| Trincomalee | |
 |
|
 |
|
  Trincomalee
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| District | Trincomalee District |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
(Thirukonamalai); 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. Trincomalee is a district in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. The area of the district is 2616 km² A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time Sinhalese or Sinhala (සිංහල ISO 15919: siṁhala ˈsiŋhələ earlier referred to as Singhalese) is the language of the Sinhalese Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Kandy ( maha nuvara, mahaˈnuərə in Sinhala, கண்டி kaṇṭi, ˈkaɳɖi in Tamil) is the English name for the city of The town is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. It is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island.
The Bay of Trincomalee's 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 fort in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base. The Sri Lankan Navy is the key maritime division of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defence force of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Air Force ( SLAF) is the aerial defence division and the youngest of the Sri Lankan Tri Forces. Indian Navy has access. The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India.
Contents |
Names and Etymology
Roots and meanings of the word kuna, kuda, kotu are varied and they are as follows:
The name ''Trincomalee' is derived from the Tamil ''Tiru-kona-malai, meaning "Sacred hill of the East" (Tamil Kuna (Silappadikaram) = East). Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent.
Ramayana refers to [[Trikutamalai]] Tamil 'Tiru-kuta-malai,meaning "Sacred hill of the West" (Tamil Kuta (Silappadikaram) = West). Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Silappadikaram states kuna thisai and kuda thisai.
Kudagu is the hill country in the West. Kotu = mountain ranges eg: ''Thiruchengkotu''. [[Sundaramoorthy]] [[Tevaram]] and all other literature denotes the name as pure Tamil.
The ancient texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokarna in Sanskrit [1]. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of Lanka in the 3rd century[2]. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva 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. The Mahavamsa, ("Great Chronicle " is a historical poem written in the Pali language of the kings of Sri Lanka. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices [3]. 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[4]. The Tevaram ( Tamil: தேவாரம் Teva means "God" aram means "garland") denotes the first seven volumes of the
The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu[5] and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam[6]. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites 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.
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. Marco Polo ( September 15 1254 – January 9 1324 at earliest but no later than June 1325 was a Venetian trader and explorer Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca The local name, Tirukonamalai, means "Sacred Hill of the East". 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. Robert Knox (1641-1720 was an English sea captain in the service of the British East India Company. Kandy ( maha nuvara, mahaˈnuərə in Sinhala, கண்டி kaṇṭi, ˈkaɳɖi in Tamil) is the English name for the city of 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.
The Koneswaram temple attracted pilgrims from all parts of India. Koneswaram temple also Thirukoneswaram is a Hindu Temple which is located in the Town Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. 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. Koneswaram temple also Thirukoneswaram is a Hindu Temple which is located in the Town Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscription by Kulakottan (Kunakottan). 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 was the first land to be captured by the British who fought and defeated the Dutch, who did not want to surrender Ceylon as directed by the Prince of Orange, who took refuge in London after being defeated by the French republicans under Napoleon. As such Trincomalee has served as an entrance to a western invader from Calcutta.
Hindu and Buddhist historical sites
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.
The harbour
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.
The Hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya (Kal = stone; niya = land), on the road to Trincomalee. 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 Dutch Fort
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. Fort Fredrick is a fort built by Portuguese at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka in 1624. 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.
The British in Trincomalee
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. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) 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. The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula Prior to world war 2 the British had built a large airfield to house a permanent RAF base and a fuel storage and support facilities for the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) After the fall of Singapore, Trincomalee became to home port of the Eastern Fleet of the Royal Navy, and submarines of the Dutch Navy. The British Eastern Fleet (also known as the East Indies Fleet and the Far East Fleet) was a fleet of the Royal Navy during World War II The Koninklijke Marine ( Royal Netherlands Navy) is the Navy of the Netherlands.
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. The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the three armed services of Sri Lanka and is responsible for overseeing land-based military and 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.
Naval and air bases were take over by Sri Lanka in 1957, today SLNS Tissa and SLN Dockyard are used by the Sri Lankan Navy, while the Sri Lanka Air Force is based at SLAF China Bay. The Sri Lankan Navy is the key maritime division of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defence force of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Air Force ( SLAF) is the aerial defence division and the youngest of the Sri Lankan Tri Forces. SLAF China Bay is a Sri Lanka Air Force base located near the city of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.
Trincomalee War Cemetery, is one of the six commonwealth war cemeteries in Sri Lanka, it is maintained by Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ( CWGC) is a joint governmental organisation responsible for marking and maintaining the graves of members of the Commonwealth
- Naval Museum
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.
Deutsche Welle Relay Station
There is a Deutsche Welle Shortwave and Mediumwave Relay Station in Trincomalee. Deutsche Welle ('Welle' pronounced with a 'v' sound IPA /'vɛlə/ or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. 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. Deutsche Welle ('Welle' pronounced with a 'v' sound IPA /'vɛlə/ or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster.
Education
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. Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA, Trincomalee is the location of initial officer training in the Sri Lanka Navy, and is located within SLN Dockyard in Trincomalee The Sri Lankan Navy is the key maritime division of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital defence force of Sri Lanka. The Eastern University of Sri Lanka is located in Vantarumoolai, Batticaloa in the eastern province of Sri Lanka. Batticaloa (மட்டக்களப்பு in Tamil මඩකළපුව in Sinhala) is the provincial capital of the eastern province of Sri Lanka
The 2004 Tsunami
In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, Trincomalee was a focal point for relief efforts on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. [7]
Maps
See also
- Place names in Sri Lanka
- HMS Trincomalee - a British sailing frigate built in India. Sri Lankan place name etymology is characterized by the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the island of Sri Lanka through the ages and the position of the country in the centre See also HMS ''Victory'' - 18th century First rate Ship of the line USS ''Constitution'' - 18th century US
- Sri Lankan Civil War
References
- ^ Professor K. Indrapala, Early Tamil Settlements in Ceylon. PhD Thesis, University of London, 1965. page 331
- ^ H. N. Apte, Vayupurana, Chapter 48 verses 20-30, Poona, 1929
- ^ Mahavamsa. Chapter 35. Verses 40-47
- ^ Thirunanacamptanta Cuvamikal Arulicceyta Tevarattiruppatikankal, Saiva Siddhanta publishing works Ltd, Madras, 1927
- ^ S. Pathmanathan, The Kingdom of Jaffna, Colombo, 1978. pages 135-144
- ^ C. S. Navaratnam, A Short History of Hinduism in Ceylon, Jaffna, 1964. Pages 43-47
- ^ http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=14006 Canadian Red Cross
External links
 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 |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic