Batticaloa in Sri Lanka

Contact ;- Email;- lasantha777@hotmail.com
 Mobile;- +94 777 856 771

 

Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, 69 miles (111 km) south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.

Batticaloa is a Portuguese derivation. The original name of the region being the Sinhalese "Madda Kalapuwa" (translation: Mud Lagoon). This is assumed to have been adapted by the later Tamil settlers.According to Mattakallappu Manmiyam the word Mattakkallpu consists Tamil words "Mattu" means honey or Matta-derived from "Mattam" means (Flat) and geographical name KaLappu. Mukkuwa named this place as KaLappu-Mattam or boundary of lagoon later it became Matta-Kallappu or Flat Lagoon. Similarly the Mattu-Kallppu or "Confluence of Honey River" became Mattakkallappu.

Batticaloa is in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka on a flat coastal plain boarded by the Indian Ocean in the east occupies the central part of the eastern Sri Lanka. Its average elevation is around 5 meters. Scenic beauty of the Batticaloa is the Lagoons. Batticaloa district has three lagoons such as Batticaloa Lagoon, Valaichchenai Lagoon, and Vakari (Panichch ankerni) Lagoon. Among these lagoon, Batticaloa Lagoon is the largest lagoon and has 56 km long 162 square km area, extending from Pankudaweli in North and Kalmunai in South.

The earliest historical artifacts are a dagaba and Chatra from the Ruhuna kingdom of King Kavantissa (1st century BC), found in the Dutch fort built in the seventeenth century CE. Many archeological sites dating to pre-Christian times have been found in this region. Thus Lankavihara, Roththei (Roththa) temple, Kinnaragala, Rahathgala (Shanthamalai), Veheragalkanda (Pulukunai), eluvamulla (Pullumuilai), and Taaththon Kovil, are some sites identified and listed by the Government archaeological survey. Many towns of the area show toponymic evidence, as well as evidence from stone inscriptions, of ancient sites related to 'Seruvavila' and other Buddhist shrines of the area. Although a large number of ancient historical sites have been identified, archaeological excavations and detailed studies have been very limited. A map of the Buddhist sites in the eastern coastal belt near Batticaloa and extending towards Trincomalee has been given in a "Buddhist Times" publication.