Mannar District
Encyclopedia
Mannar district is one of the 25 administrative districts
of Sri Lanka
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
(previously known as a Government Agent
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka
. Manthai East division of the district was transferred to newly created Mullaitivu district
in September 1978.
devotional songs of historical importance during the Saiva Renaissance(5th Century to 10th Century) period when the Jain and Buddhist religions were completely wiped out of India.
Thevaram refers to a set of sacred hymns sung by the 3 saints Appar , Sundharar & Gnaana Sambandhar. These songs are in praise of Shiva , the Hindu god representing Saivam. There are about 276 temples sung in the thevaram which are distributed all over India and about 96% of them are located in the state of tamizh nadu.
The ancient port was known as Mahaota , Mantota, and Mahatheetha in Sanskrit, where it means the 'great port'. Mathoddam or Manthai (Tamil = Mango Gardens) is a location of the ancient Sivan temple. e.g., in Egyptian, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch maps. The Malvatu oya (Aruvi Aru) provided a direct water route from Mantota to the Ancient capital Anuradhapura
.
and visited by Sambanthar.
The soil and thus the river are of red colour. Tamira means red. Varni means colour. Thus the name Vanni or Varni and it is a mutated name from Tamiravarni, Tambravarni, Tambapanni or Tammanna. Another river called Tamirabharani is located in Tuticorin area and there was a connection of land which kept both countries together during ancient times. The name Tamil is derived from Tamir. Ptolemy
may have named both sides of the sea with the same name in his Greek map. Ramayana
refers to Mannar in epic terms. Adam's bridge connected Tamil Nadu with Mannar district. According to the Ramayana
Ithihasa, Rama built the temples of Ketheeswaram and Rameshwaram. India and Sri Lanka remained as one piece without separation during ice age.
The first settlers were Nagas
and Yakshashttp://www.vipassana.com/resources/mahavamsa/index.php. It was the largest and most important port in the Indian Ocean. Traders from East Asia and Mediterranean were regular visitors to this great port. During the Catholic conversion period, Portuguese systematically destroyed the Sivan temples of Rajarajeswaram and Thiruketheeswaram and transformed Mannar into forts made of stones from the temples and pagodas http://www.mannar.com/documents/manthai.swf.
Mahawamsa narrates that Prince Vijaya, a cruel lawless bandit prince and 700 drifter gangsters who were banished from their motherland, landed in Sri Lanka at this place around 500 B.C. and called this place Tambapanni
. They married Tamil brides from Pandya Nadu. Pandyan princes started ruling the land afterwards with prefixes of Pandu
.
Vijaya and his clan came from Sindh
. They landed in Hela Diva. From that cross breeding the name Sinhala came to all the progeny of these immigrants (Sind + Hela = Sinhala).
The Mahavamsa describes the Pandyan ladies as originating from "Dakkhina Madura" or "southern Madura" which most Sinhala scholars have interpreted as modern-day Madurai in Tamil Nadu, "northern Madura" being the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. However, there had been more than one Madurai in Tamil history. The Tamil literary tradition holds that three academies were held to collate the poetry of the Sangam age. The last of these was held in Madurai and the second was in a city called Kapatapuram, but the first academy was held in "Then Madurai," translating to "southern Madurai." Historians believe that Then Madurai was a real city on the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu near modern Korkai, which would have been very close to the settlement of "Thambapanni" which Vijaya had constructed in Lanka. If "Then Madurai" can be equated with "Dakkhina Madura" of the Mahavamsa, then we would have evidence that the seat of the first Sangam was a historical city, and not a myth.
In the period prior to the thirteenth century Mathottam or the great port, opposite Mannar on the north-western coast facing the Arabian Sea was the most important trading port of the Island. A large number of articles of foreign origin including coins and porcelain-ware have been excavated at Mannar by archaeologists. The port was surrounded by villages with Naga names. e.g. Nagarkulam, Nagathazhvu and Siru-nagarkulam. A great Naga
civilization existed here long before the arrival of Sinhalese.
In Sinhalese inscriptions and Pali chronicles Mathottam is variously referred to as Matota while it is called Mathottam in Tamil. Mathottam was governed as an autonomous port by a prince and remained as the largest port of the country.
