake from Rajapihilla Mawatha, on the right the golden roof of the Temple of the Tooth, top left a Toque MacaqueAs the capital, Kandy had become home to the relic of the tooth of the Buddha which symbolises a 4th-century tradition that used to be linked to royalty since the protector of the relic was seen fit to rule the land. Thus, the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth were associated with the administrative and religious functions of the capital city. Even after its conquest by the British, Kandy has preserved its function as the religious capital of the Sinhalese and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, namely those belonging to the Theravada school.
Portuguese invasions in the 16th century and 17th century were entirely unsuccessful. The kingdom tolerated a Dutch presence on the coast until 1761, when Kirti Sri attacked and overran most of the coast, leaving only the heavily fortified Negombo intact. When a Dutch retaliatory force returned to the island in 1763, Sri abandoned the coastline and withdrew into the interior. When the Dutch continued to the jungles the next year, they were constantly harassed by disease, heat, lack of provisions, and Kandyan sharpshooters, who hid in the jungle and inflicted heavy losses on the Dutch. The Dutch launched a better adapted force in January of 1765, replacing their troops' bayonets with machetes and using more practical uniforms and tactics suited to speedy movement. They were initially successful, capturing the capital, but they took a deserted city, and the Kandyans withdrew to the jungles once more, refusing to engage in open battle. The Dutch, worn down by constant attrition, came to terms in 1766.
See also History of Sri Lanka
[edit] Urban morphology
The city of Kandy lies at an altitude of about 500 m above sea level. Its plan developed around two open spaces: an elongated square at the end of which are the administration buildings of the old capital, and an artificial lake that is quadrangular in form. A public garden adds to the openness of the city's spatial organisation.
On the north shore of the lake, which is enclosed by a parapet of white stone dating to the beginning of the 19th century, are the city's official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth, known as the Dalada Maligawa (daḷadā māligāva). Reconstructed in the 18th century, the Dalanda Maligawa is built on a base of granite that was inspired by the temples of Sri Lanka's former capital city, Anuradhapura. An array of materials (limestone, marble, sculpted wood, ivory, etc.) contribute to the richness of this temple. Throughout this small holy city, a number of recent Buddhist monasteries can be found.
Kandy has now grown out to encompass Peradeniya, home to the University of Peradeniya and the Botanical Gardens, Katugastota to the north, and east to Kundasale, Tennekumbura and Gurudeniya.
[edit] Demographics
Kandy is a Sinhala majority city; there are sizeable communities belonging to other ethnic groups, such as Moors and Tamils.
Ethnicity Population % Of Total
Sinhala 77,560 70.48
Sri Lankan Moors 15,326 13.93
Sri Lankan Tamils 9,427 8.57
Indian Tamils 5,245 4.77
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 2,489 2.26
Total 110,049 100
Source: [1]
[edit] World Heritage Site
The tooth sanctuaryThe monumental ensemble of Kandy is an example of construction that associates the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth (palace of the tooth relic). It was one of a series of temples built in the places where the relic, the actual palladium of the Sinhalese monarchy, was brought following the various relocations of the capital city.
The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a cult which continues to be practiced today.
Inside the Temple of the Tooth
[edit] Festivals
Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera (ˈɶsələ ˌperəˌhɶrə) in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. This casket is taken on a tusker of royal caste. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames (lay custodians of temples ) wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephant. This ceremony which is annually held in the months of July or August, attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and also many foreign tourists.
Galle ,World Heritage Site , Sri Lanka
Galle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Interested in contributing to Wikipedia? •Jump to: navigation, search
For the astronomer, see Johann Gottfried Galle.
For the French artist, see Émile Gallé.
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Party Sri Lanka
Type Cultural
Criteria iv
Reference 451
Region† Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Inscription 1988 (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.
Galle (ගාල්ල in Sinhala; காலி in Tamil) (pronounced as one syllable in English, IPA: /gɔːl/, rhyming with "Gaul", and in Sinhalese, IPA: [gaːlːə]) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British, who developed the harbor at Colombo.
Galle lies in Galle District.
On 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Boxing Day Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone.
Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests and one of the main Shiva temples on the island.
Galle is the main town in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100,000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. It is home to a cricket ground, the Galle International Stadium, where test matches are played.
Rumassala Kanda is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the Ramayana.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Demographics
3 Universities
4 Schools
5 Twin cities
6 Maps
7 See also
8 External links
[edit] History
Sri Lanka with GalleAccording to James Emerson Tennent, Galle was the ancient seaport of Tarshish, from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks and other valuables. Certainly, cinnamon was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is Hebrew, so Galle may have been the main entrepot for the spice.
View of the city from the sea sideGalle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country. Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays and Indians were doing business through Galle port. The "modern" history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship, under Lourenço de Almeida was driven there by a storm. However, the people of the city refused to let the Portuguese enter it, so the Portuguese took it by force.
In 1640, the Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built the present Fort in the year 1663. They built a fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, known as "sun", "moon" and "star".
Mosque
Galle backstreetAfter the British took over the country of France from the Dutch in the year 1796, they preserved the Fort unchanged, and used it as the administrative centre of Galle.
[edit] Demographics
Galle is sizeable town, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 90,934, the majority of whom are of Sinhalese ethnicity; there is a large Sri Lankan Moor minority who are descendants of the Arab traders that established the ancient port of Galle.
Ethnicity Population % Of Total
Sinhalese 66,114 72.71
Sri Lankan Tamils 989 1.09
Indian Tamils 255 0.28
Sri Lankan Moors 23,234 25.56
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 342 0.38
Total 90,934 100
Source: 2001 Census
[edit] Universities
Two main faculties of University of Ruhuna are located in Galle. Faculty of Engineering is located at Hapugala about 5 km from the city center. The faculty of Medicine is located at Karapitiya near the Karapitiya Hospital.
Faculty Of Engineering visit
Faculty of Medicine visit
Faculty of engineering, Galle
[edit] Schools
Malharus Sulhiya National School (Tamil & Sinhala Medium)
Muslim Ladis College (Tamil & Sinhala Medium)
Richmond College (established in 1876)Richmond College Website
Vidayaloka College
Mahinda College (established in 1892)Mahinda College Website
St.Aloysious College (established in 1895)
Southlands College (Southland Balika)
Sacred Heart Convent
Sangamitta College
Rippon College
Nagoda National Royal College
All Saints College (established in 1867)
Siridamma College
Christ Church Girls' College(established in 1888)
Olcot Mix College
G/Battemulla Maha Vidyalaya,Imaduwa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Interested in contributing to Wikipedia? •Jump to: navigation, search
For the astronomer, see Johann Gottfried Galle.
For the French artist, see Émile Gallé.
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Party Sri Lanka
Type Cultural
Criteria iv
Reference 451
Region† Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Inscription 1988 (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.
Galle (ගාල්ල in Sinhala; காலி in Tamil) (pronounced as one syllable in English, IPA: /gɔːl/, rhyming with "Gaul", and in Sinhalese, IPA: [gaːlːə]) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British, who developed the harbor at Colombo.
Galle lies in Galle District.
On 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Boxing Day Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone.
Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests and one of the main Shiva temples on the island.
Galle is the main town in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100,000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. It is home to a cricket ground, the Galle International Stadium, where test matches are played.
Rumassala Kanda is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the Ramayana.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Demographics
3 Universities
4 Schools
5 Twin cities
6 Maps
7 See also
8 External links
[edit] History
Sri Lanka with GalleAccording to James Emerson Tennent, Galle was the ancient seaport of Tarshish, from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks and other valuables. Certainly, cinnamon was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is Hebrew, so Galle may have been the main entrepot for the spice.
View of the city from the sea sideGalle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country. Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays and Indians were doing business through Galle port. The "modern" history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship, under Lourenço de Almeida was driven there by a storm. However, the people of the city refused to let the Portuguese enter it, so the Portuguese took it by force.
In 1640, the Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built the present Fort in the year 1663. They built a fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, known as "sun", "moon" and "star".
Mosque
Galle backstreetAfter the British took over the country of France from the Dutch in the year 1796, they preserved the Fort unchanged, and used it as the administrative centre of Galle.
[edit] Demographics
Galle is sizeable town, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 90,934, the majority of whom are of Sinhalese ethnicity; there is a large Sri Lankan Moor minority who are descendants of the Arab traders that established the ancient port of Galle.
Ethnicity Population % Of Total
Sinhalese 66,114 72.71
Sri Lankan Tamils 989 1.09
Indian Tamils 255 0.28
Sri Lankan Moors 23,234 25.56
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 342 0.38
Total 90,934 100
Source: 2001 Census
[edit] Universities
Two main faculties of University of Ruhuna are located in Galle. Faculty of Engineering is located at Hapugala about 5 km from the city center. The faculty of Medicine is located at Karapitiya near the Karapitiya Hospital.
Faculty Of Engineering visit
Faculty of Medicine visit
Faculty of engineering, Galle
[edit] Schools
Malharus Sulhiya National School (Tamil & Sinhala Medium)
Muslim Ladis College (Tamil & Sinhala Medium)
Richmond College (established in 1876)Richmond College Website
Vidayaloka College
Mahinda College (established in 1892)Mahinda College Website
St.Aloysious College (established in 1895)
Southlands College (Southland Balika)
Sacred Heart Convent
Sangamitta College
Rippon College
Nagoda National Royal College
All Saints College (established in 1867)
Siridamma College
Christ Church Girls' College(established in 1888)
Olcot Mix College
G/Battemulla Maha Vidyalaya,Imaduwa
Colombo , Sri Lanka
Colombo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Colombo (disambiguation).
Colombo
The skyline of the Fort area. The twin towers of the World Trade Center building are in the background, with the Bank of Ceylon tower to their left and the Presidential Secretariat in the foreground
Seal
Map of Colombo with its administrative districts
Coordinates: 6°54′0″N 79°50′0″E / 6.9, 79.83333
District Colombo District
Government
- Mayor Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas (Sri Lanka Freedom Party)
Area
- City 37.31 km² (14.4 sq mi)
Population (2001[1])
- City 642,163
- Density 17,211/km² (44,576.3/sq mi)
Time zone Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30)
Website: http://www.cmc.lk/
Colombo (Sinhala: , IPA: [ˈkoləᵐbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு) is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial ruins[2] and a city population of over 600,000 people.[1]
The name Colombo, first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".[3] It has also been suggested that the name may be derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "harbor with leafy mango trees".[4]
Due to its large natural harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders since more than 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,[5] and its status as capital was retained when the nation received independence in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.
Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other Municipal and Urban Councils. The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.[4] Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park as well as the National Museum.
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The Portuguese Era
1.2 The Dutch Era
1.3 The British era
1.4 Post Independence
2 Geography and climate
3 Demographics
4 Government and politics
4.1 Official Vision and mission
5 Economy
6 Education
7 Infrastructure
7.1 Landmarks
8 Public transportation
9 Culture
9.1 Annual cultural events and fairs
9.2 Performing arts
9.3 Museums and art collections
9.4 Sports
9.5 Media
9.6 Fashion
10 Notes & References
11 See also
12 External links
[edit] History
As Colombo possesses a natural harbor, it was known to Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Traveler Ibn Batuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu.[6] Arabian Muslims whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century CE mostly because the port helped their business and controlled much of the trade between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. They now comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community. [5][7]
[edit] The Portuguese Era
Portuguese explorers led by Don Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. During their initial visit they made a treaty with the King of Kotte Parakramabahu VIII (1484-1508) enabling them to trade in the islands' crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo.[8] As part of the treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coast line in exchange for the promise of guarding the coast against invaders. They were also allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo.[8] Within a short time, however, they then expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort there in 1517.
Colombo's colonial heritage is visible throughout the city, as in the historical Wolvendhal church, established by the Dutch in 1749The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for protection of their coastal establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte Kingdom in order to gain control of the area. After skilfully exploiting rivalries within the Royal Family, they took control of a large area of the Kingdom and the Sinhalese King Mayadunne established a new Kingdom at Sitavaka, a domain in the Kotte kingdom.[8] Before long he annexed much of the Kotte kingdom and forced the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo, which was repeatedly besieged by Mayadunne and the later Kings of Sitawaka, forcing them to seek reinforcement from their major base in Goa, India. However, following the fall of the Kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the entire coastal area, with Colombo as their capital.[8][9]
This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The area immediately outside Fort is known as Pettah (Sinhala piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.
[edit] The Dutch Era
In 1638 the Dutch signed a treaty with King Rajasinha II of Kandy which assured the king assistance in his war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the island's major trade goods. The Portuguese resisted the Dutch and the Kandyans, but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning in 1639.[10] They captured Colombo in 1656 after an epic siege, at the end of which a mere 93 Portuguese survivors were given safe conduct out of the fort. Although the Dutch initially restored the captured area back to the Sinhalese Kings, they later refused to turn them over and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796.[10][11]
[edit] The British era
Although the British captured Colombo in 1796, it remained a British military outpost until the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to them in 1815 and they made Colombo the capital of their newly created crown colony of Ceylon. Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch before them, whose primary use of Colombo was as a military fort, the British began constructing houses and other civilian structures around the fort, giving rise to the current City of Colombo.[5]
Many historical building are still in use, including the Old Parliament Building, which is now the Presidential SecretariatInitially, they placed the administration of the city under a "Collector", and John Macdowell of the Madras Service was the first to hold the office. Then, in 1833, the Government Agent of the Western Province was charged with the administration of the city. Centuries of colonial rule had meant a decline of indigenous administration of Colombo, and in 1865 the British conceived a Municipal Council as a means of training the local population in self-governance. The Legislative Council of Ceylon constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and the Council met for the first time on the January 16, 1866. At the time, the population of the region was around 80,000.[5]
During the time they were in control of the Colombo, the British were responsible for much of the planning of the present city. In some parts of the city tram car tracks and granite flooring laid during the era are still visible today.[12][13]
[edit] Post Independence
This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained independence from Britain.[14] Due to the tremendous impact this caused on the city's inhabitants and on the country as a whole, the changes that resulted at the end of the colonial period were drastic. An entire new culture took root. Changes in laws and customs, clothing styles, religions and proper names were a significant result of the colonial era.[14] These cultural changes were followed by the strengthening of the island's economy. Even today, the influence of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly visible in Colombo’s architecture, names, clothing, food, language and attitudes. Buildings from all three eras stand in their glory as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together with local customs.[14] Colombo is by far more modern than most cities in neighboring countries and continues to be a blossoming metropolis of the East.
Historically, Colombo referred to the area around the Fort and Pettah Market which is famous for the variety of products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. At present, it refers to the city limits of the Colombo Municipal Council. More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo, which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo.
Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s, it continues to be the island's commercial center. Despite the official capital of Sri Lanka moving to the adjacent Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, most countries still maintain their diplomatic missions in Colombo.[15]
[edit] Geography and climate
The Viharamahadevi Park, shown with its famous Buddha statue and fountains and with the Colombo town hall in view, is an example of the abundance of greenery in ColomboColombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the 65 hectare Beira Lake.[16] The lake is one of the most unique landmarks of Colombo, and was used for centuries by colonists to defend the city.[16] It remains a popular attraction, hosting regattas,[17] and theatrical events on its shores. The Northern and North-Eastern border of the city of Colombo is formed by the Kelani River, which meets the sea in a part of the city known as the Modera (mōdara in Sinhala) which means river delta.
Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) maximum.[18] The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January. This is the time of year where heavy rains can be expected. Colombo sees little relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where minimum temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,400 mm a year.[19]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Avg Temp °C
(°F) 27
(81) 27
(82) 28
(83) 28
(84) 28
(84) 28
(83) 28
(83) 28
(83) 28
(83) 27
(82) 27
(81) 27
(81) 27
(82)
Precipitation cm 8 6 11 25 33 19 12 9 15 35 30 15 223
[edit] Demographics
The Seema Malakaya Temple in the Beira Lake in the Slave Island area, is one of many religious structures in Colombo
The Beira Lake, the Seema Malakaya temple and the gallery island can be seen in lake
Gallery Island, in middle of Beira lakeColombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. The population of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups, mainly Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Moors and Tamils. There are also small communities of people with Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay and Indian origins living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. Colombo is the most populated city in Sri Lanka, with 642,163 people living within the city limits.[20] According to the census of 2001 the demographics of urban Colombo by ethnicity is as follows.[20]
No Ethnicity Population % Of Total
1 Sinhalese 265,657 41.36
2 Sri Lankan Tamils 185,672 28.91
3 Sri Lankan Moors 153,299 23.87
4 Indian Tamils 13,968 2.17
5 Malays 11,149 1.73
6 Burghers 5,273 0.82
7 Sri Lankan Chetty 740 0.11
8 Bharatha 471 0.07
9 Other 5,934 0.96
10 Total 642,163 100
[edit] Government and politics
The Colombo City Town Hall in Cinnamon Gardens houses the mayor's office and most other municipal officesColombo is a charter city, with a Mayor Council form of government. Colombo's mayor and the council members are elected through local government elections held once in five years. For the past 50 years the city had been ruled by the United National Party (UNP), a right leaning party, whose business friendly policies resonate with the population of Colombo. However the UNP nomination list for the 2006 Municipal elections was rejected,[21] and an Independent Group supported by the UNP won the elections.[22] Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed Mayor of Colombo.[23]
The city government provides sewer, road management and waste management services, in case of water, electricity and telephone utility services the council liaises with the water supply and drainage board, the Ceylon electricity board and telephone service providers.
As with most Sri Lankan cities, the magistrate court and the district court handles felony crimes — the Municipal Council deals with parking tickets, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors. Colombo houses the country's largest jail, known as the Magazine Prison, in the Welikada area of Colombo.[24] And headquarters of the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and many other administrative offices including the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka[25] and virtually all government ministries[26]are housed in Colombo. The law enforcement agencies also liaise with the municipal council but are managed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice of the central government.[27]
The uniquely stylized building of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is located in Colombo
[edit] Official Vision and mission
Vision
Colombo being a model city in Asia, a caring organization looking after interests of citizens and users with an efficient quality service for creation of safe, healthy and wealthy life.[28]
Mission
Organization achieving excellence in providing citizen centered services to the public / customer, optimizing the use of available resources through a competent, motivated and dedicated team.[28]
[edit] Economy
Colombo is the hub of Sri Lanka's economic activity, with many major events taking place around the Galle Face GreenThe great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices in Colombo. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewelry. In the city center is located South Asia's second tallest building - The World Trade Center. The 40 story Twin Tower complex is the centre of important commercial establishments, situated in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Right outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhalese word pita which means out or outside as it is outside the Fort.
Pettah is more crowded than the fort area. It's a place you can buy almost anything you want, Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling from delicious Sharbat to Shirts. Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which are literally known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. For example the first cross street mostly comprises electronic goods shops, the second cellular phones and fancy goods. Most of these businesses in Pettah are dominated by Muslim traders. At the end of the main street further away from Fort is the Sea Street, Sri Lanka's Gold market. This mile-long street is full of jewelery shops.
The Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) encompasses the country's administrative capital Kotte and Colombo. Found within the borders of the CMR is 80% of the country’s industrialization and over 60% of all vehicles plying Sri Lankan roads.
[edit] Education
A number of leading educational institutions are located around Colombo, including the main campus of the SLIITColombo is home to some of the island's top schools and universities. Education in Sri Lanka is free and 13 years of schooling is compulsory for all children. Royal College, one of the oldest educational institutions of Sri Lanka, Ananda College, with the largest Buddhist student population, Zahira College, with the largest Muslim student population in Sri Lanka, and Colombo Hindu College, with the largest Hindu student population and Visakha VIdyalaya, a Buddhist school for girls, are among the leading secondary schools located in Colombo. Most schools in the city are managed by the provincial council, while the prominent schools that fall under the national schools scheme are managed by the central government.
The University of Colombo, the only state university in the city, has courses in many disciplines such as Arts, Science, Medicine, Law, Management and Computer Science. The university's school of computing is famous for its contributions to the Apache web server software project. The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology also has a metropolitan campus in the center of the city, along with a number of other information technology higher education institutions.
[edit] Infrastructure
The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in the Pettah area, one of the oldest mosques in ColomboColombo has most of the amneties that a modern city has. Majority of the major shopping malls in Sri Lanka are located in the city. And all of them are wi-fi enabled. In recent times there's been an outpour of high rise condominiums in the city, mainly due to the very high land prices.
Basically all the foreign missions such as embassies, high commissions and head offices of NGO’s and organizations like United Nations are situated in the city limits. The infrastructure facilities for the foreign people who lived there also provided by the government and some private institutions.
[edit] Landmarks
The two World Trade Center towers have become the most recognized landmarks of the city in recent years. Before these towers were completed in 1997, the adjacent Bank of Ceylon tower was the tallest structure and the most prominent landmark of the city. Before the skyscrapers were built it was the Old Parliament Building that stood majestically in the Fort district.
Even before the parliament was built some claim that the Jami Ul Alfar mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port. The mosque is still one of the most visited tourist sites in Colombo.
The Fort district also has the famous Cargills & Millers complex that is protected by a special government law from demolition. This is done mainly to preserve the historic beauty of the Fort area.
The Galle Face Green is the city's largest and most elegant promenade. Lined with palm trees and adjacent to the coast, this mile-long stretch in the heart of the city is a constant beehive of activity. The green is especially busy on Fridays and Saturdays. In the evenings it plays host to families and children playing sports and flying kites, lovers embracing under umbrellas and health enthusiasts taking their daily evening walks. There are numerous small food stalls and a small stretch of beach to get wet. The green was recently given a make over and since then has been even more popular with the local community. The Green also frequently hosts numerous international and local concerts and performances, such as the recently concluded World Drum Festival.
Cannons used during wartime in the colonial era are still laid out for observance and prestige at the Green, giving a colonial touch to the city. The famous colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia's Emerald on the Green since 1864, is also adjacent to Galle Face Green. The Hotel has played host to distinguished guests including the British Royal Family and other Royal Guests and Celebrities. Apparently after having stayed at the hotel, Princess Alexandra of Denmark had commented that "the peacefulness and generosity encountered at the Galle Face Hotel cannot be matched".[29] Around the corner from Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques.
[edit] Public transportation
Colombo's public transportation consists of buses, trains, auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers" in Sri Lanka) and taxicabs. The bus service is operated both by private and government sectors. Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered. Trains are also largely used and is the cheapest form of transport - although often overcrowded with a limited network.
Construction of the Colombo Metro Rail, a Mass Rapid Transit railway system, similar to that of other advanced Asian cities has begun, this is to control the excessive traffic in the city. The project is carried out by NEB Rapid an Indian and Singaporean collaboration.[30] [31]
[edit] Culture
[edit] Annual cultural events and fairs
Vesak Lanterns, A type of pooja (offering) known as Aloka pooja (offering of light). Followed by the buddhistsColombo's most beautiful festival is the celebration of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death all falling on the same day.[32]In Sinhala this is known as Vesak. [32] During this festival, much of the city is decorated with lanterns, lights and special displays of light(known as Thoran). The festival falls in mid May and lasts a week when many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the lantern competitions and decorations. During this week people distribute, rice, drinks and various other food items for free in places what is known as Dunsal which means charity place. These Dunsals are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.
Christmas is another major festival in the city. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up only just over 7% of the population, Christmas is one of the island's biggest festivals. Most streets and commercial buildings light up from the beginning of December and festive sales begin at all shopping centres and department stores. Caroling and nativity plays are also frequent sights during the season.
[edit] Performing arts
Colombo has several performing arts centers which are popular for their musical and theatrical performances. The most famous performing arts centers are the Lionel Wendt Theater, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall, all of which have a very rich history.
[edit] Museums and art collections
The National Museum of Colombo, was established on 1st of January ,1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor Sir William Henry Gregory is situated in Cinnamon Gardens area.[33]The museum houses the jewelery and throne of the last king of the country, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.[33] He was captured and executed by the English in 1815. Colombo does not boast a very big art gallery. There is only a small collection of Sri Lankan masterpieces at the Art Gallery in Green Path.
The Murugan Hindu temple in slave island district
[edit] Sports
Undoubtedly the most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket. The country emerged as champions of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and became runners up in 2007. The sport is played in parks, playgrounds, beaches and even in the streets of the city. Colombo is also the home for two of the country's international cricket stadiums, Sinhalese Sports Club's cricket stadium and R. Premadasa Stadium (named after late president Premadasa). Rugby is also a popular sport at the club and school level. Colombo has the distinction of being the only city in the world to have 4 cricket Test venues in the past: P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Cricket Club Ground and Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium. The Sugathadasa Stadium situated in the city, is an international standard stadium for athletics, swimming and football, also held the South Asian Games in 1991 and 2006.
[edit] Media
Almost all major media businesses in Sri Lanka operate from Colombo. The state media has its offices in Bullers Road. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, formerly known as Radio Ceylon, is also situated in Colombo. The SLBC is the oldest radio station in South Asia.
[edit] Fashion
The city is a popular fashion center in South East Asia today. The industry has evolved to meet modern standards and conducts regular shows to showcase local talent.[34]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Colombo (disambiguation).
Colombo
The skyline of the Fort area. The twin towers of the World Trade Center building are in the background, with the Bank of Ceylon tower to their left and the Presidential Secretariat in the foreground
Seal
Map of Colombo with its administrative districts
Coordinates: 6°54′0″N 79°50′0″E / 6.9, 79.83333
District Colombo District
Government
- Mayor Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas (Sri Lanka Freedom Party)
Area
- City 37.31 km² (14.4 sq mi)
Population (2001[1])
- City 642,163
- Density 17,211/km² (44,576.3/sq mi)
Time zone Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30)
Website: http://www.cmc.lk/
Colombo (Sinhala: , IPA: [ˈkoləᵐbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு) is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial ruins[2] and a city population of over 600,000 people.[1]
The name Colombo, first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".[3] It has also been suggested that the name may be derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "harbor with leafy mango trees".[4]
Due to its large natural harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders since more than 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,[5] and its status as capital was retained when the nation received independence in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.
Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other Municipal and Urban Councils. The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.[4] Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park as well as the National Museum.
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The Portuguese Era
1.2 The Dutch Era
1.3 The British era
1.4 Post Independence
2 Geography and climate
3 Demographics
4 Government and politics
4.1 Official Vision and mission
5 Economy
6 Education
7 Infrastructure
7.1 Landmarks
8 Public transportation
9 Culture
9.1 Annual cultural events and fairs
9.2 Performing arts
9.3 Museums and art collections
9.4 Sports
9.5 Media
9.6 Fashion
10 Notes & References
11 See also
12 External links
[edit] History
As Colombo possesses a natural harbor, it was known to Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Traveler Ibn Batuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu.[6] Arabian Muslims whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century CE mostly because the port helped their business and controlled much of the trade between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. They now comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community. [5][7]
[edit] The Portuguese Era
Portuguese explorers led by Don Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. During their initial visit they made a treaty with the King of Kotte Parakramabahu VIII (1484-1508) enabling them to trade in the islands' crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo.[8] As part of the treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coast line in exchange for the promise of guarding the coast against invaders. They were also allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo.[8] Within a short time, however, they then expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort there in 1517.
Colombo's colonial heritage is visible throughout the city, as in the historical Wolvendhal church, established by the Dutch in 1749The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for protection of their coastal establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte Kingdom in order to gain control of the area. After skilfully exploiting rivalries within the Royal Family, they took control of a large area of the Kingdom and the Sinhalese King Mayadunne established a new Kingdom at Sitavaka, a domain in the Kotte kingdom.[8] Before long he annexed much of the Kotte kingdom and forced the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo, which was repeatedly besieged by Mayadunne and the later Kings of Sitawaka, forcing them to seek reinforcement from their major base in Goa, India. However, following the fall of the Kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the entire coastal area, with Colombo as their capital.[8][9]
This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The area immediately outside Fort is known as Pettah (Sinhala piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.
