Trincomale

<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                            </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;">  Trincomalee</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8itChjInuE/T_kz6sUT2lI/AAAAAAAAAJY/xWdjsSLy40c/s1600/250px-Sri_Lanka-Trincomalee-Bucht.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8itChjInuE/T_kz6sUT2lI/AAAAAAAAAJY/xWdjsSLy40c/s400/250px-Sri_Lanka-Trincomalee-Bucht.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee is a port city in </span><st1:place><st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Eastern Province</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, </span><st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jaffna</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. It has a population of approximately 100,000 (2007).[citation needed] The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kottiyar</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bay</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, Trincomalee is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island. The city is home to the famous ancient Koneswaram temple alluded to in its historic Tamil name Thirukonamalai from which its anglicized name is derived, and has been a sea port that has played a major role in the maritime and international trading history of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. It is referred to as Gokanna in Pali or Gokarna in Sanskrit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The </span><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bay</span></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> of </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">'s harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Indian</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sea</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city also has the largest Dutch fort in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">Names and etymology<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee, is an anglicized form of the Tamil word "Tiru-kona-malai", meaning "Lord of the Sacred Hill"; a reference to the town's ancient Koneswaram temple. Thiru comes from the Tamil for "sacred", Kona means "Lord" or "Chief" in the language while Malai in Tamil means mountain or hill. Another meaning for the word Kona in Tamil is peak, and other definitions for Tirukonamalai include "sacred angular/peaked hill" or "three peaked hill". The town is situated on a hill at the end of a natural land formation that resembles an arc; the temple itself is built on Swami Rock, historically referred to as Kona-ma-malai, a cliff on the peninsula that drops 400 feet (120 metres) directly into the sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sanskrit texts, as well as an inscription unearthed by archeologists, call it Gokanna. The Vayu Purana refers to a Siva temple on Trikuta hill on the eastern coast of </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Lanka</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> in the 3rd century. 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.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">Tamil texts, as well as excavated inscriptions detail the Saivite principalities that formed in Trincomalee in service of the Koneswaram temple by the medieval age. The South Indian Tamil literature Tevaram of Tiru-gnana Sambandar makes mention to the Siva temple in Trincomalee in the 6th century. Koneswaram and the royal administration of the city is documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettuand the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">                                                </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">History</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour that has attracted seafarers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> and </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">East Asia</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> since ancient times. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Sri Lankan Kings. The earliest known reference to the port of Gokanna is found in the Mahavamsa stating that in 5th century BC, when King Vijaya who having failed to convince his brother to come to Sri Lanka as his successor, got down his youngest son Panduvasdeva, who landed at Gokanna and was subsequently enthroned at Upatissagama.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee was used by Chola king Ilankesvarar Tevar as his eastern port in the 11th century and prospered under the Vannimai chieftancies of the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jaffna</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> kingdom. It was often visited by Kings Singai Pararasasegaram and his successor King Cankili I. King Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan (1380-1410 CE) had the traditional history of the Koneswaram temple compiled as a chronicle in verse, entitled Dakshina Kailasa Puranam, known today as the Sthala Puranam of </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Koneshwaram</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Temple</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">King Parakramabahu I used Gokanna (Trincomalee) as his eastern port, to launch a successful invasion of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Burma</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> in the 12th Century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">By the late 16th century, </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jaffna</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> had given minimal logistical access to its Trincomalee and Batticaloa seaports to </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kandy</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> to secure military advantages against its enemies; this was utilized by their influential European overlords to consolidate power in the region. In 1612, D. Hieronymo de Azevedo, after great difficulties due to torrential rains arrived at Trincomalee with a Portuguese contingent from </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kandy</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. Here de Azevedo "was keen on building a fort" to the scope he called in aid from King Ethirimana Cinkam of </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jaffna</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, but not seeing him arrive he abandoned the enterprise and he marched towards </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jaffna</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Danish arrived in Trincomalee to the end of 1619 with a first ship, called "Øresund" under the command of Roelant Crape, this small expedition, was the vanguard of another Danish fleet, this one composed by four vessels and three hundred soldiers, commanded by Ove Giedde, that reached the island in May 1620. They wanted to try their fortune in the Asian seas; the Danish expedition occupied Koneswaram temple and it was here that the Danes began the works for the fortification of the peninsula. In the year 1619, upon the Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom, all the territory of the kingdom of Jaffna, comprised Trincomalee and Batticaloa, was assigned to the spiritual cures of the Franciscans. This decision was taken by the bishop of </span><st1:state><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Cochin</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, f Dom Sebastião de S. Pedro. Later, an other decree of the same bishop of Cochin dated 11 November 1622, tracing that one indicated in 1602, entrusted newly to the Jesuits the spiritual cure in the districts of Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, giving to them possibility to build churches, to train the sacraments and to convert the souls. The Jesuits followed the Portuguese soldiers to Trincomalee and Batticaloa when they occupied the two localities,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee had a Portuguese force during the reign of Kandyan King Rajasinghe II. Rajasinghe finally ended with an alliance with Dutch and the Dutch invaded Kottyar Bay Fort as their first attack. The fall of the Kottyar Bay Fort was the first nail in the Portuguese coffin. An English sea captain and historical chronicle writer named Robert Knox came ashore by chance near Trincomalee and surrendered to the Dissawa (official) of the King of Kandy in 1659. It joined the Coylot Vanni Country by the 18th century. Hence, it was an important trade city between </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> and the outside world, and one of the </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">British Empire</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">'s most important ports in </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Asia</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> during the second world war.