After the seventh century, the principle arena for the East-West exchange trade had shifted from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Consequently there was an increasing interest in the north-eastern zone of Sri Lanka wherein was located Trincomalee
port. It is significant that between seventh and tenth centuries A.D. four Sinhalese Kings Aggabodhi IV, Aggabodhi VII, Udaya I and Sena I left Anuradhapura and ruled from the north-eastern city of Polonnaruwa, situated on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga within easy access to Trincomalee.
Rajaraja I invaded Sri Lanka in 993 CE. The copper-plate inscription mention that Rajaraja’s powerful army crossed the ocean by ships and burnt up the kingdom of Lanka. Mahinda V was the king of Sinhalas. In 991 CE, Mahinda’s army mutinied with help from mercenaries from Kerala. Mahinda had to seek refuge in the southern region of Rohana. Rajaraja utilised this opportunity and invaded the island. Chola armies occupied the northern half of Lanka and named the dominion ‘Mummudi Chola Mandalam’.
Anuradhapura
, the 1400-year-old capital of Sinhala kings was destroyed. The destruction was so extensive the city was abandoned. Cholas made the city of Polonnaruwa
as their capital and renamed it Jananathamangalam. The choice of this city demonstrates the desire of Rajaraja to conquer the entire island.
Rajaraja also built a Temple for Siva
in Pollonaruwa.
To complete the task began by his father, of conquering the island of Srilanka, Rajendra Chola I
invaded the island in 1018 C.E. As a result of the campaign, Rajendra claimed to have captured the regal jewels of the Pandya kings, which Parantaka I
tried in vain to capture. Rajendra also captured the crown of the Sinhala king, his Queen and daughter. The Sinhala king Mahinda V was taken prisoner and transported to the Chola country. He was held prisoner for over twelve years and died in captivity. Mahavamsa
gives a graphic illustration of the carnage wrought by the pillaging Chola army in the Sinhala country, claiming the invading army destroyed monasteries seeking treasure. Chola inscriptions however are silent regarding the details of this campaign and draws a veil over the pillage.
Mahinda’s son Kassapa
became the centre of Sihalese resistance against the Tamil Power. The war between the Cholas and the Sinhalese raged for over six months in which a great number of Tamils were killed. At the end of the battle Kassapa managed to drive out the Chola army from the southeast corner of the island and ruled as Vikramabahu I.
Remains of a number of Hindu temples have been discovered around the Polonnaruwa
area attesting to the presence of the Tamil army.
In 1041 C.E. Rajendra had to lead another expedition into Sri Lanka
to quell the continuing attacks against the Chola army by Vikramabahu. Vikramabahu died soon after and anarchy reigned outside the Chola territories. An assortment of adventurers including Sinhalese, dispossessed Pandya princes and even a certain Jagaitpala from distance Kanauj asserted authority over portions of the island. Chola army had to fight and defeat them all.
It was the most important port for vessels coming from South India and there was a strong Tamil element in the population of this port during most periods of history. Mannar located at the mouth of the Aruvi Aru had easy access to the capital Anuradhapura, which was located on the banks of the same river. However with the increased emphasis on the South-East Asian Sri Vijayan Kingdom as the main centre of entrepot trade after the seventh century A.D. the importance of the port of Mannar had diminished to some extent. Owing to this change even the capital Anuradhapura
lost much of its attractiveness.
Thus, the emergence of Polonnaruwa and the port of Trincomalee is significant in terms of the changing patterns of trade in the Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka's interest in it. The South Indian Chola occupation of Polonnaruva (1017–1070) was partly motivated by the commercial policy of the Cholas aimed at controlling the western seaboard of Bay of the Bengal. The importance of Trincomalee for the Bay of Bengal and South-East Asian trade was realized also by the Sinhalese rulers of Polonnaruva particularly Vijayabahu I
(1070–1110) and Parakramabahu (1153–1186).
However Mannar did not completely lose its glamour in the period between the seventh and the twelfth centuries and it functioned as an important trading centre where South Indian merchants flourished. In addition to the ancient temple of Tiruketisvaram at Mathottam another temple named Rajarajavarattu Mahadeva was constructed near the port in the eleventh century for the worship of the trading communities and soldiers living there by the Chola conqueror Rajaraja Chola I
.
The new commercial policy of the southern Sung dynasty (1127–1278) of China deviated from the "tributary trading system" in south East Asian and South Asian waters. As a result, the role of the intermediaries in the Bay of Bengal trade declined drastically. Once again the coastal ports in India regained their eminent position in trade and the theatre of activity shifted from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea.