[edit] The Dutch Era
In 1638 the Dutch signed a treaty with King Rajasinha II of Kandy which assured the king assistance in his war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the island's major trade goods. The Portuguese resisted the Dutch and the Kandyans, but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning in 1639.[10] They captured Colombo in 1656 after an epic siege, at the end of which a mere 93 Portuguese survivors were given safe conduct out of the fort. Although the Dutch initially restored the captured area back to the Sinhalese Kings, they later refused to turn them over and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796.[10][11]
[edit] The British era
Although the British captured Colombo in 1796, it remained a British military outpost until the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to them in 1815 and they made Colombo the capital of their newly created crown colony of Ceylon. Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch before them, whose primary use of Colombo was as a military fort, the British began constructing houses and other civilian structures around the fort, giving rise to the current City of Colombo.[5]
Many historical building are still in use, including the Old Parliament Building, which is now the Presidential SecretariatInitially, they placed the administration of the city under a "Collector", and John Macdowell of the Madras Service was the first to hold the office. Then, in 1833, the Government Agent of the Western Province was charged with the administration of the city. Centuries of colonial rule had meant a decline of indigenous administration of Colombo, and in 1865 the British conceived a Municipal Council as a means of training the local population in self-governance. The Legislative Council of Ceylon constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and the Council met for the first time on the January 16, 1866. At the time, the population of the region was around 80,000.[5]
During the time they were in control of the Colombo, the British were responsible for much of the planning of the present city. In some parts of the city tram car tracks and granite flooring laid during the era are still visible today.[12][13]
[edit] Post Independence
This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained independence from Britain.[14] Due to the tremendous impact this caused on the city's inhabitants and on the country as a whole, the changes that resulted at the end of the colonial period were drastic. An entire new culture took root. Changes in laws and customs, clothing styles, religions and proper names were a significant result of the colonial era.[14] These cultural changes were followed by the strengthening of the island's economy. Even today, the influence of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly visible in Colombo’s architecture, names, clothing, food, language and attitudes. Buildings from all three eras stand in their glory as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together with local customs.[14] Colombo is by far more modern than most cities in neighboring countries and continues to be a blossoming metropolis of the East.
Historically, Colombo referred to the area around the Fort and Pettah Market which is famous for the variety of products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. At present, it refers to the city limits of the Colombo Municipal Council. More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo, which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo.
Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s, it continues to be the island's commercial center. Despite the official capital of Sri Lanka moving to the adjacent Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, most countries still maintain their diplomatic missions in Colombo.[15]
[edit] Geography and climate
The Viharamahadevi Park, shown with its famous Buddha statue and fountains and with the Colombo town hall in view, is an example of the abundance of greenery in ColomboColombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the 65 hectare Beira Lake.[16] The lake is one of the most unique landmarks of Colombo, and was used for centuries by colonists to defend the city.[16] It remains a popular attraction, hosting regattas,[17] and theatrical events on its shores. The Northern and North-Eastern border of the city of Colombo is formed by the Kelani River, which meets the sea in a part of the city known as the Modera (mōdara in Sinhala) which means river delta.
Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) maximum.[18] The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January. This is the time of year where heavy rains can be expected. Colombo sees little relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where minimum temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,400 mm a year.[19]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Avg Temp °C
(°F) 27
(81) 27
(82) 28
(83) 28
(84) 28
(84) 28
(83) 28
(83) 28
(83) 28
(83) 27
(82) 27
(81) 27
(81) 27
(82)
Precipitation cm 8 6 11 25 33 19 12 9 15 35 30 15 223
[edit] Demographics
The Seema Malakaya Temple in the Beira Lake in the Slave Island area, is one of many religious structures in Colombo
The Beira Lake, the Seema Malakaya temple and the gallery island can be seen in lake
Gallery Island, in middle of Beira lakeColombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. The population of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups, mainly Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Moors and Tamils. There are also small communities of people with Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay and Indian origins living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. Colombo is the most populated city in Sri Lanka, with 642,163 people living within the city limits.[20] According to the census of 2001 the demographics of urban Colombo by ethnicity is as follows.[20]
No Ethnicity Population % Of Total
1 Sinhalese 265,657 41.36
2 Sri Lankan Tamils 185,672 28.91
3 Sri Lankan Moors 153,299 23.87
4 Indian Tamils 13,968 2.17
5 Malays 11,149 1.73
6 Burghers 5,273 0.82
7 Sri Lankan Chetty 740 0.11
8 Bharatha 471 0.07
9 Other 5,934 0.96
10 Total 642,163 100
[edit] Government and politics
The Colombo City Town Hall in Cinnamon Gardens houses the mayor's office and most other municipal officesColombo is a charter city, with a Mayor Council form of government. Colombo's mayor and the council members are elected through local government elections held once in five years. For the past 50 years the city had been ruled by the United National Party (UNP), a right leaning party, whose business friendly policies resonate with the population of Colombo. However the UNP nomination list for the 2006 Municipal elections was rejected,[21] and an Independent Group supported by the UNP won the elections.[22] Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed Mayor of Colombo.[23]
The city government provides sewer, road management and waste management services, in case of water, electricity and telephone utility services the council liaises with the water supply and drainage board, the Ceylon electricity board and telephone service providers.
As with most Sri Lankan cities, the magistrate court and the district court handles felony crimes — the Municipal Council deals with parking tickets, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors. Colombo houses the country's largest jail, known as the Magazine Prison, in the Welikada area of Colombo.[24] And headquarters of the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and many other administrative offices including the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka[25] and virtually all government ministries[26]are housed in Colombo. The law enforcement agencies also liaise with the municipal council but are managed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice of the central government.[27]
The uniquely stylized building of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is located in Colombo
[edit] Official Vision and mission
Vision
Colombo being a model city in Asia, a caring organization looking after interests of citizens and users with an efficient quality service for creation of safe, healthy and wealthy life.[28]
Mission
Organization achieving excellence in providing citizen centered services to the public / customer, optimizing the use of available resources through a competent, motivated and dedicated team.[28]
[edit] Economy
Colombo is the hub of Sri Lanka's economic activity, with many major events taking place around the Galle Face GreenThe great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices in Colombo. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewelry. In the city center is located South Asia's second tallest building - The World Trade Center. The 40 story Twin Tower complex is the centre of important commercial establishments, situated in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Right outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhalese word pita which means out or outside as it is outside the Fort.
Pettah is more crowded than the fort area. It's a place you can buy almost anything you want, Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling from delicious Sharbat to Shirts. Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which are literally known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. For example the first cross street mostly comprises electronic goods shops, the second cellular phones and fancy goods. Most of these businesses in Pettah are dominated by Muslim traders. At the end of the main street further away from Fort is the Sea Street, Sri Lanka's Gold market. This mile-long street is full of jewelery shops.
The Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) encompasses the country's administrative capital Kotte and Colombo. Found within the borders of the CMR is 80% of the country’s industrialization and over 60% of all vehicles plying Sri Lankan roads.
[edit] Education
A number of leading educational institutions are located around Colombo, including the main campus of the SLIITColombo is home to some of the island's top schools and universities. Education in Sri Lanka is free and 13 years of schooling is compulsory for all children. Royal College, one of the oldest educational institutions of Sri Lanka, Ananda College, with the largest Buddhist student population, Zahira College, with the largest Muslim student population in Sri Lanka, and Colombo Hindu College, with the largest Hindu student population and Visakha VIdyalaya, a Buddhist school for girls, are among the leading secondary schools located in Colombo. Most schools in the city are managed by the provincial council, while the prominent schools that fall under the national schools scheme are managed by the central government.
The University of Colombo, the only state university in the city, has courses in many disciplines such as Arts, Science, Medicine, Law, Management and Computer Science. The university's school of computing is famous for its contributions to the Apache web server software project. The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology also has a metropolitan campus in the center of the city, along with a number of other information technology higher education institutions.
[edit] Infrastructure
The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in the Pettah area, one of the oldest mosques in ColomboColombo has most of the amneties that a modern city has. Majority of the major shopping malls in Sri Lanka are located in the city. And all of them are wi-fi enabled. In recent times there's been an outpour of high rise condominiums in the city, mainly due to the very high land prices.
Basically all the foreign missions such as embassies, high commissions and head offices of NGO’s and organizations like United Nations are situated in the city limits. The infrastructure facilities for the foreign people who lived there also provided by the government and some private institutions.
[edit] Landmarks
The two World Trade Center towers have become the most recognized landmarks of the city in recent years. Before these towers were completed in 1997, the adjacent Bank of Ceylon tower was the tallest structure and the most prominent landmark of the city. Before the skyscrapers were built it was the Old Parliament Building that stood majestically in the Fort district.
Even before the parliament was built some claim that the Jami Ul Alfar mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port. The mosque is still one of the most visited tourist sites in Colombo.
The Fort district also has the famous Cargills & Millers complex that is protected by a special government law from demolition. This is done mainly to preserve the historic beauty of the Fort area.
The Galle Face Green is the city's largest and most elegant promenade. Lined with palm trees and adjacent to the coast, this mile-long stretch in the heart of the city is a constant beehive of activity. The green is especially busy on Fridays and Saturdays. In the evenings it plays host to families and children playing sports and flying kites, lovers embracing under umbrellas and health enthusiasts taking their daily evening walks. There are numerous small food stalls and a small stretch of beach to get wet. The green was recently given a make over and since then has been even more popular with the local community. The Green also frequently hosts numerous international and local concerts and performances, such as the recently concluded World Drum Festival.
Cannons used during wartime in the colonial era are still laid out for observance and prestige at the Green, giving a colonial touch to the city. The famous colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia's Emerald on the Green since 1864, is also adjacent to Galle Face Green. The Hotel has played host to distinguished guests including the British Royal Family and other Royal Guests and Celebrities. Apparently after having stayed at the hotel, Princess Alexandra of Denmark had commented that "the peacefulness and generosity encountered at the Galle Face Hotel cannot be matched".[29] Around the corner from Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques.
[edit] Public transportation
Colombo's public transportation consists of buses, trains, auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers" in Sri Lanka) and taxicabs. The bus service is operated both by private and government sectors. Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered. Trains are also largely used and is the cheapest form of transport - although often overcrowded with a limited network.
Construction of the Colombo Metro Rail, a Mass Rapid Transit railway system, similar to that of other advanced Asian cities has begun, this is to control the excessive traffic in the city. The project is carried out by NEB Rapid an Indian and Singaporean collaboration.[30] [31]
[edit] Culture
[edit] Annual cultural events and fairs
Vesak Lanterns, A type of pooja (offering) known as Aloka pooja (offering of light). Followed by the buddhistsColombo's most beautiful festival is the celebration of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death all falling on the same day.[32]In Sinhala this is known as Vesak. [32] During this festival, much of the city is decorated with lanterns, lights and special displays of light(known as Thoran). The festival falls in mid May and lasts a week when many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the lantern competitions and decorations. During this week people distribute, rice, drinks and various other food items for free in places what is known as Dunsal which means charity place. These Dunsals are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.
Christmas is another major festival in the city. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up only just over 7% of the population, Christmas is one of the island's biggest festivals. Most streets and commercial buildings light up from the beginning of December and festive sales begin at all shopping centres and department stores. Caroling and nativity plays are also frequent sights during the season.
[edit] Performing arts
Colombo has several performing arts centers which are popular for their musical and theatrical performances. The most famous performing arts centers are the Lionel Wendt Theater, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall, all of which have a very rich history.
[edit] Museums and art collections
The National Museum of Colombo, was established on 1st of January ,1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor Sir William Henry Gregory is situated in Cinnamon Gardens area.[33]The museum houses the jewelery and throne of the last king of the country, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.[33] He was captured and executed by the English in 1815. Colombo does not boast a very big art gallery. There is only a small collection of Sri Lankan masterpieces at the Art Gallery in Green Path.
The Murugan Hindu temple in slave island district
[edit] Sports
Undoubtedly the most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket. The country emerged as champions of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and became runners up in 2007. The sport is played in parks, playgrounds, beaches and even in the streets of the city. Colombo is also the home for two of the country's international cricket stadiums, Sinhalese Sports Club's cricket stadium and R. Premadasa Stadium (named after late president Premadasa). Rugby is also a popular sport at the club and school level. Colombo has the distinction of being the only city in the world to have 4 cricket Test venues in the past: P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Cricket Club Ground and Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium. The Sugathadasa Stadium situated in the city, is an international standard stadium for athletics, swimming and football, also held the South Asian Games in 1991 and 2006.
[edit] Media
Almost all major media businesses in Sri Lanka operate from Colombo. The state media has its offices in Bullers Road. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, formerly known as Radio Ceylon, is also situated in Colombo. The SLBC is the oldest radio station in South Asia.
[edit] Fashion
The city is a popular fashion center in South East Asia today. The industry has evolved to meet modern standards and conducts regular shows to showcase local talent.[34]
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Sri lanka)• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article is currently subject to editing restrictions, following a dispute resolution consensus.
Please see the discussion, and details on the SLR Reconciliation talk page.
Please do not remove this message until the restrictions have been removed.
"Ceylon" redirects here. For other uses, see Ceylon (disambiguation).
This article contains Indic text.
Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts.
இலங்கை ஜனநாயக சமத்துவ குடியரசு
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
"Sri Lanka Matha"
Music (help·info) , Singing (help·info)
Capital Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
6°54′N, 79°54′E
Largest city Colombo
Official languages Sinhala, Tamil
Government Democratic Socialist Republic
- President Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Independence from the United Kingdom
- Declared February 4, 1948
- Republic May 22, 1972
Area
- Total 65,610 km² (122nd)
25,332 sq mi
- Water (%) 4.4
Population
- 2005 estimate 19,668,000[1] (52nd)
- 2001 census 18,732,255
- Density 310/km² (35th)
818/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
- Total $86.72 billion (61st)
- Per capita $4,600 (111th)
GDP (nominal) 2006 estimate
- Total $26.794 billion (78th)
- Per capita $1,355 (117th)
Gini? (1999–00) 33.2 (medium)
HDI (2004) 0.755 (medium) (93rd)
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Time zone (UTC+5:30)
Internet TLD .lk
Calling code +94
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese: , Tamil: இலங்கை; known as Ceylon before 1972) is an island nation in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India. Popularly referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean,[2] it is home to around twenty million people.
Due to its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia, and has been a center of Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times. Today, the country is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation, with nearly a third of the population following faiths other than Buddhism, notably Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population, with Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, forming the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include the Muslim Moors and Malays and the Burghers.
Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, rubber and coconuts, Sri Lanka boasts a progressive and modern industrial economy and the highest per capita income in South Asia. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination.
