Batticaloa

                             

WHY BATTICALOA?

Batticaloa is the capital city of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. It is a flat coastal plain bordered by the Indian Ocean and made up of several lagoons, the largest of which is the Batticaloa lagoon which is 56 kilometres long and 162 square kilometres in total area..

HISTORY

The city's history dates back to the 1st century BC because artefacts of the Chakra and Ruhunu kingdoms may be found here in this ancient place. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to build a fort in Batticaloa in 1602. This fort was taken by the Dutch in 1638. Many archaeological sites dating to pre Christian times have been found in this region. The earliest settlers of this region were from India. Constant invasions from rulers of various parts of India saw changes of the civilian population but the people were predominantly of Indian origin; and generally from South India. Obviously ancestors of the Tamils that are now the most populous of the races of people that inhabit Batticaloa. Sinhalese kings also invaded and drove off the Indian occupiers during the tumultuous years pre European settlement, but the ordinary civilian stayed back to make Batticaloa and the surrounds their home.

DEMOGRAPHY

The demographic mosaic mainly Tamil ( about 70%), Sinhalese( 15%), Muslim(10%) and the rest is made up of Eurasians and Dutch Burghers, many of whom have married Sinhalese and Tamils and live in harmony in the multi-cultural society. At the last count under the 2010 census, nearly two million people resided in the Eastern Province from Trincomalee to Pottuvil and including Polonnaruwa:

Batticaloa 543,000 Ampara 644,000 Trincomalee 374,000 Polonnaruwa 410,000 www.geethudara.blogspot.com www.geethudara.blogspot.com