Gampaha - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

and is the capital of the Gampaha District

Gampaha District

- Local Authorities in Gampaha district:Gampaha is the District Capital of Gampaha District and is a principal town around Colombo. It is about 4 km from Miriswatte on the Colombo - Kandy Road.- Urban Councils :* Katunayake-Seeduwa * Ja-ela* Wattala...

in Western Province

Western Province, Sri Lanka

The Western Province is the most densely populated province of Sri Lanka. It is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenapura as well to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.-Districts:Basnahira is divided into 3 districts:...

, north of Colombo

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River

Kelani River

The Kelani River is a river in Sri Lanka. Ranking as the fourth longest river in the country, it stretches from the Sri Pada Mountain Range to Colombo. It covers approximately 80% of the water supply to Colombo. In addition to that, the river is used for transport, fisheries, sewage disposal,...

Namesake

The name "Gampaha" in Sinhala (ගම්පහ ) literally means “Five Villages”. The five villages are known to be Ihalagama, Pahalagama, Medagama

Medagama

Medagama is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*...

, Pattiyagama and Aluthgama

Aluthgama

Aluthgama is a coastal town in the Western Province of Sri Lanka...

. However, at present village Pattiyagama cannot be identified within the city limits of Gampaha and remains disputed. Elders believe Pattiyagama is the area surrounding “Ananda Mawatha” today. Another theory suggests the last village name is not Pattiyagama, but Oruthota. Oruthota road connects the heart of Gampaha to Colombo-Kandy road near Belummahara junction, and was recently widened and developed under Gampaha city development plan. Gampaha was also known to be called Henarathgoda in the past.

Location

Gampaha town is located in the center of Gampaha District

Gampaha District

. Gampaha town is about 4 km from Miriswatta on Colombo

Colombo

-Kandy

Kandy

Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...

road. Gampaha is surrounded by Yakkala, Miriswatta, Weliweriya Udugampola

Udugampola

Udugampola is a small village in the Gampaha District of Sri Lanka. The main point in the area is around the intersection of Gampaha-Minuwangoda and Kotugoda-Naiwala roads. According to the legends Udugampola had been the Kingdom of a provincial king called "Sakalakala Wallabha"...

and Ja-Ela

Ja-Ela

Ja-Ela is a major suburb approximately 20 km north of Colombo city center Fort, Sri Lanka.-Etymology:The Term Ja-Ela means Javanese Canal and denotes historical the presence of Sri Lankan Malays in the area...

towns.

Historical turning points of the town

“The temporal and spiritual conquest of Ceylon” written about Portuguese invading the country in year 1505 AD, which was written by a Portuguese writer Fernao de Queyroz has mentioned Gampaha in his book. After overpowering Portuguese, Dutch rulers captured the power of most of the island nation and archaic Dutch documents reveal that they cultivated pepper in Gampaha area. There are historic accounts of a person named “Baron” who was attacked and killed by a Tiger in the jungles of Gampaha, at that time.

Before year 1815, Gampaha was a dense forest. The 5th governor of Ceylon, Sir Edward Barnes made a visit to Gampaha in 1825, on the way to observe the construction work of Colombo-Kandy road. The British colonists built Henarathgoda railway station in 1864 which act as a key factor for the progress and recognition of the town. In year 1867, the first rubber tree of Sri Lanka was planted in Henarathgoda botanical garden, near Gampaha.

At the time of sir Edward barns, the current Gampaha town location was a jungle which had only narrow foot paths through it. Bullock carts with lanterns transported coffee from Kandy to Colombo, and “Miriswaththa” (Chili garden) was the location chosen by them to respite.
When British built the “Moragoda” catholic church in 1828, Gampaha and surrounding areas became inhabitant slowly.

The structured Gampaha town plan was first introduced in 1920 by the Government Agent J.P Pressers. The plan incorporated 52 roads including the main street, a water tank, a public market, a hospital and an electrical generator. Most of these are still present in their original sites with various improvements over time. Lady Ridgeway Mary (Wife of Sir Joseph West Ridgeway

Joseph West Ridgeway

Colonel Sir West Ridgeway GCB, GCMG, KCSI, PC was a British civil servant and colonial governor.-Military career:...

- Governor of Ceylon - 1896 to 1903 ) made decorative touches to the town with plants and trees making the town a scenic place. As an honor for her name, the road running from downtown to the hospital junction was later named “Queen Mary’s” road.

The work of reputable Ayurvedic physician Pandit G. P. Wickramarchchi and the well known Bandaranayake political family were other important reasons for the wide popularity of the town all over Sri Lanka.