Mathottam continued as the chief port of Rajarata at least up to the middle of the thirteenth century. The Rasavahini written in the Polonnaruva period implies that traders collected various commodities from Mahatittha and sold them in the interior. The Saddharmalankara refers to a merchant of Mavatupatuna who went eastwards for trade. However, by the fifteenth century Mathottam appears no longer to be an important port. The Kokila Sandesa written during the reign of Parakramabahu VI of Kotte, in giving a description of the important places along the western littoral of the Island does not mention Mathottam.
Mannar district is located in the north west of Sri Lanka
in the Northern Province
. It has an area of 1996 square kilometres (770.7 sq mi).
clay and is the only place in Sri Lanka where this kind of clay can be obtained. This clay is used in making cement.
Aruvi Aru is the second longest river in Sri Lanka and runs through Mannar and Anuradhapura
districts.
Mannar has artesian springs and aquifer
s. These water supply comes from Sri Lanka's central areas. The Northern Province
has a supply of fresh water from aquifers and it was used in successful cultivation. It only exists in the areas where Red Yellow Latosol exists. These types of aquifers do not exist where Reddish Brown Earth is found. The rest of the Vanni area is void of perennial supply of fresh water.
.
Mannar Island is also notably one of the few places in Sri Lanka where Boabab trees thrive. The Boabab tree, native to Africa, was bought by Arab sailors to feed camels which they stationed in the area. Although camels are not found in today, few boabab trees still thrive on the hot sandy Mannar region. The Baobab Adansonia digitata L. belongs to the family Bombacaceae. It appear strange and barrel-like enormous trunk, which tapers into branches. When the leaves are shed, the tree gives the impression that it had been planted upside down. The name baobab comes from the Arabic plant name Buhibab, while the scientific name is after the French Botanist M. Adanson (1727–1806). The tree is more known for its girth than height: trunks attain a diameter of 9 m (30 ft) in some cases, and are hollow in the centre. The bark is rough and greyish, and since it resembles the hide of an elephant, but Tamils refer to it as Perukkaa which means Large fruit. Catholics in Mannar call baobab the Judas Bag given the 30 seeds its fruit contains. Monkeys love the fruit and hence the tree is sometimes known as the Monkey-bread tree.
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 153 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
The population of the district, like the rest of the North
and East
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 1,000,000, have emigrated
to the West
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
and East
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees is India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety of Colombo
. The war has also caused most of the Sri Lankan Moors
and Sinhalese
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of Sri Lanka
, though some of them have returned to the district in recent years.
1 2001 Census was not carried out in Mannar district.
during 1990. Muslims refugees settled around Puttalam
. Muslims have lived here from ancient times when Arab traders were travelling the Indian Ocean
. Christians have lived here from Portuguese times. This was the principal port of the Sinhala kings until about the 11th century. Christians originate from the local Tamil people who changed their religions after the foreign traders or missionaries came to Mannar.
Nayakkar or Madurai
was the origin of settlers in Mannar and Moplah
Muslims from Cochin settled as trading partners of the ruler of Sethu
. Nayakkar dynasty which ruled Madurai had marital connections with all the local rulers and people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala settled in Ceylon without any hindrance as Portugal ruled certain areas in Ceylon and Kerala like Mannar, Kochi and Tuticorin and Catholic religion flourished in all the coastal villages.
In the past, Arab sailors frequented the Mannar coast. Muslim lineages claim that their Arab
ancestors married Sinhala
and Tamil
women.
to Jaffna
. Portuguese
first arrived in Colombo
and established Catholicism
in areas around Chilaw
and further expanded their rule into Nagar Kovil, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin area. Thus the whole of Gulf of Mannar
could be called a Catholic Belt.
The ancient Madu Church is one of the ancient churches in Asia and located near Murunkan. An ancient Kali Temple was demolished by Portuguese to construct the Catholic Church on the same location.
Pesalai Catholic Church is one of the largest church in Sri Lanka, which was rebuilt after year-2000. Alleged recent human rights violations by Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE attacks have brought it to the media attention internationally. (see 2006 Mannar massacres
)
There are also few Protestant/Christian Churches in Mannar. Methodist is one of a Senior church started in Mannar in the history and the Ceylon Penticostal Mission is second to it. The Grace Gospel Church, My Saviour's Church, Philedephiya Full Gospel Church, Assemble of God & Christian Fellowship Church are also old churches in Mannar more than 10 years.