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee was occupied by the Dutch, and subsequently by French alternately, until the capture of the fort there 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 </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ceylon</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> as directed by the Prince of Orange, who took refuge in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">London</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> after being defeated by the French republicans under Napoleon. As such Trincomalee has served as an entrance to a western invader from </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Calcutta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                  </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Trincomalee beach</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1pnIveZDvsI/T_kz8EeswkI/AAAAAAAAAJg/YMv7Cy4lZ5I/s1600/1675537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1pnIveZDvsI/T_kz8EeswkI/AAAAAAAAAJg/YMv7Cy4lZ5I/s400/1675537.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">On </span><st1:date day="8" month="1" year="1782"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">January 8, 1782</span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> the British captured the fort but the French recaptured it on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Britain</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> ceded it to the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">'s independence in 1948. The importance of </span><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fort</span></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fredrick</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">'s </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Coromandel Coast</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Prior to the Second World War the British had built a large airfield to house a permanent RAF base, RAF China Bay and a fuel storage and support facilities for the Royal Navy and HMS Highflyer naval base based there. After the fall of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Singapore</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, Trincomalee became the home port of the Eastern Fleet of the Royal Navy, and submarines of the Dutch Navy. The harbour and airfield were attacked by a Japanese carrier fleet in April 1942 in the Indian Ocean Raid<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">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 </span><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fort</span></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fredrick</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, (as married quarters for senior officers and civilian dockyard "maties") including one previously occupied by The Duke of Wellington. In the early 1950s The British Government built groups of bungalows within the Fort specifically for their employees. (Mainly married quarters for naval ratings.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the groups of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace. Children of the British residents attended a </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Royal</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Naval</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">School</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> which was part of the Naval Base.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">There was also a large </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Naval</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hospital</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> which catered for sick and injured naval personnel from all over the </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Indian Ocean</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> and </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Persian Gulf</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                        </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Sri Lankan naval ship at Trincomalee</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">The 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 Lanka Army has its Security Forces Headquarters - East in Trincomalee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">War</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Cemetery</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, is one of the six commonwealth war cemeteries in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, it is maintained by Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">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 harbor and the bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">[edit]2004 tsunami<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Main article: 2004 </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Indian Ocean</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> earthquake and tsunami<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, Trincomalee was a focal point for relief efforts on the eastern coast of </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka.</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">[19]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">[edit]Historical sites<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                  </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">  </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The </span></span><st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Koneswaram</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Temple</span></st1:placetype></span></st1:place></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmpwP5apeM8/T_k0DeE1a6I/AAAAAAAAAJw/NP29_Zs7S5w/s1600/Sri_Lanka-Trincomalee-Tempel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmpwP5apeM8/T_k0DeE1a6I/AAAAAAAAAJw/NP29_Zs7S5w/s400/Sri_Lanka-Trincomalee-Tempel.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee is sacred to both Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese people. Trincomalee and its environs have many Hindu sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and some Buddhists worship in these Hindu sites.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">Even though Mahasena demolished the Sivan Temple and built a Mahayana Buddhist temple on the hilltop the Hindus of this area maintain a good peaceful relationships with the minority Sinhala Buddhists living in the area.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">[edit]Hindu historical sites<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Ko</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">ṇ</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">ēsvaram temple, with a recorded history from the 3rd century CE and legends attesting to classical antiquity attracted pilgrims from all parts of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. The Ko</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">ṇ</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">ēsvaram shrine itself was demolished in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Temple</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction. Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Lisbon</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Museum</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> 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. The Hindu temple was also documented in several late medieval texts such as the Konesar Kalvettu and the Dakshina Kailasa Puranam.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">[edit]The Dutch Fort<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be </span><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fort</span></st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fredrick</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. 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.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                           </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">                                             </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">  </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Harbour</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                      </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Beaches</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Beach</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> in front of Chaaya Blu Resort, Trincomalee, in July 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Trincomalee has some of the most picturesque and scenic beaches found in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sri Lanka</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, relatively unspoilt and clean. The area is famous for bathing and swimming, owing to the relative shallowness of the sea, allowing one to walk out over a hundred meters into the sea without the water reaching the chest. Whale watching is a common pastime in the seas off Trincomalee, and successful sightings are on the rise with the increase of tourism in the area.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;">                                      </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;">Hot springs</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></st1:place></st1:city></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are the seven </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: Verdana;">hot springs</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> 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<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div>