After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before the control of the entire country was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. During World War II, Sri Lanka served as an important base for Allied forces in the fight against the Japanese Empire.[3] A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948. Sri Lanka is considered one of the "world's most politically unstable countries" by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank [2]. The Economist labels Sri Lanka a "flawed democracy" in its 2006 rankings [3] and Foreign Policy ranks Sri Lanka 25th (Alert Category) in its Failed States Index [4] for 2007. Sri Lanka however at times has been stable and according to the US State Department 2006 report, was classified a "stable democracy" amidst a ceasefire period of the the long running civil war [5].
Sri Lanka, with an income per head of $1,350, still lags behind some of its neighbors including Maldives and Mauritius but is ahead of its giant neighbor India. Its economy grew by an average of 5% during the 1990s during the 'War for Peace' era. According to the Sri Lankan central bank statistics, the economy was estimated to have grown by 7% last year, although inflation had reached 20%. It should be noted that Sri Lanka's central bank statistics have been called into question due to allegations of political interference and institutional decay [6]. Parts of Sri Lanka, particularly the South and East coast were devastated by the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The economy was briefly buoyed by influx of foreign aid and tourists, but this was disrupted with the reemergence of the civil war resulting in increased lawlessness in the country [7] and a sharp decline in tourism [8][9].
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 History
3 Geography and climate
4 Flora and fauna
5 Government and politics
6 Administrative divisions
7 Economy
8 Transport
9 Military
10 Demographics
11 Culture and arts
11.1 Traditional food
11.2 Festivals
11.3 Cinema
11.4 Music
12 Religions
13 Media
14 Education
15 Sports
16 See also
17 References
18 Further reading
19 External links
Name
Main article: Names of Sri Lanka
In ancient times, Sri Lanka was known by a variety of names: ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane[4] and Arabs referred to it as Serendib (the origin of the word "serendipity").[5] Ceilão was the name given to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese when they arrived on the island in 1505,[6] which was transliterated into English as Ceylon.[7] In 1972, the official name of the country was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka" (in Sinhala śrī laṃkā, IPA: [ˌʃɾiːˈlaŋkaː]; whereas the island itself is referred to as ලංකාව laṃkāva, IPA: [laŋˈkaːʋə], in Tamil இலங்கை ilaṅkai, iˈlaŋgai). In 1978 it was changed to "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".[8]
The current name is derived from Sanskrit word laṃkā, meaning "resplendent land",[9] which was also the name of the island as described in the ancient Indian epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
History
Main article: History of Sri Lanka
Landing of King Vijaya depicted in an Ajanta fresco.History of Sri Lanka
series
Prehistory of Sri Lanka
Early Sri Lankan History
Kings of Sri Lanka
European occupation of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka independence struggle
Independence of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan civil war
Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered at excavations in several cave sites in the Western Plains region and the South-western face of the Central Hills region. Anthropologists believe that some discovered burial rites and certain decorative artifacts exhibit similarities between the first inhabitants of the island and the early inhabitants of Southern India. Recent bioanthropological studies have however dismissed these links, and have placed the origin of the people to the northern parts of India. One of the first written references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which described the emperor Ravana as monarch of the powerful kingdom of Lanka, which was created by the divine sculptor Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the Gods.[10] English historian James Emerson Tennent also theorized Galle, a southern city in Sri Lanka, was the ancient seaport of Tarshish from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory, peacocks and other valuables. The main written accounts of the country's history are the Buddhist chronicles of Mahavansa and Dipavamsa.
The earliest-known inhabitants of the island now known as Sri Lanka were probably the ancestors of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs and numbering roughly 3,000. Linguistic analysis has found a correlation of the Sinhalese language with the languages of the Sindh and Gujarat, although most historians believe that the Sinhala community emerged well after the assimilation of various ethnic groups. From the ancient period date some remarkable archaeological sites including the ruins of Sigiriya, the so-called "Fortress in the Sky", and huge public works. Among the latter are large "tanks" or reservoirs, important for conserving water in a climate that alternates rainy seasons with dry times, and elaborate aqueducts, some with a slope as finely calibrated as one inch to the mile. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the first in the world to have established a dedicated hospital in Mihintale in the 4th century BCE. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the world's leading exporter of cinnamon, which was exported to Egypt as early as 1400 BCE. Sri Lanka was also the first Asian nation to have a female ruler in Queen Anula (47–42 BC)
Sri Lankan coin, 1st century CE.Since ancient times Sri Lanka was ruled by monarchs, most notably of the Sinha royal dynasty that lasted over 2000 years. The island was also infrequently invaded by South Indian kingdoms and parts of the island were ruled intermittently by the Chola dynasty, the Pandya dynasty, the Chera dynasty and the Pallava dynasty. The island was also invaded by the kingdoms of Kalinga (modern Orissa) and those from the Malay Peninsula. Buddhism arrived from India in the 3rd century BCE, brought by Bhikkhu Mahinda, who is believed to have been the son of Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Mahinda's mission won over the Sinhalese monarch Devanampiyatissa of Mihintale, who embraced the faith and propagated it throughout the Sinhalese population. The Buddhist kingdoms of Sri Lanka would maintain a large number of Buddhist schools and monasteries, and support the propagation of Buddhism into Southeast Asia.
Sri Lanka had always been an important port and trading post in the ancient world, and was increasingly frequented by merchant ships from the Middle East, Persia, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The islands were known to the first European explorers of South Asia and settled by many groups of Arab and Malay merchants. A Portuguese colonial mission arrived on the island in 1505 headed by the Lourenço de Almeida the son of Francisco de Almeida. At that point the island consisted of three kingdoms, namely Kandy in the central hills, Kotte at the Western coast, and Yarlpanam (Anglicised Jaffna) in the north. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century. Although much of the island came under the domain of European powers, the interior, hilly region of the island remained independent, with its capital in Kandy. The British East India Company established control of the island in 1796, declaring it a crown colony in 1802, although the island would not be officially connected with British India. The fall of the kingdom of Kandy in 1815 unified the island under British rule.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress.European colonists established a series of tea, cinnamon, rubber, sugar, coffee and indigo plantations. The British also brought a large number of indentured workers from Tamil Nadu to work in the plantation economy. The city of Colombo was established as the administrative centre, and the British established modern schools, colleges, roads and churches that brought Western-style education and culture to the native people. Increasing grievances over the denial of civil rights, mistreatment and abuse of natives by colonial authorities gave rise to a struggle for independence in the 1930s, when the Youth Leagues opposed the "Ministers' Memorandum," which asked the colonial authority to increase the powers of the board of ministers without granting popular representation or civil freedoms. During World War II, the island served as an important Allied military base. A large segment of the British and American fleet were deployed on the island, as were tens of thousands of soldiers committed to the war against Japan in Southeast Asia.
Following the war, popular pressure for independence intensified. On February 4, 1948 the country won its independence as the Commonwealth of Ceylon. Don Stephen Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. On July 21, 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike took office as prime minister, and became the first female head of government in post-colonial Asia and the first female prime minister in the world. In 1972, the country became a republic within the Commonwealth, and the name was changed to Sri Lanka. The island enjoyed good relations with the United Kingdom and had the British Royal Navy stationed at Trincomalee.
Since 1983, there has been on-and-off civil war, predominantly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a separatist militant organization who fight to create an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island.
Geography and climate
Main article: Geography of Sri Lanka
Main cities in Sri Lanka.The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.[11] According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama by the vanara architect Nala. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge, it now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level.[11] According to colonial British reports, this is a natural causeway which was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm in 1480.[12] The width of the Palk Strait is small enough for the coast of Sri Lanka to be visible from the furthest point near the Indian town of Rameswaram.[citation needed] The tear drop shaped island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. Amongst these are Sri Pada (Adams Peak) and the highest point Pidurutalagala, at 2,524 meters (8,281 ft). The Mahaweli ganga (Mahaweli river) and other major rivers provide fresh water to the population.[13]
Topographical map of Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's climate can be described as tropical, and quite hot. Its position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm climate, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture.[14] The mean temperature ranges from a low of 16 °C (61 °F) in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands (where frost may occur for several days in the winter) to a high of 32 °C (90 °F) in Trincomalee on the northeast coast (where temperatures may reach 38 °C (100 °F)). The average yearly temperature for the country as a whole ranges from 28° to 30 °C (82–86 °F). Day and night temperatures may vary by 4 to 7 °C (7–13 °F). In January, the coolest month, many people wear coats and sweaters in the highlands and elsewhere. May, the hottest period, precedes the summer monsoon rains. The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, which encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2,500 millimetres (98 in) of rain per month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. Periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. Between December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. Humidity is typically higher in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal patterns of rainfall. At Colombo, for example, daytime humidity stays above 70% all year, rising to almost 90 percent during the monsoon season in June. Anuradhapura experiences a daytime low of 60% during the monsoon month of March, but a high of 79% during the November and December rains. In the highlands, Kandy's daytime humidity usually ranges between 70 and 79%.
Flora and fauna
Mountain forests in Sri Lanka.Main article: Ecology of Sri Lanka
The mountains and the southwestern part of the country, known as the "wet zone," receive ample rainfall (an annual average of 2500 millimetres). Most of the southeast, east, and northern parts of the country comprise the "dry zone," which receives between 1200 and 1900 mm (47–75 in) of rain annually. Much of the rain in these areas falls from October to January; during the rest of the year there is very little precipitation, and all living creatures must conserve precious moisture. The arid northwest and southeast coasts receive the least amount of rain — 600 to 1200 mm (24–47 in) per year — However, though many say that there are no really dry areas in Sri Lanka, there are many pockets of very dry and abandoned areas where there is little to no rainwater. Varieties of flowering acacias are well adapted to the arid conditions and flourish on the Jaffna Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-land forests are some valuable species, such as satinwood, ebony, ironwood, and mahogany and teak. In the wet zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands is a tropical evergreen forest, with tall trees, broad foliage, and a dense undergrowth of vines and creepers.
Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes. Forests at one time covered nearly the entire island, but by the late 20th century lands classified as forests and forest reserves covered around one-third of the land.[15] As the area covered by forests declined, thereby threatening various species of wildlife, Sri Lanka became the first country in the world to establish a wildlife sanctuary.[16] Among them, the Ruhunu National Park in the southeast protects herds of elephant, deer, and peacocks, and the Wilpattu National Park in the northwest preserves the habitats of many water birds, such as storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. During the Mahaweli Ganga Program of the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside four areas of land totaling 1,900 km² (730 sq mi) as national parks. The island has three biosphere reserves, Hurulu, Sinharaja, and the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya.
The national flower of Sri Lanka is Nil Manel (Nymphaea stelleta),[17] the national tree is Na (Mesua nagassarium)[18] and the national bird is the Sri Lanka Junglefowl, which is endemic to the country.[19]
Government and politics
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Colombo.Main article: Politics of Sri Lanka
The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes a democratic, socialist republic in Sri Lanka, which is also a unitary state. The government is a mixture of the presidential system and the parliamentary system. The President of Sri Lanka is the head of state, the commander in chief of the armed forces, as well as head of government, and is popularly elected for a six-year term. In the exercise of duties, the President is responsible to the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which is a unicameral 225-member legislature. The President appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers composed of elected members of parliament. The President's deputy is the Prime Minister, who leads the ruling party in parliament and shares many executive responsibilities, mainly in domestic affairs.
Members of parliament are elected by universal (adult) suffrage based on a modified proportional representation system by district to a six-year term. The primary modification is that, the party that receives the largest number of valid votes in each constituency gains a unique "bonus seat." The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve Parliament any time after it has served for one year. The parliament reserves the power to make all laws. On July 1, 1960 the people of Sri Lanka elected the first-ever female head of government in Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga served multiple terms as prime minister and as president from 1999 to 2005. The current president and prime minister, both of whom took office on November 21, 2005, are Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake respectively.
Sri Lanka has enjoyed the longest period of continuous multi-party democracy with universal suffrage in a non-western country (since 1931). Politics in Sri Lanka are controlled by rival coalitions led by the left-wing Sri Lanka Freedom Party, headed by President Rajapaksa, the comparatively right-wing United National Party led by former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Marxist JVP. There are also many smaller Buddhist, socialist and Tamil nationalist political parties that oppose the separatism of the LTTE but demand regional autonomy and increased civil rights. Since 1948, Sri Lanka has been a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations. It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Colombo Plan, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Through the Cold War-era, Sri Lanka followed a foreign policy of non-alignment but has remained closer to the United States and Western Europe. The military of Sri Lanka comprises the Sri Lankan Army, the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sri Lankan Air Force. These are administered by the Ministry of Defence. Since the 1980s, the army has led the government response against the Marxist militants of the JVP and now the LTTE militant forces. Sri Lanka receives considerable military assistance from Pakistan and China [20].
See also: Foreign relations of Sri Lanka and Military of Sri Lanka
Administrative divisions
Provinces of Sri LankaMain articles: Provinces of Sri Lanka and Districts of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces[21] and 25 districts.[22] Each province is administered by a directly-elected provincial council:
Province Capital Districts
1 Central Kandy Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya
2 North Central Anuradhapura Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa
3 Northern Jaffna Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullativu
4 Eastern Trincomalee Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee
5 North Western Kurunegala Kurunagala, Puttalam
6 Southern Galle Galle, Hambanthota, Mathara
7 Uva Badulla Badulla, Monaragala
8 Sabaragamuwa Ratnapura Kegalle, Rathnapura
9 Western Colombo Colombo, Gampaha, Kaluthara
The districts are further subdivided into Divisional Secretariats, and these in turn to Grama Sevaka divisions.
Economy
The World Trade Centre in Colombo.
Sri Lanka's most well-known export: Ceylon tea (black)Main article: Economy of Sri Lanka
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy, famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon tea, which remains a trademark national export. The development of modern ports under British rule raised the strategic importance of the island as a centre of trade. During World War II, the island hosted important military installations and Allied forces. However, the plantation economy aggravated poverty and economic inequality. From 1948 to 1977 socialism strongly influenced the government's economic policies. Colonial plantations were dismantled, industries were nationalised and a welfare state established. While the standard of living and literacy improved significantly, the nation's economy suffered from inefficiency, slow growth and lack of foreign investment.
