Batticaloa

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Batticaloa (மட்டக்களப்பு in Tamil මඩකළපුව in Sinhala) is the provincial capital of the eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is also the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, 69 m. South by South East of Trincomalee, situated on an island.

Contents 1 Modern Batticaloa City 2 Geography 3 Educational institutions 4 Religious institutions 5 Economic activities 6 Demography 7 History 7.1 Early History 7.2 History after the fall of Polonnaruwa 7.3 Place in the current civil war 8 2004 Tsunami 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Modern Batticaloa City

The city has five main divisions.

• Pullianthivu:Seat of many government department and offices, schools, banks religious places, General Hospital, Weber Stadium and Shops. Nowadays many NGO offices including ICRC, UN, UNICEF, WORLD VISION etc.are located also.

• Koddamunai: Schools, Banks,Sri Lanka Telecom regional office for East, Shops and many government offices are located. Two bridges called Perya Palam and Puthuppalam are connects Pulianthivu island with Koddaminai land mass.
• Kallady: Here there are many Government buildings and private industries, schools, hospitals and Eatern University Medical Faculty. Kallady Lady Manning bridge (the longest bridge in Sri Lanka) connects Kallady and Arasay.

• Puthur: This is where the domestic airport of Batticaloa is located.

[edit] Geography

Batticaloa district is divided into two sections by a lagoon. They are called Ezhuvan Karai or East coast and Paduvan Karai and West coast. Tamil people in these two sections differ in caste and are called Vellalar and Karaiyar, the latter being at the coast. Farmers live inland around the Kokaddicholai area. Kaththankudi is a suburb south of Batticaloa. Batticaloa mainly populated by Tamil Hindu's. Many ancient dams, irrigation tanks, and abandoned villages from ancient times exist in this region. This also near [jungle] areas.

Climate

Batticaloa is one of three warmest cities in Sri Lanka; the others are Trincomalee and Vavuniya. The dry season in Batticaloa runs from March to November and the monsoon season runs from December to February. Batticaloa is regarded as part of the "dry zone" of Sri Lanka.

Average and high temperatures

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Jan - 28.9C(32C) Feb - 30.3C(33C) Mar - 32.7C(35C) Apr - 33.1C(36C) May - 34.7C(39C) Jun - 36.3C(45C) Jul - 35.5C(42C) Aug - 35.0C(38C) Sep - 34.4C(37C) Oct - 34.0C(36C) Nov - 33.4C(34C) Dec - 31.6C(33C) here C is degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 14m (551in.); the average temperature 26.9C or 80.4°Fahrenheit. The MKS system as well as Celsius degrees are used in Sri lanka.

[edit] Educational institutions

The first educational institution established in Batticaloa was Bt. Methodist Central College, Batticaloa, founded in 1814. Other noteworthy intitutions are: Cecilias Convent, Hindu College, St. Vincent Girls High School, St. Michael's College, and Shivananda Maha Vidyalayam. The Eastern University of Sri Lanka(EUSL), located in Vantharumoolai 16 km north of Batticaloa, was founded in 1980. Its development has been interrupted by the civil war. It is the cultural and economic focal point of the district of Batticaloa and extends its influence towards Trincomalee as well.

[edit] Religious institutions

There are many Hindu temples in an around Batticaloa. Puliyanthivu Anaipanthy Sri Sithy Vigneswarar Alayam, Puliyanthivu Sithiravelayutha Swamy Koyil, Puliyanthivu Thiroupathaiyaman Koyil, sitrandy murukan kovil, Sri Thakkaiyageswara Kovil, Vaivy Road, Batticaloa, and Sivan Kovil, Navatkudha are important from a devotional point of view. The Mandur (மண்டூர்) temple is in the southern end, while the Mamangeshwarar temple is in the western-most edge at Muhaththuvaram (முகத்துவாரம்). The latter is a historic harbour and ancient Buddhist shrine, mentioned in the "Dhathu Vamsa". While the Dagaba and shrine in the Dutch Fort is the oldest (1st century CE), Mangalaramaya is a well known modern Buddhist temple in Batticaloa. The Colany Mosque, and the Koddamunai Dharga and Madrasa are two note worthy Muslim institutions. There are a large number of mosques in the region ^[1].