Trincomale

                                              Trincomalee Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province , Sri Lanka and lies on the ea...

Read more »

Somawathiya

<span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">                                           </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> Somawathiya </span></span><br /> <span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZy371qf4xU/T_kwz-DGZuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Z59LuenS9ck/s1600/821873_med.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZy371qf4xU/T_kwz-DGZuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Z59LuenS9ck/s400/821873_med.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Somawathiya National Park is one of the four national parks designated under the Mahaweli River development project.Somawathiya Chaitya, a stupa said to be containing a relic of the tooth of the Buddha, is situated within the park.The park was created on 2 September 1986, having been originally designated a wildlife sanctuary on 9 August 1966. The park is home to many megaherbivores.The national park is located 266 kilometres (165 mi) north-east of Colombo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                                </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;">Physical features<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Somawathiya</span></st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">National Park</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> lies in the deltaic flood plains of the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Mahaweli</span></st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">River</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> and contains the junction where it is forked into two branches. The two branches are the Mahaweli River, which flows north into Koddiyar bay and the lesser Verugal Oya which flows north-east into the sea. The central riparian flood plain is featured by many old river channels and contain dispersed 'villus', the waterfilled basins around among the grassy plains. There are 20 such villus is located in the park. Somawathiya and Flood plains national parks are important protected areas for the wetland system of </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Mahaweli</span></st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">River</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> flood plains.The high quality habitat of fertile alluvial underlying layer supports a plentiful wildlife.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                             </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">      </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">              </span>History<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;"><br /> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtCu8drkIh8/T_kwyMTd5XI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Dyrq6X24hrI/s1600/somawathie-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtCu8drkIh8/T_kwyMTd5XI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Dyrq6X24hrI/s400/somawathie-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">The historic Somawathiya Chaitya is located on the left bank of the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Mahaweli</span></st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">River</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">. The stupa was named after Princess Somawathi, the sister of King Kavan Tissa, and the wife of regional ruler Prince Abhaya. The prince Abhaya build the stupa to enshrine a relic of the tooth of the Buddha, which was in the possession of Arahat Mahinda, and named the stupa after the princes.The park is one of the four national parks set aside under the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Mahaweli</span></st1:placename><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">River</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"> development project. The other three national parks being Maduru Oya, Wasgamuwa and Flood plains. Somawathiya is contiguous with Flood Plains National Park and Trikonamadu Nature Reserve. Hurulu Forest Reserve, a part of which is a biosphere reserve is linked by the western arm of the park.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                   </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                    </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flora<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Buddhist bhikkus decorating the Somawathiya Chaitya<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">The waterfilled basins in the central flood plain are featured by the richness and predominance of the water-tolerant grasses and aquatic plants.The distribution of floral species in the villus shows a pattern, which is related to the period of inundation and the depth of flooding. On the edges, where wet conditions are temporary and with mild levels of flooding, there are creeping grasses such as Cynodon dactylon. Further towards the centre of the villus