Mannar has an ancient port which needs to be expanded into a large harbour like Rameshwaram Harbour. The present 'Sethusamudram
Project' by the India
n Government will bring 90% of the shipping traffic very near to the Mannar Harbour.
The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour. Tuticurin has the potential to transform itself into a nodal port. The Tamil Nadu Government has announced its proposal to develop 13 minor ports, including Ennore, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi, Valinokam, Kolachel and Kanyakumari.
Development of the canal and ports is also expected to provide increased maritime security for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
All the other harbours of Sri Lanka will get bypassed by the ships and Indian harbours will be servicing the shipping traffic. As such a hundred million dollar project needs to be started to build a modern harbour in Mannar to compete. The location of such a harbour can be on the northern side and southern side of Mannar as both the sides can cater for deep sea vessels.
The project has been criticized by some environmentalists.
Districts of Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, districts are the second-level administrative divisions, and are included in a province. There are 25 districts organized into 9 provinces. Each district is administered under a District Secretary, who is appointed by the central government...
of 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...
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
(previously known as a Government Agent
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both...
. The headquarters is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka
Mannar, Sri Lanka
Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior...
. Manthai East division of the district was transferred to newly created Mullaitivu district
Mullaitivu District
Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town...
in September 1978.
Etymology
Mannar means 'deer river' or 'silt river'. Manthai is a holy land where Hindu saints from India visited and sang ThevaramThevaram
Thevaram is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Thevaram located in the border of Kerala separated by western ghats-Demographics:...
devotional songs of historical importance during the Saiva Renaissance(5th Century to 10th Century) period when the Jain and Buddhist religions were completely wiped out of India.
Thevaram refers to a set of sacred hymns sung by the 3 saints Appar , Sundharar & Gnaana Sambandhar. These songs are in praise of Shiva , the Hindu god representing Saivam. There are about 276 temples sung in the thevaram which are distributed all over India and about 96% of them are located in the state of tamizh nadu.
The ancient port was known as Mahaota , Mantota, and Mahatheetha in Sanskrit, where it means the 'great port'. Mathoddam or Manthai (Tamil = Mango Gardens) is a location of the ancient Sivan temple. e.g., in Egyptian, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch maps. The Malvatu oya (Aruvi Aru) provided a direct water route from Mantota to the Ancient capital Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
.
History
This is the location of Thiruketheeswaram. the ancient temple which was sung in TevaramTevaram
The Tevaram denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Tamil Saivite devotional poetry. All seven volumes are dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets - Campantar , Appar and Cuntarar...
and visited by Sambanthar.
The soil and thus the river are of red colour. Tamira means red. Varni means colour. Thus the name Vanni or Varni and it is a mutated name from Tamiravarni, Tambravarni, Tambapanni or Tammanna. Another river called Tamirabharani is located in Tuticorin area and there was a connection of land which kept both countries together during ancient times. The name Tamil is derived from Tamir. Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
may have named both sides of the sea with the same name in his Greek map. Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
refers to Mannar in epic terms. Adam's bridge connected Tamil Nadu with Mannar district. According to the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
Ithihasa, Rama built the temples of Ketheeswaram and Rameshwaram. India and Sri Lanka remained as one piece without separation during ice age.
The first settlers were Nagas
Naga people of Sri Lanka
The Nāka people were the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka who ruled Nagadeepa or Nāka Nadu - the coastal districts of mostly Western and Northern Ceylon, particularly the Jaffna peninsula from the 6th century BCE to 3rd century CE...
and Yakshashttp://www.vipassana.com/resources/mahavamsa/index.php. It was the largest and most important port in the Indian Ocean. Traders from East Asia and Mediterranean were regular visitors to this great port. During the Catholic conversion period, Portuguese systematically destroyed the Sivan temples of Rajarajeswaram and Thiruketheeswaram and transformed Mannar into forts made of stones from the temples and pagodas http://www.mannar.com/documents/manthai.swf.