[edit] Economic activities

Rice and coconuts are the two staples of the district, and steamers trading round the island call regularly at the port. The lagoon is famous for its "singing fish," supposed to be shell-fish which give forth musical notes. The district has a remnant of Veddahs or wild men of the wood. Prior to the Sri Lankan civil war, there were large scale shrimp farms as well as fish and rice processing activities. Currently the economic activities are related to trading due to the effect of the civil war.

Transport

Batticaloa is the terminus of a Broad gauge branch railway of the Sri Lanka Government Railway network.
Batticaloa Airport is a military air force base.

[edit] Demography

Batticaloa is on the East coast, 314 km from Colombo. The population of 515,707 consists mainly of Tamils, Moors, Sinhalese, Euro-Asian Portuguese Burghers and indigenous Vedda population. Earlier census data show more Sinhalese than today; but their population, as well as the Muslim population has decreased with the rise of the LTTE which engaged in ethinic cleansing against non-Tamil groups. The civil war in Sri Lanka has also led to many Sinhalese, Muslims and even Tamils to move to the south.^{[citation needed]}

Thus the 1981 census gave a figure of 10,646 Sinhalese, while the 2000 census records only about 150 Sinhalese. Similarly, the 76,000 Moors in 1981 has reduced to about 47,000 in the 2000 census. By contrast, the Tamil population of about 234,000 in 1981 has increased to about 353,000 by the year 2000.

The District of Batticaloa itself consists of several administrative divisions, which are: Manmunai North, Manmunai West, Manmunai South West, Manmunai South & East Pattu, Manmunai Pattu, Koralai Pattu North, Porativu Pattu, Kattankudy, Eravur Pattu, Eravur Town, Koralai Pattu and Koralai Pattu West. Some 515,707 persons (50.9% female) were recorded in the 2000 census, constituting 128,689 families. Religion based statistics in the year 2000 are: Hindus 68%, Christians 5.9%, Molsims 25%, with a small numbers of Buddhists and others [Source: Department of Census & Statics, Sri Lanka]. These figures became evn more polarized towards Hindus during the LTTE occupation which came to an end in 2007 (see Eelam War IV).^{[citation needed]}

According to the 2001 census, the total population was 486,447. Of which 6,345 were Sinhalese, 362,431 Ceylonese Tamil, 727 Estate Tamil, 114,111 Moor, 2,696 Burgher and 21 Malay. [1]

[edit] History

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Main article: History of Eastern Tamils

How did the name originate? There are several versions of the origin of the name "Madaklapuva" (Sinhala), and "Mattakalapu" in Tamil. In analysing this, S. Caseichetty in The Ceylon Gazetter , 1834, explains the etymology of the Tamil word as arising from the Sinhala, which means "muddy lagoon". Fr. S. Gnanaprakasar has given a similar analysis. The word "Kallappu" does not exist in the Madras or Winslow Tamil lexicons, or in any Chankam literary sources. Madakalapuva was a part of the "Digamadulla" province of the pre-Christian kingdom of Ruhuna which existed until the rise of the strong unified government of Parakramabahu. Other theories are found in contemporary Tamil writings. Thus, according to "Mattakalapu Manmium" a book about the history of Batticaloa by F.X.C.Nataraja the name "Mattakalapu" is claimed to have two possible origins. Since the honey production from the forests around the lagoon was very large, the people are said to have named the town in Tamil as "Mattu Kalpu (Thenaru Kallakum Nadu)" which literally means "The land of confluence of honey river". The word 'small islands in the sea coast' is claimed to be "Kallappu"in Tamil dictionaries.