From 1977 the UNP government began incorporating privatisation, deregulation and promotion of private enterprise. While the production and export of tea, rubber, coffee, sugar and other agricultural commodities remains important, the nation has moved steadily towards an industrialised economy with the development of food processing, textiles, telecommunications and finance. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of export, and further declined to 16.8% in 2005 (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments have reached 63%. The GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3%. The year of 2001 saw the first recession in the country's history, as a result of power shortages, budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Signs of recovery appeared after the 2002 ceasefire. The Colombo Stock Exchange reported the highest growth in the world for 2003, and today Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia.
Arugam Point at the Arugam Bay beach a tourist attractive place.In April 2004, there was a sharp reversal in economic policy after the government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party was defeated by a coalition made up of Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the leftist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United People's Freedom Alliance. The new government stopped the privatization of state enterprises and reforms of state utilities such as power and petroleum, and embarked on a subsidy program called the Rata Perata economic program. Its main theme to support the rural and suburban SMEs and protect the domestic economy from external influences, such as oil prices, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
See also: Tea industry of Sri Lanka and Tourism in Sri Lanka
Transport
Main article: Transportation in Sri Lanka
Colombo-Galle Face GreenMost Sri Lankan cities and towns are connected by the Sri Lanka Railways, the state-run national railway operator. The first railway line was inaugurated on April 26, 1867, linking Colombo with Kandy. The total length of Sri Lankan roads exceeds 11,000 kilometres (6,840 mi), with a vast majority of them being paved. The government has launched several highway projects to bolster the economy and national transport system, including the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the Colombo-Kandy (Kadugannawa) Expressway, the Colombo-Padeniya Expressway and the Outer Circular Highway to ease Colombo's traffic congestion. There are also plans to build a major bridge connecting Jaffna to the Indian city of Chennai.
The Ceylon Transport Board is the state-run agency responsible for operating public bus services across the island. Sri Lanka also maintains 430 kilometres (270 mi) of inland waterways. It has three deep-water ports at Colombo, Trincomalee and Galle. There is also a smaller, shallower harbour at Kankesanturai, north of Jaffna. There are twelve paved airports and two unpaved airstrips in the country. SriLankan Airlines is the official national carrier, partly owned and operated by Emirates. It was voted the best airline in South Asia by Skytrax. SriLankan Air Taxi is the smaller, domestic arm of the national carrier, while Expo Aviation and Lankair are private airline companies. The Bandaranaike International Airport is the country's only international airport, located in Katunayaka, 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Colombo.
Military
Main article: Military of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan soldiers have taken part in many wars throughout its history, including the Boer War and both World Wars (under the command of the British at the time). In the course of the civil war, the military has been transformed from a ceremonial force to a modern army. Since 2004, Sri Lankan troops have been a part of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti, which is the country's first major overseas mission.
The military of Sri Lanka is organized into three branches: Army, Navy, and Air Force. Since independence, its primary mission has been the targeting of armed groups within the country, most notably engaging in a 25 year long war with the LTTE. The LTTE is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries (see list).
Demographics
Population growth in Sri Lanka.Main article: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the 53rd most populated nation in the world, with an annual population growth rate of 0.79%. Sri Lanka has a birth rate of 15.63 births per 1,000 people and a death rate of 6.49 deaths per 1,000 people. Population density is the greatest in western Sri Lanka, especially in and around Colombo. There is a small population on the island of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs. These are believed to be the oldest and indigenous ethnic group to inhabit the island. The Sinhalese people form the largest ethnic group in the nation, composing approximately 81.9% of the total population. Tamils are concentrated in the North, East, Central and Western provinces of the country. Tamils who were brought as indentured labourers from India by British colonists to work on estate plantations, nearly 50% of whom were repatriated following independence in 1948,[23][page # needed] are called "Indian Origin" Tamils. They are distinguished from the native Tamil population that has resided in Sri Lanka since ancient times. According to 2001 census data Indian Tamils makeup 5.1% of the Sri Lankan population and, Sri Lankan Tamils 4.3%. Though this figure only accounted for Sri Lankan Tamils in government-controlled areas, not accounting for those in rebel-held territories. There is a significant population (8.0%) of Moors, who trace their lineage to Arab traders and immigrants from the Middle East. Their presence is concentrated in the cities and the central and eastern provinces. There are also small ethnic groups such as the Burghers (of mixed European descent) and Malays from Southeast Asia.
The Buddha statue at Mihintale.Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka. English is spoken by approximately 10% of the population, and is widely used for education, scientific and commercial purposes. Members of the Burgher community speak variant forms of Portuguese Creole and Dutch with varying proficiency, while members of the Malay community speak a form of creole Malay that is unique to the island. Sri Lanka also enjoys significant religious diversity. Approximately 69% of Sri Lankans are adherents of Buddhism.[24][25] Theravada Buddhism is the predominant school, with distinctive sects such as Ramanna Nikaya, Amarapura Nikaya and Siam Nikaya being widely followed. Buddhism in Sri Lanka has been deeply influenced by indigenous faiths and traditions, as well as the influences of prevailing Buddhist schools in South East Asia. The ancient and famous Sri Dalada Maligawa or "Temple of the Tooth" is the principal Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka, and by tradition houses the Tooth of Buddha. It is visited every year by millions of pilgrims. There are many other famous religious institutions in Sri Lanka that attract many visitors daily. Hinduism is practiced by 7.9% of the population, mainly from the Tamil community. Christianity is practiced by 7% of the population, especially by Burgher people though most Christians are Sinhalese or Tamils. While most Sri Lankan Christians are Catholics, there are also significant numbers who adhere to Dutch Reformed Church and the Anglican Communion. Islam in Sri Lanka is practiced by 8.5% of the population and its adherents are almost entirely Moors and Malays.
See also: Religion in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Buddhism, Hinduism in Sri Lanka, and Islam in Sri Lanka
Culture and arts
Hoppers, a Sri Lankan delicacy.Main article: Culture of Sri Lanka
The island is the home of two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese (centered in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centered in the city of Jaffna). In more recent times a British colonial culture was added, and lately Sri Lanka, particularly in the urban areas, has experienced a dramatic makeover in the western mold. Until recently, for example, most Sri Lankans, certainly those in the villages, have eaten traditional food, engaged in traditional crafts and expressed themselves through traditional arts. But economic growth and intense economic competition in developed countries has spilled over to most of Sri Lanka, producing changes that might variously be identified as progress, westernisation or a loss of identity and assimilation.
Traditional food
Elephants at the Esala Perahera.Sri Lankans have added western influences to the customary diet such as rice and curry, pittu (mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould). Kiribath (cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called "lunumiris"), wattalapam (rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon cloves and nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers ("appa"), batter cooked rapidly in a hot curved pan, accompanied by eggs, milk or savouries. Sri Lankan food also has Dutch and Portuguese influences, with the island's Burgher community preserving this culture through traditional favourites such as Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana leaf), Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake) and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style layer cake).
Festivals
Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival Every year on April 13th Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate, and Muslims celebrate Ramasan. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly-decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city bearing the tooth of Buddha.
Cinema
Kadawunu Poronduwa 1947Sri Lankan cinema in past years has featured subjects such as family relationships, love stories and the years of conflict between the military and Tamil Tiger rebels. Many films are in the Sinhalese language and the Sri Lankan cinematic style is similar to Indian cinema.
The first film to be produced and shown in Sri Lanka was Kadawunu Poronduwa (The Broken Promise) which was released in 1947. The first colour film of Sri Lanka was Ran Muthu Doova.
Afterwards there were many Sinhalese movies produced in Sri Lanka and some of them, such as Nidhanaya, received several international film awards. The most influential filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema is Lester James Peiris who has directed many movies of excellent quality which led to global acclaim. His latest film, 'Wekanda Walawwa' (Mansion by the Lake) became the first movie to be submitted from Sri Lanka for the Best Foreign Language film award at the Academy Awards. In 2005 the director Vimukthi Jayasundara became the first Sri Lankan to win the prestigious Camera d’Or award for Best First Film, or any award for that matter, at the Cannes Film Festival for his Sinhalese language film Sulanga Enu Pinisa (The Forsaken Land). Controversial filmmaker Asoka Handagama's films are considered by many in the Sri Lankan film world to be the best films of honest response to the ethnic conflict currently raging in the country. Prasanna Vithanage is one of Sri Lanka's most notable filmmakers. His films have won many awards, both local and international. Recent releases like 'Sooriya Arana', 'Samanala thatu', and 'Hiripoda wessa' have attracted Sri Lankans to cinemas. Sri Lankan films are usually in the Sinhalese language. Tamil language movies are also filmed in Sri Lanka but they are not part of Kollywood which is Indian Tamil cinema. However some Kollywood films are based in Sri Lanka as well.
Music
The earliest music came from the theater at a time when the traditional open-air drama (referred to in Sinhala as Kolam, Sokari and Nadagam). In 1903 the first music album, Nurthi, was released through Radio Ceylon. Also Vernon Corea introduced Sri Lankan music in the English Service of Radio Ceylon.
In the early 1960s, Indian music in films greatly influenced Sri Lankan music and later Sri Lankan stars like Sunil Shantha found greater popularity among Indian people. By 1963, Radio Ceylon had more Indian listeners than Sri Lankan ones. The notable songwriters Mahagama Sekara and Ananda Samarakoon made a Sri Lankan music revolution. At the peak of this revolution, musicians such as W. D. Amaradeva, H.R. Jothipala, Milton Mallawarachchi, M.S. Fernando, Annesley Malewana and Clarence Wijewardene did great work.
See also: Ceylon tea (black), Cuisine of Sri Lanka, Fashion Industry of Sri Lanka, Kandyan Dance, Cinema of Sri Lanka, and Music of Sri Lanka
Religions
Buddhism is followed by over 70% of the population
The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna is an important place for Hindus in Sri LankaMain article: Religion in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a multi ethnic and multi religious population. Buddhism constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population of the island,[26] most of whom follow the Theravada school of Buddhism.[27] According to traditional Sri Lankan chronicles, Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the 2nd century BCE by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiyatissa.[27] During this time, a sapling of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment was brought to Sri Lanka and the first monasteries were established under the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan king. The Pali Canon (Thripitakaya), having previously been preserved as an oral tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BC.[28]
Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any Buddhist nation,[27] with the Sangha having existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in the 2nd century BCE. During periods of decline, the Sri Lankan monastic lineage was revived through contact with Thailand and Burma.[28] Periods of Mahayana influence, as well as official neglect under colonial rule, created great challenges for Theravada Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka, but repeated revivals and resurgences — most recently in the 19th century — have kept the Theravada tradition alive for over 2000 years.
The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in Colombo. Islam was brought to Sri Lanka by Arab MerchantsFollowers of Islam comprise approximately eight percent of the population,[26] having been brought to the island by Arab traders over the course of many centuries.[29] Hinduism was primarily established in Sri Lanka by migrants and often invaders from southern India,[30] and Hindus now constitute seven percent of the population, mostly of the Shaivite school.[26] European colonists introduced Christianity to the country in the 16th century,[31] and the religion has been adopted by around six percent of the population.[26]
Religion plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their own holidays. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and many mosques, Hindu temples and churches across the island, especially in areas where respective communities are concentrated. Buddhists are distributed across most parts of the island except in the north. Hindus are concentrated in north, east, and central high lands. Christians, particularly Roman Catholics are mainly concentrated along the western coastal belt. Muslims are concentrated in several pockets along the coast and in interior. All religious communities are represented in western province and in other urban centers in sizable numbers.
Media
Main article: Media in Sri Lanka
See also: List of newspapers in Sri Lanka and List of television networks in Sri Lanka
The national radio station, Radio Ceylon is the oldest-running radio station in Asia.[32][33] It was established in 1923 by Edward Harper just three years after broadcasting was launched in Europe.[34] It remains one of the most popular stations in Asia, with its programming reaching neighboring Asian nations. The station is managed by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and broadcasts services in Sinhalese, Tamil, English and Hindi. Since the 1980s, a large number of private radio stations have also being introduced, and they have gained commercial popularity and success. Broadcast television was introduced to the country in 1979 when the Independent Television Network was launched. Initially all Television stations were state controlled, but private television networks began broadcasts in 1992.[35] Global television networks from India, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States are also widely popular, and cable and satellite television is gaining in popularity with Sri Lanka's middle-class. Popular publications include the English language Daily Mirror and The Sunday Observer and The Sunday Times, Divayina, Lankadeepa and Lakbima in Sinhalese and the Tamil publications Dinakaran and Uthayan.
Education
Main article: Education in Sri Lanka
With a literacy rate of 92%, and 83% of the total population having had Secondary Education,[36] Sri Lanka has one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations.[37] An education system which dictates 9 years of Compulsory Schooling for every child is in place, with 99% of the children entering the first grade.[36] A free education system initiated in 1945[38] by Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara, a former minister of education, has greatly contributed to this. Mr. Kannangara led the establishment of the Madhya Maha Vidyalayas (Great Central Schools) in different parts of the country in order to provide education to Sri Lanka's rural population. In 1942 a special education committee proposed extensive reforms to establish an efficient and quality education system for the people. In recent decades, a large number of private and international schools have been established across the nation. The International Baccalaureate and General Certificate of Secondary Education are popular education programmes.
Most secondary schools in Sri Lanka provide education from grades 1 to 13 in the same institution. Students sit for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination (O/Levels) in grade 11 and the GCE Advanced Level Examination (A/levels) in grade 13. These schools are modelled on British colleges and universities. A majority of them are public, but a number of elite private schools do exist. While most reputed schools centered around large cities are usually single-sex institutions, rural schools tend to be coeducational.
Sri Lanka has a number of large public universities. They include the University of Colombo, the University of Kelaniya, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, the University of Moratuwa, the University of Peradeniya, the University of Jaffna, the University of Ruhuna, the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka and the Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka. However the lack of space in these institutions and the unwillingness to establish private universities has led to a large number of students been denied entry into formal universities. As a result, a number of private institutions have emerged, which provide specialised education in a variety of fields, such as computer science, business administration and arts. These include the government owned Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology and the Institute of Technological Studies.