Mahawamsa narrates that Prince Vijaya, a cruel lawless bandit prince and 700 drifter gangsters who were banished from their motherland, landed in Sri Lanka at this place around 500 B.C. and called this place Tambapanni
Tambapanni
Tambapanni is a name derived from Tamira Varni or Tamirabarani . This means the colour of copper or bronze. A river by this name is located at close proximity across the sea in Thirunelveli District . A derivative of this name is Taprobane . Tambapanni is a Pali version of the name Tamira Varni....
. They married Tamil brides from Pandya Nadu. Pandyan princes started ruling the land afterwards with prefixes of Pandu
Pandu
In the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
.
Vijaya and his clan came from Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. They landed in Hela Diva. From that cross breeding the name Sinhala came to all the progeny of these immigrants (Sind + Hela = Sinhala).
The Mahavamsa describes the Pandyan ladies as originating from "Dakkhina Madura" or "southern Madura" which most Sinhala scholars have interpreted as modern-day Madurai in Tamil Nadu, "northern Madura" being the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. However, there had been more than one Madurai in Tamil history. The Tamil literary tradition holds that three academies were held to collate the poetry of the Sangam age. The last of these was held in Madurai and the second was in a city called Kapatapuram, but the first academy was held in "Then Madurai," translating to "southern Madurai." Historians believe that Then Madurai was a real city on the southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu near modern Korkai, which would have been very close to the settlement of "Thambapanni" which Vijaya had constructed in Lanka. If "Then Madurai" can be equated with "Dakkhina Madura" of the Mahavamsa, then we would have evidence that the seat of the first Sangam was a historical city, and not a myth.
In the period prior to the thirteenth century Mathottam or the great port, opposite Mannar on the north-western coast facing the Arabian Sea was the most important trading port of the Island. A large number of articles of foreign origin including coins and porcelain-ware have been excavated at Mannar by archaeologists. The port was surrounded by villages with Naga names. e.g. Nagarkulam, Nagathazhvu and Siru-nagarkulam. A great Naga
Naga people of Sri Lanka
The Nāka people were the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka who ruled Nagadeepa or Nāka Nadu - the coastal districts of mostly Western and Northern Ceylon, particularly the Jaffna peninsula from the 6th century BCE to 3rd century CE...
civilization existed here long before the arrival of Sinhalese.
In Sinhalese inscriptions and Pali chronicles Mathottam is variously referred to as Matota while it is called Mathottam in Tamil. Mathottam was governed as an autonomous port by a prince and remained as the largest port of the country.
After the seventh century, the principle arena for the East-West exchange trade had shifted from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Consequently there was an increasing interest in the north-eastern zone of Sri Lanka wherein was located Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
port. It is significant that between seventh and tenth centuries A.D. four Sinhalese Kings Aggabodhi IV, Aggabodhi VII, Udaya I and Sena I left Anuradhapura and ruled from the north-eastern city of Polonnaruwa, situated on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga within easy access to Trincomalee.
Rajaraja I invaded Sri Lanka in 993 CE. The copper-plate inscription mention that Rajaraja’s powerful army crossed the ocean by ships and burnt up the kingdom of Lanka. Mahinda V was the king of Sinhalas. In 991 CE, Mahinda’s army mutinied with help from mercenaries from Kerala. Mahinda had to seek refuge in the southern region of Rohana. Rajaraja utilised this opportunity and invaded the island. Chola armies occupied the northern half of Lanka and named the dominion ‘Mummudi Chola Mandalam’.
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
, the 1400-year-old capital of Sinhala kings was destroyed. The destruction was so extensive the city was abandoned. Cholas made the city of Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa
The second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
as their capital and renamed it Jananathamangalam. The choice of this city demonstrates the desire of Rajaraja to conquer the entire island.
Rajaraja also built a Temple for Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
in Pollonaruwa.
To complete the task began by his father, of conquering the island of Srilanka, Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra Chola I was the son of Rajaraja Chola I and was one of the greatest rulers of Tamil Chola dynasty of India. He succeeded his father in 1014 CE as the Chola emperor...
invaded the island in 1018 C.E. As a result of the campaign, Rajendra claimed to have captured the regal jewels of the Pandya kings, which Parantaka I
Parantaka I
Parantaka Chola I ruled the Chola kingdom in southern India for forty-eight years. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success and prosperity.-The Invasion of the Pandya Kingdom:...
tried in vain to capture. Rajendra also captured the crown of the Sinhala king, his Queen and daughter. The Sinhala king Mahinda V was taken prisoner and transported to the Chola country. He was held prisoner for over twelve years and died in captivity. Mahavamsa
Mahavamsa
The Mahavamsa is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka...
gives a graphic illustration of the carnage wrought by the pillaging Chola army in the Sinhala country, claiming the invading army destroyed monasteries seeking treasure. Chola inscriptions however are silent regarding the details of this campaign and draws a veil over the pillage.