Another legend, which contradicts the previous one is that a group of people called Mukkuva from Estern India reached their destination at the forests around the lagoon. It is claimed that he Mukkuvas gave the name "Kallpu-Mattam" which was called "Matta-Kallappu", indicating the destination of Mukkuva's voyage and the water is flat. These legends have no serious academic backing but have some interest as folk lore.

The Batticaloa fort was built by the Portuguese in 1628 and was the first to be captured by the Dutch (18 May 1638). It is one of the most picturesque of the small Dutch fort of Sri Lanka, it’s situated in an island, still in good condition. Near Batticaloa the Portuguese had a tiny fort at Tanavare (there is a map of it but no remains) There is a 1st century CE Buddhist Dagaba inside the Dutch fort.

[edit] Early History

Natural disasters affected the Eastern Province population through out history. As such it has been a target of destruction and settlement by various races. Tamils were the first to settle after the Veddhas. The local population is a mixture of Tamils and Sinhalese. The Kandyan Kings have ruled Eastern Province throughout history. Thus the racial mixture was ensured by the Kandyan kings marrying into the families of Batticaloa rulers. Dutch invasion took place through Batticaloa with the alliance of Batticaloa rulers and Kandyan king Rajasinghe. Both were Tamils and Hindus. even though the Kandyan Kingdom was Sinhala Buddhist to the core, the kings were Tamil Hindus of Travancore Nayakkar origin.

Since Kandyan kings were of Travancore origin they brought ship loads of Mappilla Muslims from Kerala as the trading partners of the kingdom and granted asylum when the Portuguese launched the Holocaust against the Muslims in Sri Lanka. Thus the Eastern Province is the residence of majority of Muslims and a safe haven for them during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Places like Karadiyan Aru and Rugam contain stone inscriptions in Pahlavi script which are still in existence.

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. Thus "Eravur' is derived from "Serapura", where, on muting the 'S' and modifying 'pur' → 'vur', i.e., standard transformations well accepted by linguists, we are lead to its current name: "Eravur" 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.^[2]

[edit] History after the fall of Polonnaruwa

With the decline of the Rohana sub-kingdom and the defeat of Polonnaruwa, coming with the rise of Chola power, i.e., from about the 13th century CE, these regions became wild. The many irrigation works (tanks etc., which exist even today) became home to malaria( see History of Sri Lanka). In the meantime, the eastern coastal region remained less affected by Malaria and began to be occupied. Thus sea faring people who had began to settle down along the coast since the Anuradhapura times, circa 6th Century CE began to flourish. The forests continued to be dominated by the Veddha population which claimed kingship ("cross-cousins") with the Sinhala kings of Kandy. ^[3]

"Mukkuva" or "Mutkuhar" are claimed to be one of the first such coastal people^{[citation needed]} who migrated form India. The name of the villages and towns in Batticaloa are claimed to still hold evidence^{[citation needed]} of these settlers, although no inscriptions, buildings etc., exist from these relatively primitive fisher communities. A fisher group of people called "Thimilar" who migrated from India are said to have set up fortifications in "Thimilathivu". The Mutkuhar gained the help of another Indian migrant group called "Pattaniar" (traders) and defeated the Thimilar who settled in "Verukal"(Veheragala), an ancient village near the Batticaloa-trincomalee boarder. The names of some villages are claimed to be associated with this war. A village near modern Batticaloa called "Sathurukondan" (Sathurukandavila), which literally means ambushed, is an example."Santhiwelli" (Kandavaella in Sinhala) is claimed to be the place where the Mukkuva Warriors came back to clebrate victory. The resting place of the Warriors is claimed to be"Vantharoomoolai" (Vanduramulla). The Eastern University of Sri Lanka is located in Vantharoomoolai. The place where the Mutkuhar Pattaniar built a fortress to prevent the re-immigration of Thimilar isclaimed to be "Eravur". (In Tamil 'not to immigrate' means "Kudyeramal thaduthal" and "oor" means village, but this does not explain the "era" suffix. See .