See also: Universities in Sri Lanka
Sports
A Test match between Sri Lanka and England at the SCC Ground, Colombo, March 2001.While the national sport in Sri Lanka is volleyball,[39] by far the most popular sport in the country is cricket.[39] Rugby also enjoy extensive popularity, as do aquatic sports, athletics, football and tennis. Sri Lanka's schools and colleges regularly organize sports and athletics teams, competing on provincial and national levels. The Sri Lankan cricket team achieved considerable success beginning in the 1990s, rising from underdog status to winning the 1996 World Cup,[40] as well as the Asia Cup in 1996 and 2004. Sri Lanka remains one of the leading cricketing nations in the world, with the national team reaching the finals of Cricket World Cup 2007, where they lost to Australia.[41]
Sri Lanka has a large number of sports stadiums, including the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, the R. Premadasa Stadium and the Rangiri Dumbulla Stadium in Dambulla as well as the Galle International Stadium. The country co-hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Pakistan, and has hosted the Asia Cup tournament on numerous occasions. It will also co-host the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Aquatic sports such as boating, surfing, swimming and scuba diving on the coast, the beaches and backwaters attract a large number of Sri Lankans and foreign tourists.
See also: Sri Lanka national cricket team
See also
History Wanniyala-Aetto | Dipavamsa | Mahavamsa | Culavamsa | Vijaya | Sigiriya | Dambulla | Anuradhapura | Polonnaruwa | Buduruvagala | Jaffna Kingdom | Kandyan Wars | Rebellion of 1818 | Rebellion of 1848 | Sri Lanka independence struggle | Sri Lankan Civil War | Names of Sri Lanka | List of rulers of Sri Lanka | Ancient Capitals of Sri Lanka | Ancient Constructions of Sri Lanka | Architecture of ancient Sri Lanka | Ancient Stupas of Sri Lanka | World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
Government President of Sri Lanka | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Prime Minister of Sri Lanka | Parliament of Sri Lanka | Supreme Court | Demographics | Provinces | Districts | Elections | Foreign Relations | Political parties | Military | Police
Economy Communications | Central Bank of Sri Lanka | Bank of Ceylon | Commercial Bank of Ceylon | SriLankan Airlines | Sri Lankan rupee | Colombo | Ceylon Tea | Ceylon Mercantile Union | Transport | Gems of Sri Lanka | Colombo Stock Exchange
Culture Buddhism | Hinduism | Islam | Sinhala | Tamil | Music | Cuisine | Radio Ceylon | Religion | Literature | Cricket | Sri Lankan English | Cinema of Sri Lanka
Education Ananda College | Eastern University of Sri Lanka | Maliyadeva College | Nalanda College | Royal College, Colombo | Trinity College, Kandy | University of Colombo | University of Kelaniya | University of Sri Jayawardhenapura | University of Moratuwa | University of Jaffna | University of Peradeniya | University of Ruhuna | Zahira College | Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology| Sri Lanka Scout Association
International ties of Sri Lanka
Geographical and geopolitical: Asia | South Asia | Indies
Historical and cultural: Commonwealth of Nations
International organisations: United Nations | World Trade Organization | ADB | SAARC | Non-Aligned Movement | International Monetary Fund | World Bank Group
G24 | Group of 77 | Colombo Plan | Group of Fifteen (G15)
References
^ Department of Census and Statistics Estimated mid year population by sex and age, 2003 - 2005
^ Pearl of the Indian Ocean, The Sunday Tribune
^ British Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the moment a Japanese fleet prepared to invade Sri Lanka as "the most dangerous and distressing moment of the entire conflict." - Commonwealth Air Training Program Museum, The Saviour of Ceylon
^ Abeydeera, Ananda. In Search of Taprobane: the Western discovery and mapping of Ceylon. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ "Sri Lanka - The Pearl of the Orient". Metropolis. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Rajasingham, K T. "Sri Lanka: The untold story". Asia Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Zubair, Lareef. Etymologies of Lanka, Serendib, Taprobane and Ceylon. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ "Chapter I - The People, The State And Sovereignty". THe Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ de Silva, Colin. "Sri Lanka, The 'Resplendent Isle'", The New York Times, February 14, 1982. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Keshavadas, Sant (1988). Ramayana at a Glance. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120805453.
^ a b BBC News, Gods row minister offers to quit, September 15, 2007
^ Rediff, Ramar Sethu, a world heritage centre?, July 4, 2007
^ Paranavitana, Senarat; Nicholas, Cyril Wace (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon. Colombo: Ceylon University Press, p.2-5. OCLC 465385.
^ BBC Weather'\, Country Guide: Sri Lanka
^ EarthTrends, Environmental Information, Forests, Grasslands, and Drylands-- Sri Lanka
^ Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, [1]
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Flower
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Tree
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Bird
^ Bedi, Rahul. "Sri Lanka turns to Pakistan, China for military needs", IANS, Urdustan.com Network, 2007-06-02. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
^ Constitution of Sri Lanka, Eighth Schedule
^ Constitution of Sri Lanka, First Schedule
^ Hoole, Rajan (2001). Sri Lanka: The Arrogance of Power. University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna). ISBN 978-9559447047.
^ Sri Lanka in Brief. Government of Sri Lanka (2006-01-19). Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
^ Central Intelligence Agency (2007-10-04). Sri Lanka. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
^ a b c d The World Factbook: Sri Lanka. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ a b c Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Buddhist Studies
^ a b Theravada Buddhism and Shan/Thai/Dai/Laos Regions, Maung Chan, 2005-03-28
^ Lankan Muslims' historical links with India, Indian Muslims, April 3, 2006
^ Hinduism In Sri Lanka, Discover Sri Lanka
^ Young, R. F., & Sēnānāyaka, J. E. B. (1998), The carpenter-heretic: a collection of Buddhist stories about Christianity from 18th century Sri Lanka, Colombo: Karunaratne & Sons.
^ ApacheCon, Sri Lanka
^ Central Queensland University, A Case Study of Sri Lankan Media
^ Info Lanka, Sri Lanka's National Media
^ Press reference, SRI LANKA Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers
^ a b Figures as of 2004/2005. UNICEF, Sri Lanka: Statistics
^ Chandra Gunawardene, Problems of illiteracy in a literate developing society
^ De Silva, K.M. (1981). A Short History of Sri Lanka. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 472. ISBN 0-520-04320-0.
^ a b Sri Lanka development gateway, Sports
^ The Guardian, Sri Lanka light up the world
^ Cricinfo, Final: Australia v Sri Lanka at Bridgetown, Apr 28, 2007
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Sri lanka)• Find out more about navigating Wikipedia and finding information •Jump to: navigation, search
This article is currently subject to editing restrictions, following a dispute resolution consensus.
Please see the discussion, and details on the SLR Reconciliation talk page.
Please do not remove this message until the restrictions have been removed.
"Ceylon" redirects here. For other uses, see Ceylon (disambiguation).
This article contains Indic text.
Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts.
இலங்கை ஜனநாயக சமத்துவ குடியரசு
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
"Sri Lanka Matha"
Music (help·info) , Singing (help·info)
Capital Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
6°54′N, 79°54′E
Largest city Colombo
Official languages Sinhala, Tamil
Government Democratic Socialist Republic
- President Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Independence from the United Kingdom
- Declared February 4, 1948
- Republic May 22, 1972
Area
- Total 65,610 km² (122nd)
25,332 sq mi
- Water (%) 4.4
Population
- 2005 estimate 19,668,000[1] (52nd)
- 2001 census 18,732,255
- Density 310/km² (35th)
818/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
- Total $86.72 billion (61st)
- Per capita $4,600 (111th)
GDP (nominal) 2006 estimate
- Total $26.794 billion (78th)
- Per capita $1,355 (117th)
Gini? (1999–00) 33.2 (medium)
HDI (2004) 0.755 (medium) (93rd)
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Time zone (UTC+5:30)
Internet TLD .lk
Calling code +94
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese: , Tamil: இலங்கை; known as Ceylon before 1972) is an island nation in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India. Popularly referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean,[2] it is home to around twenty million people.
Due to its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia, and has been a center of Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times. Today, the country is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation, with nearly a third of the population following faiths other than Buddhism, notably Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population, with Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, forming the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include the Muslim Moors and Malays and the Burghers.
Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, rubber and coconuts, Sri Lanka boasts a progressive and modern industrial economy and the highest per capita income in South Asia. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination.
After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before the control of the entire country was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. During World War II, Sri Lanka served as an important base for Allied forces in the fight against the Japanese Empire.[3] A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948. Sri Lanka is considered one of the "world's most politically unstable countries" by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank [2]. The Economist labels Sri Lanka a "flawed democracy" in its 2006 rankings [3] and Foreign Policy ranks Sri Lanka 25th (Alert Category) in its Failed States Index [4] for 2007. Sri Lanka however at times has been stable and according to the US State Department 2006 report, was classified a "stable democracy" amidst a ceasefire period of the the long running civil war [5].
Sri Lanka, with an income per head of $1,350, still lags behind some of its neighbors including Maldives and Mauritius but is ahead of its giant neighbor India. Its economy grew by an average of 5% during the 1990s during the 'War for Peace' era. According to the Sri Lankan central bank statistics, the economy was estimated to have grown by 7% last year, although inflation had reached 20%. It should be noted that Sri Lanka's central bank statistics have been called into question due to allegations of political interference and institutional decay [6]. Parts of Sri Lanka, particularly the South and East coast were devastated by the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The economy was briefly buoyed by influx of foreign aid and tourists, but this was disrupted with the reemergence of the civil war resulting in increased lawlessness in the country [7] and a sharp decline in tourism [8][9].
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 History
3 Geography and climate
4 Flora and fauna
5 Government and politics
6 Administrative divisions
7 Economy
8 Transport
9 Military
10 Demographics
11 Culture and arts
11.1 Traditional food
11.2 Festivals
11.3 Cinema
11.4 Music
12 Religions
13 Media
14 Education
15 Sports
16 See also
17 References
18 Further reading
19 External links
Name
Main article: Names of Sri Lanka
In ancient times, Sri Lanka was known by a variety of names: ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane[4] and Arabs referred to it as Serendib (the origin of the word "serendipity").[5] Ceilão was the name given to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese when they arrived on the island in 1505,[6] which was transliterated into English as Ceylon.[7] In 1972, the official name of the country was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka" (in Sinhala śrī laṃkā, IPA: [ˌʃɾiːˈlaŋkaː]; whereas the island itself is referred to as ලංකාව laṃkāva, IPA: [laŋˈkaːʋə], in Tamil இலங்கை ilaṅkai, iˈlaŋgai). In 1978 it was changed to "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".[8]
The current name is derived from Sanskrit word laṃkā, meaning "resplendent land",[9] which was also the name of the island as described in the ancient Indian epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
History
Main article: History of Sri Lanka
Landing of King Vijaya depicted in an Ajanta fresco.History of Sri Lanka
series
Prehistory of Sri Lanka
Early Sri Lankan History
Kings of Sri Lanka
European occupation of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka independence struggle
Independence of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan civil war
Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered at excavations in several cave sites in the Western Plains region and the South-western face of the Central Hills region. Anthropologists believe that some discovered burial rites and certain decorative artifacts exhibit similarities between the first inhabitants of the island and the early inhabitants of Southern India. Recent bioanthropological studies have however dismissed these links, and have placed the origin of the people to the northern parts of India. One of the first written references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which described the emperor Ravana as monarch of the powerful kingdom of Lanka, which was created by the divine sculptor Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the Gods.[10] English historian James Emerson Tennent also theorized Galle, a southern city in Sri Lanka, was the ancient seaport of Tarshish from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory, peacocks and other valuables. The main written accounts of the country's history are the Buddhist chronicles of Mahavansa and Dipavamsa.
The earliest-known inhabitants of the island now known as Sri Lanka were probably the ancestors of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs and numbering roughly 3,000. Linguistic analysis has found a correlation of the Sinhalese language with the languages of the Sindh and Gujarat, although most historians believe that the Sinhala community emerged well after the assimilation of various ethnic groups. From the ancient period date some remarkable archaeological sites including the ruins of Sigiriya, the so-called "Fortress in the Sky", and huge public works. Among the latter are large "tanks" or reservoirs, important for conserving water in a climate that alternates rainy seasons with dry times, and elaborate aqueducts, some with a slope as finely calibrated as one inch to the mile. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the first in the world to have established a dedicated hospital in Mihintale in the 4th century BCE. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the world's leading exporter of cinnamon, which was exported to Egypt as early as 1400 BCE. Sri Lanka was also the first Asian nation to have a female ruler in Queen Anula (47–42 BC)
Sri Lankan coin, 1st century CE.Since ancient times Sri Lanka was ruled by monarchs, most notably of the Sinha royal dynasty that lasted over 2000 years. The island was also infrequently invaded by South Indian kingdoms and parts of the island were ruled intermittently by the Chola dynasty, the Pandya dynasty, the Chera dynasty and the Pallava dynasty. The island was also invaded by the kingdoms of Kalinga (modern Orissa) and those from the Malay Peninsula. Buddhism arrived from India in the 3rd century BCE, brought by Bhikkhu Mahinda, who is believed to have been the son of Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Mahinda's mission won over the Sinhalese monarch Devanampiyatissa of Mihintale, who embraced the faith and propagated it throughout the Sinhalese population. The Buddhist kingdoms of Sri Lanka would maintain a large number of Buddhist schools and monasteries, and support the propagation of Buddhism into Southeast Asia.
Sri Lanka had always been an important port and trading post in the ancient world, and was increasingly frequented by merchant ships from the Middle East, Persia, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The islands were known to the first European explorers of South Asia and settled by many groups of Arab and Malay merchants. A Portuguese colonial mission arrived on the island in 1505 headed by the Lourenço de Almeida the son of Francisco de Almeida. At that point the island consisted of three kingdoms, namely Kandy in the central hills, Kotte at the Western coast, and Yarlpanam (Anglicised Jaffna) in the north. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century. Although much of the island came under the domain of European powers, the interior, hilly region of the island remained independent, with its capital in Kandy. The British East India Company established control of the island in 1796, declaring it a crown colony in 1802, although the island would not be officially connected with British India. The fall of the kingdom of Kandy in 1815 unified the island under British rule.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress.European colonists established a series of tea, cinnamon, rubber, sugar, coffee and indigo plantations. The British also brought a large number of indentured workers from Tamil Nadu to work in the plantation economy. The city of Colombo was established as the administrative centre, and the British established modern schools, colleges, roads and churches that brought Western-style education and culture to the native people. Increasing grievances over the denial of civil rights, mistreatment and abuse of natives by colonial authorities gave rise to a struggle for independence in the 1930s, when the Youth Leagues opposed the "Ministers' Memorandum," which asked the colonial authority to increase the powers of the board of ministers without granting popular representation or civil freedoms. During World War II, the island served as an important Allied military base. A large segment of the British and American fleet were deployed on the island, as were tens of thousands of soldiers committed to the war against Japan in Southeast Asia.