Mahinda’s son Kassapa
Kassapa
Kassapa may refer to:*Kassapa Buddha, also known as Kāśyapa Buddha, an ancient buddha*Mahākāśyapa, also known as Mahakassapa, a disciple of Śakyamuni Buddha...
became the centre of Sihalese resistance against the Tamil Power. The war between the Cholas and the Sinhalese raged for over six months in which a great number of Tamils were killed. At the end of the battle Kassapa managed to drive out the Chola army from the southeast corner of the island and ruled as Vikramabahu I.
Remains of a number of Hindu temples have been discovered around the Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa
The second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
area attesting to the presence of the Tamil army.
In 1041 C.E. Rajendra had to lead another expedition into 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...
to quell the continuing attacks against the Chola army by Vikramabahu. Vikramabahu died soon after and anarchy reigned outside the Chola territories. An assortment of adventurers including Sinhalese, dispossessed Pandya princes and even a certain Jagaitpala from distance Kanauj asserted authority over portions of the island. Chola army had to fight and defeat them all.
It was the most important port for vessels coming from South India and there was a strong Tamil element in the population of this port during most periods of history. Mannar located at the mouth of the Aruvi Aru had easy access to the capital Anuradhapura, which was located on the banks of the same river. However with the increased emphasis on the South-East Asian Sri Vijayan Kingdom as the main centre of entrepot trade after the seventh century A.D. the importance of the port of Mannar had diminished to some extent. Owing to this change even the capital Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
lost much of its attractiveness.
Thus, the emergence of Polonnaruwa and the port of Trincomalee is significant in terms of the changing patterns of trade in the Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka's interest in it. The South Indian Chola occupation of Polonnaruva (1017–1070) was partly motivated by the commercial policy of the Cholas aimed at controlling the western seaboard of Bay of the Bengal. The importance of Trincomalee for the Bay of Bengal and South-East Asian trade was realized also by the Sinhalese rulers of Polonnaruva particularly Vijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I was a medieval king of Sri Lanka. Born to a royal bloodline, he grew up at a time which parts of the country were ruled by the invaders from the Chola dynasty of India. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055...
(1070–1110) and Parakramabahu (1153–1186).
However Mannar did not completely lose its glamour in the period between the seventh and the twelfth centuries and it functioned as an important trading centre where South Indian merchants flourished. In addition to the ancient temple of Tiruketisvaram at Mathottam another temple named Rajarajavarattu Mahadeva was constructed near the port in the eleventh century for the worship of the trading communities and soldiers living there by the Chola conqueror Rajaraja Chola I
Rajaraja Chola I
Raja Raja Chola I born Arunmozhi Thevar , popularly known as Raja Raja the Great, is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire of India who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE...
.
The new commercial policy of the southern Sung dynasty (1127–1278) of China deviated from the "tributary trading system" in south East Asian and South Asian waters. As a result, the role of the intermediaries in the Bay of Bengal trade declined drastically. Once again the coastal ports in India regained their eminent position in trade and the theatre of activity shifted from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea.
Mathottam continued as the chief port of Rajarata at least up to the middle of the thirteenth century. The Rasavahini written in the Polonnaruva period implies that traders collected various commodities from Mahatittha and sold them in the interior. The Saddharmalankara refers to a merchant of Mavatupatuna who went eastwards for trade. However, by the fifteenth century Mathottam appears no longer to be an important port. The Kokila Sandesa written during the reign of Parakramabahu VI of Kotte, in giving a description of the important places along the western littoral of the Island does not mention Mathottam.
Geography
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...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
. It has an area of 1996 square kilometres (770.7 sq mi).
Geology, soil and water
Murunkan (Tamil = Cracked Earth) is due to the black clay surface which is cracked while dry, is the place where the Giant's Tank is situated. It has montmorilloniteMontmorillonite
Montmorillonite is a very soft phyllosilicate group of minerals that typically form in microscopic crystals, forming a clay. It is named after Montmorillon in France. Montmorillonite, a member of the smectite family, is a 2:1 clay, meaning that it has 2 tetrahedral sheets sandwiching a central...
clay and is the only place in Sri Lanka where this kind of clay can be obtained. This clay is used in making cement.
