Matara Sri Lanka

Matara (Sinhala: මාතර, Tamil: மாத்தறை) (originally Mahathota) is a major city in Sri Lanka, located in the southern coast of Southern Province, Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the major commercial hubs in the country and it is the administrative capital of Matara District. ^[1] It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.

Contents 1 History 2 Education 2.1 Universities 2.2 Schools 3 Economy and Infrastructure 3.1 Transport 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

History

Matara historically belongs to the area called Ruhuna, one of the three kingdoms in Sri Lanka (Thun Sinhalaya). The temple in the middle of the town is also built by ancient kings and now it is a very popular sacred place among the Buddhists in the area. In 16th and 18th centuries Matara was ruled by Portuguese and Dutch respectively. The culture and architecture can be still seen in the area. The popular light house in Point Dondra was built by the Dutch and it is considered as one of the most beautiful and oldest light houses in Sri Lanka. The two fortresses built by Portuguese and Dutch can be found inside the city of Matara. Other important works done by Dutch are the St. Marie's church and the market place in Nupe junction.

Weherahena temple

Most famous intellects lived in the area are Kumaratunga Munidasa and Gajaman Nona. The ethnic majority of Matara is Sinhala, during 16th and 17th centuries Moors arrived into the area as traders from Arabia, and today their descendants coexist with Sinhalese peacefully as an ethnic minority.

Read More

Kalpitiya Sri lanka

Puttalam is a district situated near to the west coast of Sri Lanka. It has an area of 2,976 km² (1,149 sq mi). Along with the Kurunegala District, it formulates the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The district capital is Puttalam, which borders the Kala Oya and Modaragam Aru in the north, Anuradhapura District and Kurunegala District in the east, Ma Oya in the south, and the Indian Ocean in the west. Puttalam is well known for its picturesque lagoons, popular for shallow sea fishing and prawn farming activities. The town of Kalpitiya, and the Kalpitiya Peninsula, is located in this district.

Read More

Bopath Ella waterfall

Bopath Ella (Sinhala: බෝපත් ඇල්ල) is a waterfall situated in the Ratnapura District of Sri Lanka. It has a shape very similar to the leaf of the Sacred fig or "Bo" tree, which has earned it this name. The waterfall is a major tourist attraction in the country. Local myths say that it is haunted and that it hides a treasure trove

Waterfall

The name "Bopath Ella" has been given to the waterfall because of its shape. The water flows through a narrow gap in the rocks and then widens, forming the shape of a leaf of a "Bo"^[1] tree which is the Sinhalese name for sacred fig (Ficus religiosa). "Path" means leaves of a tree and "Ella" means waterfall. Virgin forests with a rich biodiversity surround the waterfall.^[2][3]
Bopath Ella is 30 metres (98 ft) high. It is formed from the Kuru Ganga, which is a tributary of the Kalu Ganga.^[1] Its mean rate of flow is 6 square metres (65 sq ft) per second, and its catchment area receives an average rainfall of 5,080 millimetres (200 in) annually. Water from the falls is used for paddy cultivation.^[2] Bopath Ella is also the most comprehensively studied waterfall in the country.^[4]

Bopath Ella is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka, since it is not far from the capital, Colombo, and is easily accessible. There have been unsuccessful attempts to use the waterfall to generate hydroelectricity.^[3] The path to the waterfall is lined with a number of shops and stalls, and it is somewhat polluted because of this commercialization.^[1]

Read More

Hikkaduwa Beach

Hikkaduwa is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka. It is located in the Southern Province, about 17 km north-west of Galle. Hikkaduwa is famous for its beach, surfing, corals and night life.
It was affected by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Villages affected were Telwatta, Paraliya (Queen of the Sea rail disaster), Dodanduwa, Kahawa, Rathgama. The place is on the way from Colombo to Galle on the famous Galle road. It is primarily a tourist destination, and serves as a great beach with options to surf, snorkel and enjoy the sun. The town is arranged around the one main road which runs from Galle to Colombo. This road is heavily trafficked and pedestrians and tourists are advised to exercise caution when crossing.

In the wake of the tsunami, many of the families who had lost everything were given sewing machines as part of the relief operations. As a result, the town has a multitude of tailors who will custom make shirts, pants, and shorts. The area also has a reputation for offering a vibrant nightlife. Hikkaduwa is also very popular with board-surfers. It's a well-known international destination for board-surfing. Hikkaduwa was featured in an episode of Anthony Bourdain's television show No Reservations.

Read More

Medirigiriya Vatadage

Vatadage (Sinhala: වටදාගේ) is a type of Buddhist structure found in Sri Lanka. It also known as dage, thupagara, and cetiyagara. Although it may have had some Indian influence, it is a structure that is more or less unique to ancient Sri Lankan architecture. Vatadages were built around small stupas for their protection, which often enshrined a relic or were built on hallowed ground. Circular in shape, they were commonly built of stone and brick and adorned with elaborate stone carvings. Vatadages may have also had a wooden roof, supported by a number of stone columns arranged in several concentric rows.

Only ten vatadages now remain in Sri Lanka. The builders of many of these monuments are unknown, as are their time of creation. The oldest such construction is believed to be the one surrounding the Thuparama stupa. The best example of a vatadage is generally believed to be the one at Polonnaruwa. Along with it, the vatadages at Medirigiriya, and Tiriyaya remain more or less intact.

Read More

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir. The reserve covers 30,821 hectares (119.00 sq mi) of land area and was established on 30 June 1972.^[1] Before the designation of the national park, the area was used for shifting cultivation (chena farming). The farmers were gradually removed once the national park was declared. The park is 165 kilometres (103 mi) from Colombo. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan Elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country

Read More

Reswehera Rajamaha Vihara

Reswehera Rajamaha     Vihara is an ancient temple which was built by the king Devanampiya Tissa (307BC-267BC) situated in north western province in Sri Lanka.

Gautama Buddha statue

The temple is well known for its two Gautama Buddha statues, one carved in a rock and the other inside the vihara. In addition the Bo tree which was planted from a branch of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi illuminates the historical value of the place

Read More

Random Images

Read More

Minneriya National Park is a national park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area was designated as a national park on 12 August 1997, having been originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938.^[1] The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchment of Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts. The park earned revenue of Rs. 10.7 millions in the six months ending in August 2009.^[2] Along with Kaudulla and Girithale, Minneriya forms one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Sri Lanka.^[3] The park is situated 182 kilometres (113 mi) from Colomb

Read More