Following the war, popular pressure for independence intensified. On February 4, 1948 the country won its independence as the Commonwealth of Ceylon. Don Stephen Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. On July 21, 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike took office as prime minister, and became the first female head of government in post-colonial Asia and the first female prime minister in the world. In 1972, the country became a republic within the Commonwealth, and the name was changed to Sri Lanka. The island enjoyed good relations with the United Kingdom and had the British Royal Navy stationed at Trincomalee.
Since 1983, there has been on-and-off civil war, predominantly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), a separatist militant organization who fight to create an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island.
Geography and climate
Main article: Geography of Sri Lanka
Main cities in Sri Lanka.The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.[11] According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama by the vanara architect Nala. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge, it now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level.[11] According to colonial British reports, this is a natural causeway which was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm in 1480.[12] The width of the Palk Strait is small enough for the coast of Sri Lanka to be visible from the furthest point near the Indian town of Rameswaram.[citation needed] The tear drop shaped island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. Amongst these are Sri Pada (Adams Peak) and the highest point Pidurutalagala, at 2,524 meters (8,281 ft). The Mahaweli ganga (Mahaweli river) and other major rivers provide fresh water to the population.[13]
Topographical map of Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's climate can be described as tropical, and quite hot. Its position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm climate, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture.[14] The mean temperature ranges from a low of 16 °C (61 °F) in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands (where frost may occur for several days in the winter) to a high of 32 °C (90 °F) in Trincomalee on the northeast coast (where temperatures may reach 38 °C (100 °F)). The average yearly temperature for the country as a whole ranges from 28° to 30 °C (82–86 °F). Day and night temperatures may vary by 4 to 7 °C (7–13 °F). In January, the coolest month, many people wear coats and sweaters in the highlands and elsewhere. May, the hottest period, precedes the summer monsoon rains. The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, which encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2,500 millimetres (98 in) of rain per month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. Periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. Between December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. Humidity is typically higher in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal patterns of rainfall. At Colombo, for example, daytime humidity stays above 70% all year, rising to almost 90 percent during the monsoon season in June. Anuradhapura experiences a daytime low of 60% during the monsoon month of March, but a high of 79% during the November and December rains. In the highlands, Kandy's daytime humidity usually ranges between 70 and 79%.
Flora and fauna
Mountain forests in Sri Lanka.Main article: Ecology of Sri Lanka
The mountains and the southwestern part of the country, known as the "wet zone," receive ample rainfall (an annual average of 2500 millimetres). Most of the southeast, east, and northern parts of the country comprise the "dry zone," which receives between 1200 and 1900 mm (47–75 in) of rain annually. Much of the rain in these areas falls from October to January; during the rest of the year there is very little precipitation, and all living creatures must conserve precious moisture. The arid northwest and southeast coasts receive the least amount of rain — 600 to 1200 mm (24–47 in) per year — However, though many say that there are no really dry areas in Sri Lanka, there are many pockets of very dry and abandoned areas where there is little to no rainwater. Varieties of flowering acacias are well adapted to the arid conditions and flourish on the Jaffna Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-land forests are some valuable species, such as satinwood, ebony, ironwood, and mahogany and teak. In the wet zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands is a tropical evergreen forest, with tall trees, broad foliage, and a dense undergrowth of vines and creepers.
Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes. Forests at one time covered nearly the entire island, but by the late 20th century lands classified as forests and forest reserves covered around one-third of the land.[15] As the area covered by forests declined, thereby threatening various species of wildlife, Sri Lanka became the first country in the world to establish a wildlife sanctuary.[16] Among them, the Ruhunu National Park in the southeast protects herds of elephant, deer, and peacocks, and the Wilpattu National Park in the northwest preserves the habitats of many water birds, such as storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. During the Mahaweli Ganga Program of the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside four areas of land totaling 1,900 km² (730 sq mi) as national parks. The island has three biosphere reserves, Hurulu, Sinharaja, and the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya.
The national flower of Sri Lanka is Nil Manel (Nymphaea stelleta),[17] the national tree is Na (Mesua nagassarium)[18] and the national bird is the Sri Lanka Junglefowl, which is endemic to the country.[19]
Government and politics
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Colombo.Main article: Politics of Sri Lanka
The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes a democratic, socialist republic in Sri Lanka, which is also a unitary state. The government is a mixture of the presidential system and the parliamentary system. The President of Sri Lanka is the head of state, the commander in chief of the armed forces, as well as head of government, and is popularly elected for a six-year term. In the exercise of duties, the President is responsible to the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which is a unicameral 225-member legislature. The President appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers composed of elected members of parliament. The President's deputy is the Prime Minister, who leads the ruling party in parliament and shares many executive responsibilities, mainly in domestic affairs.
Members of parliament are elected by universal (adult) suffrage based on a modified proportional representation system by district to a six-year term. The primary modification is that, the party that receives the largest number of valid votes in each constituency gains a unique "bonus seat." The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve Parliament any time after it has served for one year. The parliament reserves the power to make all laws. On July 1, 1960 the people of Sri Lanka elected the first-ever female head of government in Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga served multiple terms as prime minister and as president from 1999 to 2005. The current president and prime minister, both of whom took office on November 21, 2005, are Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake respectively.
Sri Lanka has enjoyed the longest period of continuous multi-party democracy with universal suffrage in a non-western country (since 1931). Politics in Sri Lanka are controlled by rival coalitions led by the left-wing Sri Lanka Freedom Party, headed by President Rajapaksa, the comparatively right-wing United National Party led by former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Marxist JVP. There are also many smaller Buddhist, socialist and Tamil nationalist political parties that oppose the separatism of the LTTE but demand regional autonomy and increased civil rights. Since 1948, Sri Lanka has been a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations. It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Colombo Plan, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Through the Cold War-era, Sri Lanka followed a foreign policy of non-alignment but has remained closer to the United States and Western Europe. The military of Sri Lanka comprises the Sri Lankan Army, the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sri Lankan Air Force. These are administered by the Ministry of Defence. Since the 1980s, the army has led the government response against the Marxist militants of the JVP and now the LTTE militant forces. Sri Lanka receives considerable military assistance from Pakistan and China [20].
See also: Foreign relations of Sri Lanka and Military of Sri Lanka
Administrative divisions
Provinces of Sri LankaMain articles: Provinces of Sri Lanka and Districts of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces[21] and 25 districts.[22] Each province is administered by a directly-elected provincial council:
Province Capital Districts
1 Central Kandy Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya
2 North Central Anuradhapura Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa
3 Northern Jaffna Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullativu
4 Eastern Trincomalee Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee
5 North Western Kurunegala Kurunagala, Puttalam
6 Southern Galle Galle, Hambanthota, Mathara
7 Uva Badulla Badulla, Monaragala
8 Sabaragamuwa Ratnapura Kegalle, Rathnapura
9 Western Colombo Colombo, Gampaha, Kaluthara
The districts are further subdivided into Divisional Secretariats, and these in turn to Grama Sevaka divisions.
Economy
The World Trade Centre in Colombo.
Sri Lanka's most well-known export: Ceylon tea (black)Main article: Economy of Sri Lanka
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy, famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon tea, which remains a trademark national export. The development of modern ports under British rule raised the strategic importance of the island as a centre of trade. During World War II, the island hosted important military installations and Allied forces. However, the plantation economy aggravated poverty and economic inequality. From 1948 to 1977 socialism strongly influenced the government's economic policies. Colonial plantations were dismantled, industries were nationalised and a welfare state established. While the standard of living and literacy improved significantly, the nation's economy suffered from inefficiency, slow growth and lack of foreign investment.
From 1977 the UNP government began incorporating privatisation, deregulation and promotion of private enterprise. While the production and export of tea, rubber, coffee, sugar and other agricultural commodities remains important, the nation has moved steadily towards an industrialised economy with the development of food processing, textiles, telecommunications and finance. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of export, and further declined to 16.8% in 2005 (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments have reached 63%. The GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3%. The year of 2001 saw the first recession in the country's history, as a result of power shortages, budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Signs of recovery appeared after the 2002 ceasefire. The Colombo Stock Exchange reported the highest growth in the world for 2003, and today Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia.
Arugam Point at the Arugam Bay beach a tourist attractive place.In April 2004, there was a sharp reversal in economic policy after the government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party was defeated by a coalition made up of Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the leftist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United People's Freedom Alliance. The new government stopped the privatization of state enterprises and reforms of state utilities such as power and petroleum, and embarked on a subsidy program called the Rata Perata economic program. Its main theme to support the rural and suburban SMEs and protect the domestic economy from external influences, such as oil prices, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
See also: Tea industry of Sri Lanka and Tourism in Sri Lanka
Transport
Main article: Transportation in Sri Lanka
Colombo-Galle Face GreenMost Sri Lankan cities and towns are connected by the Sri Lanka Railways, the state-run national railway operator. The first railway line was inaugurated on April 26, 1867, linking Colombo with Kandy. The total length of Sri Lankan roads exceeds 11,000 kilometres (6,840 mi), with a vast majority of them being paved. The government has launched several highway projects to bolster the economy and national transport system, including the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the Colombo-Kandy (Kadugannawa) Expressway, the Colombo-Padeniya Expressway and the Outer Circular Highway to ease Colombo's traffic congestion. There are also plans to build a major bridge connecting Jaffna to the Indian city of Chennai.
The Ceylon Transport Board is the state-run agency responsible for operating public bus services across the island. Sri Lanka also maintains 430 kilometres (270 mi) of inland waterways. It has three deep-water ports at Colombo, Trincomalee and Galle. There is also a smaller, shallower harbour at Kankesanturai, north of Jaffna. There are twelve paved airports and two unpaved airstrips in the country. SriLankan Airlines is the official national carrier, partly owned and operated by Emirates. It was voted the best airline in South Asia by Skytrax. SriLankan Air Taxi is the smaller, domestic arm of the national carrier, while Expo Aviation and Lankair are private airline companies. The Bandaranaike International Airport is the country's only international airport, located in Katunayaka, 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Colombo.
Military
Main article: Military of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan soldiers have taken part in many wars throughout its history, including the Boer War and both World Wars (under the command of the British at the time). In the course of the civil war, the military has been transformed from a ceremonial force to a modern army. Since 2004, Sri Lankan troops have been a part of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti, which is the country's first major overseas mission.
The military of Sri Lanka is organized into three branches: Army, Navy, and Air Force. Since independence, its primary mission has been the targeting of armed groups within the country, most notably engaging in a 25 year long war with the LTTE. The LTTE is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries (see list).
Demographics
Population growth in Sri Lanka.Main article: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the 53rd most populated nation in the world, with an annual population growth rate of 0.79%. Sri Lanka has a birth rate of 15.63 births per 1,000 people and a death rate of 6.49 deaths per 1,000 people. Population density is the greatest in western Sri Lanka, especially in and around Colombo. There is a small population on the island of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs. These are believed to be the oldest and indigenous ethnic group to inhabit the island. The Sinhalese people form the largest ethnic group in the nation, composing approximately 81.9% of the total population. Tamils are concentrated in the North, East, Central and Western provinces of the country. Tamils who were brought as indentured labourers from India by British colonists to work on estate plantations, nearly 50% of whom were repatriated following independence in 1948,[23][page # needed] are called "Indian Origin" Tamils. They are distinguished from the native Tamil population that has resided in Sri Lanka since ancient times. According to 2001 census data Indian Tamils makeup 5.1% of the Sri Lankan population and, Sri Lankan Tamils 4.3%. Though this figure only accounted for Sri Lankan Tamils in government-controlled areas, not accounting for those in rebel-held territories. There is a significant population (8.0%) of Moors, who trace their lineage to Arab traders and immigrants from the Middle East. Their presence is concentrated in the cities and the central and eastern provinces. There are also small ethnic groups such as the Burghers (of mixed European descent) and Malays from Southeast Asia.
The Buddha statue at Mihintale.Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka. English is spoken by approximately 10% of the population, and is widely used for education, scientific and commercial purposes. Members of the Burgher community speak variant forms of Portuguese Creole and Dutch with varying proficiency, while members of the Malay community speak a form of creole Malay that is unique to the island. Sri Lanka also enjoys significant religious diversity. Approximately 69% of Sri Lankans are adherents of Buddhism.[24][25] Theravada Buddhism is the predominant school, with distinctive sects such as Ramanna Nikaya, Amarapura Nikaya and Siam Nikaya being widely followed. Buddhism in Sri Lanka has been deeply influenced by indigenous faiths and traditions, as well as the influences of prevailing Buddhist schools in South East Asia. The ancient and famous Sri Dalada Maligawa or "Temple of the Tooth" is the principal Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka, and by tradition houses the Tooth of Buddha. It is visited every year by millions of pilgrims. There are many other famous religious institutions in Sri Lanka that attract many visitors daily. Hinduism is practiced by 7.9% of the population, mainly from the Tamil community. Christianity is practiced by 7% of the population, especially by Burgher people though most Christians are Sinhalese or Tamils. While most Sri Lankan Christians are Catholics, there are also significant numbers who adhere to Dutch Reformed Church and the Anglican Communion. Islam in Sri Lanka is practiced by 8.5% of the population and its adherents are almost entirely Moors and Malays.
See also: Religion in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Buddhism, Hinduism in Sri Lanka, and Islam in Sri Lanka
Culture and arts
Hoppers, a Sri Lankan delicacy.Main article: Culture of Sri Lanka
The island is the home of two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese (centered in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centered in the city of Jaffna). In more recent times a British colonial culture was added, and lately Sri Lanka, particularly in the urban areas, has experienced a dramatic makeover in the western mold. Until recently, for example, most Sri Lankans, certainly those in the villages, have eaten traditional food, engaged in traditional crafts and expressed themselves through traditional arts. But economic growth and intense economic competition in developed countries has spilled over to most of Sri Lanka, producing changes that might variously be identified as progress, westernisation or a loss of identity and assimilation.