Aruvi Aru is the second longest river in Sri Lanka and runs through Mannar and Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
districts.
Mannar has artesian springs and aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
s. These water supply comes from Sri Lanka's central areas. The Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
has a supply of fresh water from aquifers and it was used in successful cultivation. It only exists in the areas where Red Yellow Latosol exists. These types of aquifers do not exist where Reddish Brown Earth is found. The rest of the Vanni area is void of perennial supply of fresh water.
Wildlife and plants
Mannar District is unique in its vegetation and wildlife contrasting with rest of Sri LankaSri 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...
.
Mannar Island is also notably one of the few places in Sri Lanka where Boabab trees thrive. The Boabab tree, native to Africa, was bought by Arab sailors to feed camels which they stationed in the area. Although camels are not found in today, few boabab trees still thrive on the hot sandy Mannar region. The Baobab Adansonia digitata L. belongs to the family Bombacaceae. It appear strange and barrel-like enormous trunk, which tapers into branches. When the leaves are shed, the tree gives the impression that it had been planted upside down. The name baobab comes from the Arabic plant name Buhibab, while the scientific name is after the French Botanist M. Adanson (1727–1806). The tree is more known for its girth than height: trunks attain a diameter of 9 m (30 ft) in some cases, and are hollow in the centre. The bark is rough and greyish, and since it resembles the hide of an elephant, but Tamils refer to it as Perukkaa which means Large fruit. Catholics in Mannar call baobab the Judas Bag given the 30 seeds its fruit contains. Monkeys love the fruit and hence the tree is sometimes known as the Monkey-bread tree.
Administrative units
Mannar district is divided into 5 Divisional Secretary's (DS) DivisionsDivisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka
The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became...
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 153 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
| DS Division Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became... |
Main Town | GN Divisions |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhu Madhu Divisional Secretariat Madhu Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Madhu | 17 | 512.82 | 4,498 |
| Mannar Mannar Divisional Secretariat Mannar Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Mannar Mannar, Sri Lanka Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior... |
49 | 226.88 | 51,249 |
| Manthai West Manthai West Divisional Secretariat Manthai West Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Adampan | 36 | 658.90 | 26,741 |
| Musalai Musalai Divisional Secretariat Musalai Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Chilawathurai | 20 | 474.22 | 0 |
| Nanaddan Nanaddan Divisional Secretariat Nanaddan Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Mannar District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Nanaddan | 31 | 129.25 | 21,200 |
| Total | 153 | 2,002.07 | 103,688 | |
Population
Mannar district's population was 103,688 in 2007. The population of the district is mostly Sri Lankan Tamil.The population of the district, like the rest of the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 1,000,000, have emigrated
Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
to the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees is India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety 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...
. The war has also caused most of the Sri Lankan Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
and Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of 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...
, though some of them have returned to the district in recent years.
Ethnicity
Population of Mannar District by ethnic group 1981 to 2007| Year | Sri Lankan Tamil | Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan Moors The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries... |
Sinhalese Sinhalese people The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the... |
Others | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1881 Census | 14,415 | 67.52% | 6,635 | 31.08% | 142 | 0.67% | 156 | 0.73% | 21,348 | 100.00% |
| 1891 Census | 16,098 | 65.68% | 7,643 | 31.18% | 592 | 2.42% | 178 | 0.73% | 24,511 | 100.00% |
| 1901 Census | 16,848 | 67.59% | 7,715 | 30.95% | 201 | 0.81% | 162 | 0.65% | 24,926 | 100.00% |
| 1911 Census | 16,731 | 65.35% | 8,092 | 31.61% | 639 | 2.50% | 141 | 0.55% | 25,603 | 100.00% |
| 1921 Census | 16,949 | 66.25% | 8,002 | 31.28% | 538 | 2.10% | 93 | 0.36% | 25,582 | 100.00% |
| 1946 Census | 19,623 | 62.22% | 10,410 | 33.01% | 1,186 | 3.76% | 319 | 1.01% | 31,538 | 100.00% |
| 1963 Census | 40,140 | 66.70% | 17,260 | 28.68% | 2,262 | 4.35% | 160 | 0.27% | 60,180 | 100.00% |
| 1971 Census | 53,353 | 68.50% | 20,878 | 26.81% | 3,568 | 4.58% | 83 | 0.11% | 77,882 | 100.00% |
| 1981 Census | 68,178 | 63.75% | 28,464 | 26.62% | 8,710 | 8.14% | 1,588 | 1.48% | 106,940 | 100.00% |
| 2001 Estimate1 | 92,911 | 94.84% | 5,038 | 5.14% | 16 | 0.02% | 0 | 0.00% | 97,965 | 100.00% |
| 2007 Estimate | 95,560 | 92.16% | 8,073 | 7.79% | 55 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 103,688 | 100.00% |
| Source: | ||||||||||
1 2001 Census was not carried out in Mannar district.