According to Marina Azeez, ^[4], Moors who headed for the Eastern Sri Lankan coast, circa 11th century CE, arrived in Kathankudy (Kaduruduva) near Batticaloa. Today, Kathankudy claims the largest number of mosques per square kilometer in the world. Many Moors of Madakalapuva are descendents of Moor refugees settled there by King Senerat 1n 1626, when they were forcefully expelled by the Portuguese from the south-west maritime region.^[5]

In 1942, during World War II, Royal Navy Ships HMS Hermes and HMS Vampire were stationed near Batticaloa. Both these ships came under Japanese Aerial attack and were sunk. Some of the remnants of HMS Hermes still remain at around 9 nautical miles off Baticaloa.

[edit] Place in the current civil war

The Batticaloa is claimed by Tamils organization like the LTTE as part of their Tamil Homeland, Tamil Eelam. The city has witnessed countless murders, rapes, mass massacres and wholesale disappearance of civilians, especially after Black July and the subsequent Sri Lankan civil war.^{[citation needed]} Batticaloa is the primary focus of attention of Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, better known as Karuna Amman, a former LTTE commander who broke away from the main organization in 2004. The LTTE claims that "Karuna" feared disciplinary action from the leadership for financial and personal malpractices. Karuna operates his own political (Not yet recognised as a political party even though an application was submitted three years before) and military group, the Tamil-Eala Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, TMVP. At first the LTTE attempted to eliminate the TMVP on its own and demanded that the Sri Lankan government not interfere. Subsequently, the LTTE called for the elimination of TMVP as part of the ceace-fire agreement. However, TMVP claimed to be a political party and asked for protection from attacks from the LTTE. It had no real option except to covertly collaborate with the government forces and function as a paramilitary group of the Sri Lankan Army. Thus the TMVP (referred to as the Karuna Group) is strongly opposed to the LTTE. The division between the Yalpanam-Vanni Tamils and the Mattakkalapu Tamils is deep seated, involving caste as well as forms of Hindu worship. The Jaffna Tamils have considered themselves to be superiror to the Batticaloa Tamils. The conflict between Batticaloa Tamils led by Karuna and the LTTE has some parallels with the conflict between the Mukkavas and the Thamilars. The Muslims, another Tamil-speaking group, and yet have suffered ethnic cleansing at the hands of the LTTE, commencing with the murder of 140 Muslims during prayer^[6] The Muslims tend to be bilingual and are often in the cross-fire of the war. In a series of battles which began with the confrontation at Mavil aru (Mavil Oya) and Sampur (Somapura), Vaharai (Vihare) in August 2006, the Sri Lankan military in July 11, 2007, ousted the Tamil Tigers from their last stronghold of Thoppigala (Batticaloa province) in Eastern Sri Lanka.^[7] The LTTE defeat is considered to be a major blow to the Tiger regime which now controls only the Vanni area of northern Sri Lanka. qq

[edit] 2004 Tsunami

The town was also one of the worst hit during the Tsunami of Dec 26, 2004. The water rose up to 4.7 meters ( 15 feet ) within 90 minutes of the beginning of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

[edit] See also

• Portuguese Burghers

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

[edit] External links

• Detailed map of Batticaloa and Sri Lanka
• History of Batticaloa(Tamil)
• Mattakkalappu Poorva Sariththiram
• Sri Lankan Civil War

Sri Lankan Cities	Sri Lankan cities
	Colombo (Commercial Capital) | Sri Jayewardenapura (National Capital) | Anuradhapura | Trincomalee | Jaffna | Kandy | Polonnaruwa | Galle | Batticaloa | Boralesgamuwa | Nuwara Eliya | Negombo | Kurunegala | Badulla | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | Moratuwa | Matara | Maharagama | Ratnapura

v • d • e Cities of North and East Provinces of Sri Lanka Trincomalee | Jaffna | Vavuniya | Batticaloa | Mannar | Kilinochchi | Ampara | Mullaitivu

Coordinates: 7°43′N, 81°42′E