where the flooding is lengthier and truly hydrophytic species such as Alternanthera sessilis, Polygonum spp., Jussiaea repens, Ipomoea aquatica, Monochoria hastata, and Scirpus grossus appear. The most widespread grass species include Hygroryza aristata, Brachiaria mutica, Echinochloa colonum, Paspalum vaginatum, Digitaria longiflora, and Paspalidium spp. In a little deeper water, floating aquatic plants occur along with Nelumbo nucifera. Still in deeper water an association of manel Nymphaea stellata and the submerged aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demersum present. Some floating plants are common in all zones of the villus. Some tree species occur in the edges of the villus are Terminalia arjuna, Madhuca longifolia, Barringtonia asiatica, Mitragyna parviflora, Erythrina variegata, and Hibiscus tiliaceus. In the northern region of the park, the forest trees teeming with species such as Drypetes sepiaria, Berrya cordifolia, Diospyros ovalifolia, Dimorphocalyx glabellus, Pterospermum canescens, Manilkara hexandra and Mitragyna parviflora.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                                            </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;">Fauna<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">The importance of ecology of the park is due mainly to the wide occurrence of elephants Elephas maximus estimated at about 400 within the protected area and adjacent surroundings and the rich avifauna. Although a recent 2007 study shows a much less herd of elephants in Somawathiya, 50-100 of individuals. Other notable mammalian species include jackal Canis aureus, Fishing Cat felis viverrina, Rusty-spotted Cat felis rubiginosa, leopard Panthera pardus, wild boar Sus scrofa, sambar Cervus unicolor, Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis, Porcupine Hystrix indica, and Black-naped hare Lepus nigricollis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">The flood plain marshes are rich with avifauna. Around 75 migrant species to winter in the marshes. Usual migrants include garganey Anas querquedula, Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis, Wood Sandpiper T. glareola, Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura, Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus, and Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa. Resident birds are Painted Stork Ibis leucocephala, Openbill Stork Anastomus oscitans, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Cattle Egret Bubulens ibis, Pond Heron Ardeola grayii, Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Purple Gallinule Porphyrio porphyrio, White Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, and Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus. Within the forest area the following birds are seen, Crimson-fronted Barbet Megalaima haemacephala, Common peafowl Pavo cristatus, Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus, Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile, Common Iora Aegithina tiphia, Junglefowl Gallus lafayetii, and Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons. While Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator frequents the open areas, marshy northern area is visited by Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus, crested hawk eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus, Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus, Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis, Crested Serpent-eagle Spilornis cheela, and Painted Stork Ibis leucocephala.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                                             </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana;">Conservation<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fcyz4xNj56A/T_kw3U36TfI/AAAAAAAAAJM/LcsjD616Idk/s1600/president6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fcyz4xNj56A/T_kw3U36TfI/AAAAAAAAAJM/LcsjD616Idk/s400/president6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #993300; font-family: Verdana;">Although the park area has been greatly exploited once the human activity is removed the regeneration will be quick, because of the moisture and high carrying capacity of the villus.Both Flood Plains National Park and Somawathiya National Park are excessively important for migratory and resident waterfowl. In general, the park has been much neglected. Although an overall systems plan is in place for protected areas within the Mahaweli Region. Until the area was incorporated into the Mahaweli Environment Project was unmanaged and unprotected to a great extend. The forests of the area have been cleared for cultivation, following the move in of the tobacco cultivators with their cattle. Tobacco cultivators enters annually with several heads of cattle. Deforestation has been more extensive since the mid 1970s. Illegal logging, tobacco cultivation and grazing by cattle was scheduled to reduce gradually with the declaration of the park.<o:p></o:p></span></div>

Somawathiya

                                            Somawathiya  Somawathiya National Park is one of the four national parks designated under th...

Read more »