Traditional food
Elephants at the Esala Perahera.Sri Lankans have added western influences to the customary diet such as rice and curry, pittu (mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould). Kiribath (cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called "lunumiris"), wattalapam (rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon cloves and nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers ("appa"), batter cooked rapidly in a hot curved pan, accompanied by eggs, milk or savouries. Sri Lankan food also has Dutch and Portuguese influences, with the island's Burgher community preserving this culture through traditional favourites such as Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana leaf), Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake) and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style layer cake).
Festivals
Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival Every year on April 13th Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate, and Muslims celebrate Ramasan. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly-decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city bearing the tooth of Buddha.
Cinema
Kadawunu Poronduwa 1947Sri Lankan cinema in past years has featured subjects such as family relationships, love stories and the years of conflict between the military and Tamil Tiger rebels. Many films are in the Sinhalese language and the Sri Lankan cinematic style is similar to Indian cinema.
The first film to be produced and shown in Sri Lanka was Kadawunu Poronduwa (The Broken Promise) which was released in 1947. The first colour film of Sri Lanka was Ran Muthu Doova.
Afterwards there were many Sinhalese movies produced in Sri Lanka and some of them, such as Nidhanaya, received several international film awards. The most influential filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema is Lester James Peiris who has directed many movies of excellent quality which led to global acclaim. His latest film, 'Wekanda Walawwa' (Mansion by the Lake) became the first movie to be submitted from Sri Lanka for the Best Foreign Language film award at the Academy Awards. In 2005 the director Vimukthi Jayasundara became the first Sri Lankan to win the prestigious Camera d’Or award for Best First Film, or any award for that matter, at the Cannes Film Festival for his Sinhalese language film Sulanga Enu Pinisa (The Forsaken Land). Controversial filmmaker Asoka Handagama's films are considered by many in the Sri Lankan film world to be the best films of honest response to the ethnic conflict currently raging in the country. Prasanna Vithanage is one of Sri Lanka's most notable filmmakers. His films have won many awards, both local and international. Recent releases like 'Sooriya Arana', 'Samanala thatu', and 'Hiripoda wessa' have attracted Sri Lankans to cinemas. Sri Lankan films are usually in the Sinhalese language. Tamil language movies are also filmed in Sri Lanka but they are not part of Kollywood which is Indian Tamil cinema. However some Kollywood films are based in Sri Lanka as well.
Music
The earliest music came from the theater at a time when the traditional open-air drama (referred to in Sinhala as Kolam, Sokari and Nadagam). In 1903 the first music album, Nurthi, was released through Radio Ceylon. Also Vernon Corea introduced Sri Lankan music in the English Service of Radio Ceylon.
In the early 1960s, Indian music in films greatly influenced Sri Lankan music and later Sri Lankan stars like Sunil Shantha found greater popularity among Indian people. By 1963, Radio Ceylon had more Indian listeners than Sri Lankan ones. The notable songwriters Mahagama Sekara and Ananda Samarakoon made a Sri Lankan music revolution. At the peak of this revolution, musicians such as W. D. Amaradeva, H.R. Jothipala, Milton Mallawarachchi, M.S. Fernando, Annesley Malewana and Clarence Wijewardene did great work.
See also: Ceylon tea (black), Cuisine of Sri Lanka, Fashion Industry of Sri Lanka, Kandyan Dance, Cinema of Sri Lanka, and Music of Sri Lanka
Religions
Buddhism is followed by over 70% of the population
The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna is an important place for Hindus in Sri LankaMain article: Religion in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a multi ethnic and multi religious population. Buddhism constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population of the island,[26] most of whom follow the Theravada school of Buddhism.[27] According to traditional Sri Lankan chronicles, Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the 2nd century BCE by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiyatissa.[27] During this time, a sapling of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment was brought to Sri Lanka and the first monasteries were established under the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan king. The Pali Canon (Thripitakaya), having previously been preserved as an oral tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BC.[28]
Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any Buddhist nation,[27] with the Sangha having existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in the 2nd century BCE. During periods of decline, the Sri Lankan monastic lineage was revived through contact with Thailand and Burma.[28] Periods of Mahayana influence, as well as official neglect under colonial rule, created great challenges for Theravada Buddhist institutions in Sri Lanka, but repeated revivals and resurgences — most recently in the 19th century — have kept the Theravada tradition alive for over 2000 years.
The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in Colombo. Islam was brought to Sri Lanka by Arab MerchantsFollowers of Islam comprise approximately eight percent of the population,[26] having been brought to the island by Arab traders over the course of many centuries.[29] Hinduism was primarily established in Sri Lanka by migrants and often invaders from southern India,[30] and Hindus now constitute seven percent of the population, mostly of the Shaivite school.[26] European colonists introduced Christianity to the country in the 16th century,[31] and the religion has been adopted by around six percent of the population.[26]
Religion plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their own holidays. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and many mosques, Hindu temples and churches across the island, especially in areas where respective communities are concentrated. Buddhists are distributed across most parts of the island except in the north. Hindus are concentrated in north, east, and central high lands. Christians, particularly Roman Catholics are mainly concentrated along the western coastal belt. Muslims are concentrated in several pockets along the coast and in interior. All religious communities are represented in western province and in other urban centers in sizable numbers.
Media
Main article: Media in Sri Lanka
See also: List of newspapers in Sri Lanka and List of television networks in Sri Lanka
The national radio station, Radio Ceylon is the oldest-running radio station in Asia.[32][33] It was established in 1923 by Edward Harper just three years after broadcasting was launched in Europe.[34] It remains one of the most popular stations in Asia, with its programming reaching neighboring Asian nations. The station is managed by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and broadcasts services in Sinhalese, Tamil, English and Hindi. Since the 1980s, a large number of private radio stations have also being introduced, and they have gained commercial popularity and success. Broadcast television was introduced to the country in 1979 when the Independent Television Network was launched. Initially all Television stations were state controlled, but private television networks began broadcasts in 1992.[35] Global television networks from India, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States are also widely popular, and cable and satellite television is gaining in popularity with Sri Lanka's middle-class. Popular publications include the English language Daily Mirror and The Sunday Observer and The Sunday Times, Divayina, Lankadeepa and Lakbima in Sinhalese and the Tamil publications Dinakaran and Uthayan.
Education
Main article: Education in Sri Lanka
With a literacy rate of 92%, and 83% of the total population having had Secondary Education,[36] Sri Lanka has one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations.[37] An education system which dictates 9 years of Compulsory Schooling for every child is in place, with 99% of the children entering the first grade.[36] A free education system initiated in 1945[38] by Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara, a former minister of education, has greatly contributed to this. Mr. Kannangara led the establishment of the Madhya Maha Vidyalayas (Great Central Schools) in different parts of the country in order to provide education to Sri Lanka's rural population. In 1942 a special education committee proposed extensive reforms to establish an efficient and quality education system for the people. In recent decades, a large number of private and international schools have been established across the nation. The International Baccalaureate and General Certificate of Secondary Education are popular education programmes.
Most secondary schools in Sri Lanka provide education from grades 1 to 13 in the same institution. Students sit for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination (O/Levels) in grade 11 and the GCE Advanced Level Examination (A/levels) in grade 13. These schools are modelled on British colleges and universities. A majority of them are public, but a number of elite private schools do exist. While most reputed schools centered around large cities are usually single-sex institutions, rural schools tend to be coeducational.
Sri Lanka has a number of large public universities. They include the University of Colombo, the University of Kelaniya, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, the University of Moratuwa, the University of Peradeniya, the University of Jaffna, the University of Ruhuna, the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka and the Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka. However the lack of space in these institutions and the unwillingness to establish private universities has led to a large number of students been denied entry into formal universities. As a result, a number of private institutions have emerged, which provide specialised education in a variety of fields, such as computer science, business administration and arts. These include the government owned Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology and the Institute of Technological Studies.
See also: Universities in Sri Lanka
Sports
A Test match between Sri Lanka and England at the SCC Ground, Colombo, March 2001.While the national sport in Sri Lanka is volleyball,[39] by far the most popular sport in the country is cricket.[39] Rugby also enjoy extensive popularity, as do aquatic sports, athletics, football and tennis. Sri Lanka's schools and colleges regularly organize sports and athletics teams, competing on provincial and national levels. The Sri Lankan cricket team achieved considerable success beginning in the 1990s, rising from underdog status to winning the 1996 World Cup,[40] as well as the Asia Cup in 1996 and 2004. Sri Lanka remains one of the leading cricketing nations in the world, with the national team reaching the finals of Cricket World Cup 2007, where they lost to Australia.[41]
Sri Lanka has a large number of sports stadiums, including the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, the R. Premadasa Stadium and the Rangiri Dumbulla Stadium in Dambulla as well as the Galle International Stadium. The country co-hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Pakistan, and has hosted the Asia Cup tournament on numerous occasions. It will also co-host the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Aquatic sports such as boating, surfing, swimming and scuba diving on the coast, the beaches and backwaters attract a large number of Sri Lankans and foreign tourists.
See also: Sri Lanka national cricket team
See also
History Wanniyala-Aetto | Dipavamsa | Mahavamsa | Culavamsa | Vijaya | Sigiriya | Dambulla | Anuradhapura | Polonnaruwa | Buduruvagala | Jaffna Kingdom | Kandyan Wars | Rebellion of 1818 | Rebellion of 1848 | Sri Lanka independence struggle | Sri Lankan Civil War | Names of Sri Lanka | List of rulers of Sri Lanka | Ancient Capitals of Sri Lanka | Ancient Constructions of Sri Lanka | Architecture of ancient Sri Lanka | Ancient Stupas of Sri Lanka | World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
Government President of Sri Lanka | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Prime Minister of Sri Lanka | Parliament of Sri Lanka | Supreme Court | Demographics | Provinces | Districts | Elections | Foreign Relations | Political parties | Military | Police
Economy Communications | Central Bank of Sri Lanka | Bank of Ceylon | Commercial Bank of Ceylon | SriLankan Airlines | Sri Lankan rupee | Colombo | Ceylon Tea | Ceylon Mercantile Union | Transport | Gems of Sri Lanka | Colombo Stock Exchange
Culture Buddhism | Hinduism | Islam | Sinhala | Tamil | Music | Cuisine | Radio Ceylon | Religion | Literature | Cricket | Sri Lankan English | Cinema of Sri Lanka
Education Ananda College | Eastern University of Sri Lanka | Maliyadeva College | Nalanda College | Royal College, Colombo | Trinity College, Kandy | University of Colombo | University of Kelaniya | University of Sri Jayawardhenapura | University of Moratuwa | University of Jaffna | University of Peradeniya | University of Ruhuna | Zahira College | Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology| Sri Lanka Scout Association
International ties of Sri Lanka
Geographical and geopolitical: Asia | South Asia | Indies
Historical and cultural: Commonwealth of Nations
International organisations: United Nations | World Trade Organization | ADB | SAARC | Non-Aligned Movement | International Monetary Fund | World Bank Group
G24 | Group of 77 | Colombo Plan | Group of Fifteen (G15)
References
^ Department of Census and Statistics Estimated mid year population by sex and age, 2003 - 2005
^ Pearl of the Indian Ocean, The Sunday Tribune
^ British Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the moment a Japanese fleet prepared to invade Sri Lanka as "the most dangerous and distressing moment of the entire conflict." - Commonwealth Air Training Program Museum, The Saviour of Ceylon
^ Abeydeera, Ananda. In Search of Taprobane: the Western discovery and mapping of Ceylon. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ "Sri Lanka - The Pearl of the Orient". Metropolis. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Rajasingham, K T. "Sri Lanka: The untold story". Asia Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Zubair, Lareef. Etymologies of Lanka, Serendib, Taprobane and Ceylon. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ "Chapter I - The People, The State And Sovereignty". THe Constitution Of The Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ de Silva, Colin. "Sri Lanka, The 'Resplendent Isle'", The New York Times, February 14, 1982. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
^ Keshavadas, Sant (1988). Ramayana at a Glance. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120805453.
^ a b BBC News, Gods row minister offers to quit, September 15, 2007
^ Rediff, Ramar Sethu, a world heritage centre?, July 4, 2007
^ Paranavitana, Senarat; Nicholas, Cyril Wace (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon. Colombo: Ceylon University Press, p.2-5. OCLC 465385.
^ BBC Weather'\, Country Guide: Sri Lanka
^ EarthTrends, Environmental Information, Forests, Grasslands, and Drylands-- Sri Lanka
^ Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, [1]
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Flower
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Tree
^ Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal, National Bird
^ Bedi, Rahul. "Sri Lanka turns to Pakistan, China for military needs", IANS, Urdustan.com Network, 2007-06-02. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.
^ Constitution of Sri Lanka, Eighth Schedule
^ Constitution of Sri Lanka, First Schedule
^ Hoole, Rajan (2001). Sri Lanka: The Arrogance of Power. University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna). ISBN 978-9559447047.
^ Sri Lanka in Brief. Government of Sri Lanka (2006-01-19). Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
^ Central Intelligence Agency (2007-10-04). Sri Lanka. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
^ a b c d The World Factbook: Sri Lanka. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ a b c Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Buddhist Studies
^ a b Theravada Buddhism and Shan/Thai/Dai/Laos Regions, Maung Chan, 2005-03-28
^ Lankan Muslims' historical links with India, Indian Muslims, April 3, 2006
^ Hinduism In Sri Lanka, Discover Sri Lanka
^ Young, R. F., & Sēnānāyaka, J. E. B. (1998), The carpenter-heretic: a collection of Buddhist stories about Christianity from 18th century Sri Lanka, Colombo: Karunaratne & Sons.
^ ApacheCon, Sri Lanka
^ Central Queensland University, A Case Study of Sri Lankan Media
^ Info Lanka, Sri Lanka's National Media
^ Press reference, SRI LANKA Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers
^ a b Figures as of 2004/2005. UNICEF, Sri Lanka: Statistics
^ Chandra Gunawardene, Problems of illiteracy in a literate developing society
^ De Silva, K.M. (1981). A Short History of Sri Lanka. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 472. ISBN 0-520-04320-0.
^ a b Sri Lanka development gateway, Sports
^ The Guardian, Sri Lanka light up the world
^ Cricinfo, Final: Australia v Sri Lanka at Bridgetown, Apr 28, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