Local Governments and Government Administration

Gampaha was a village council until year 1945. On 1 January that year, the town qualified to become an urban council. The first urban council had 5 members. P.P Jayawardane was the first chairman of the urban council. Total number of workforce in the urban council was 197 persons.

In 1979, Constitutional reforms declared Gampaha as a new administrative district, which was formerly recognized as a part of the Colombo District

Colombo District

Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km². It is located in the Western Province, on the western coast of the island. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo and the political capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte are located in this district...

. The new district status lead the town to a rapid development, establishing new government institutes, schools, businesses and other buildings in the town and suburbs. Gampaha District

Gampaha District

is a major share of the most developed region of the country – The Western Province. Gampaha district is a collection of 13 electorate divisions including "Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha" (Divisional council) electorate.

Presently, assorted central government administration activities are carried out by the District Secretariat situated on Colombo-road, under the control of the District Secretary. Divisional Secretary and the Divisional Secretariat to be found on "Ananda Mawatha", passes on these services to Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha administrative zone. Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha administrative zone is a grouping of 101 "Grama Niladari" (Village officer) divisions which are inspected by the Divisional Secretary.

On 16 April 2002, Gampaha urban council was offered the Municipal council status.

Botanical Garden

Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens where the first rubber tree planted in Sri Lanka is still present located close to Gampaha Town.

Ayurveda

Gampaha is renowned for the Ayurveda

Ayurveda

Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...

and indigenous medicine practice by late "Ayurveda Chakravarthi" Pundit Gabriel Perera Wickramarachchi. Ayurveda is rather a natural approach looking for the cures of human infirmities and the remedy is mostly native to the Indian subcontinent. Pundit Wickramarachchi was an outstanding Ayurveda scholar and his work has been widely accredited as an ultimate service to safeguard the wisdom of Ayurveda, in an era of advancing western medicine popularity. Pundit Wickramarachchi was the first to be awarded the title of “Ayurveda Chakravarthi Raja Vaidya” by the government of Sri Lanka, which is the highest honor given to an Ayurveda physician.

Pundit Wickramarachchi found the first Ayurveda College of the country - "Sri Lanka Siddhayurveda Vidyalaya" in 1929 closer to Yakkala. "Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Vidyalaya (Incorporation) Act No. 30 of 1982" established the college as a national institute for Ayurveda education. From 1 March 1995 the institute was recognized as "Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute" and was affiliated to the main university stream of the country Under University of Kelaniya

University of Kelaniya

The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....

. The institute offers "Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery" (BAMS) diploma and the practitioners are distinguished around the country as "Gampaha Ayurvedic Physicians". Rules for the regulation of the professional conduct of Ayurvedic physicians have been approved by the Minister of Health and gazetted in June 1971.

Development

Gampaha is the second most developed district in Sri Lanka and there are programmes to make it the best place to live in the country. In the recent years Gampaha has faced rapid development, many new shopping complexes, roads, bridges and flyovers have been constructed. Private institutions carry out many development programmes in the area.

Transport

Gampaha is the 15th railway station from the Colombo fort on Colombo

Colombo

-Polgahawela

Polgahawela

Polgahawela is a town in north western Sri Lanka. The town is most notable for a major railway accident that occurred in 2005. Polgahawela is a small city that belongs to the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, and situated at a distance of 80 km north-east from the capital city of Colombo; 50 km...

main railway line.

First railway of British Ceylon started work on 3rd of August 1853, backed by then governor sir Henry George Ward

Henry George Ward

Sir Henry George Ward GCMG was an English diplomat and politician. The son of politician and, in his retirement, writer Robert Ward and his first wife Catherine Julia Maling, and the cousin of William Ward and William George Ward, he entered the diplomatic service in 1816...

, and the planned railway line went across Henarathgoda. It took around 11 years to complete the project, and the trees in the jungle were felled to make way to the rail track. To stop the train, British built the Henarathgoda railway station, that can be seen alongside Gampaha railway station even today, which is now an archeologically protected monument.

On 27th December 1864, the first train started its journey on the brand new rail track. When the very first steam locomotive arrived to the Henerathgoda station, local villagers were gazing at this never before seen machine, with astonishment and horror.

Bandaranayake College

Bandaranayake College Gampaha was founded in September 1918. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Gampaha. It is a National School, meaning that it is controlled by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council and provides only the secondary education.Bandaranayaka...

was founded in January 1918. It is considered to be a leading School in Gampaha. It is a National School, meaning that it is controlled by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council and provides only the secondary education.

Bandaranayaka College is a boys' secondary school in Gampaha district Sri Lanka. This is the foremost college in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka.

Bandaranayake College won the Best College In Sri Lanka Award in 2006.

External links

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