Religion
Mannar is a predominantly Catholic Christian area. There was equal amount of Muslim population and a few Sinhalase before 1990. The ethnic conflict created distrust between communities and LTTE expelled all Muslims out of Northern ProvinceNorthern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
during 1990. Muslims refugees settled around Puttalam
Puttalam
Puttalam is the capital city of the Puttalam District in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.-History:The history of this dry zone dates back to the arrival of Prince Vijaya, nearly 2500 years ago, when his vessel washed ashore. The name "Puttalam" may be a modification of the Tamil word Uppuththalam...
. Muslims have lived here from ancient times when Arab traders were travelling the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. Christians have lived here from Portuguese times. This was the principal port of the Sinhala kings until about the 11th century. Christians originate from the local Tamil people who changed their religions after the foreign traders or missionaries came to Mannar.
Nayakkar or Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
was the origin of settlers in Mannar and Moplah
Moplah
Moplah may refer to:* Mappila, an ancient Muslim community in Malabar, Kerala state, present day India* Moplah Riots, a series of revolts and attacks by Mappilas against Hindu landlords and British government officials...
Muslims from Cochin settled as trading partners of the ruler of Sethu
Sethu
Sethu is a 1999 Tamil romantic tragedy film directed by debutant Bala. The film stars Vikram and Abitha in the lead roles with Sivakumar and Sriman in other pivotal roles...
. Nayakkar dynasty which ruled Madurai had marital connections with all the local rulers and people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala settled in Ceylon without any hindrance as Portugal ruled certain areas in Ceylon and Kerala like Mannar, Kochi and Tuticorin and Catholic religion flourished in all the coastal villages.
In the past, Arab sailors frequented the Mannar coast. Muslim lineages claim that their Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ancestors married Sinhala
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
and Tamil
Sri Lanka Tamils (Indian origin)
The Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka are Tamil people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. They are also known as Hill country Tamils, Up-country Tamils or simply Indian Tamils. They are partly descended from workers sent from South India to Sri Lanka in the 19th and 20th centuries to work in coffee, tea and...
women.
Christian churches
Mannar is part of the 'Catholic Belt' extending from NegomboNegombo
Negombo is a town of about 121,933, approximately 37 km north of Colombo, in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, about 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport...
to Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
. Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
first arrived in 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...
and established Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in areas around Chilaw
Chilaw
Chilaw is a western seaboard town on the island of Sri Lanka.It is a bustling town with a famous fishmarket and beach...
and further expanded their rule into Nagar Kovil, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin area. Thus the whole of Gulf of Mannar
Gulf of Mannar
The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge, also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the...
could be called a Catholic Belt.
The ancient Madu Church is one of the ancient churches in Asia and located near Murunkan. An ancient Kali Temple was demolished by Portuguese to construct the Catholic Church on the same location.
Pesalai Catholic Church is one of the largest church in Sri Lanka, which was rebuilt after year-2000. Alleged recent human rights violations by Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE attacks have brought it to the media attention internationally. (see 2006 Mannar massacres
2006 Mannar massacres
The Vankalai massacre was a massacre of a family of four minority Sri Lankan Tamils from the village of Vankalai in Mannar District, Sri Lanka on June 8, 2006. The victims were tortured and the mother was gang raped before her murder...
)
There are also few Protestant/Christian Churches in Mannar. Methodist is one of a Senior church started in Mannar in the history and the Ceylon Penticostal Mission is second to it. The Grace Gospel Church, My Saviour's Church, Philedephiya Full Gospel Church, Assemble of God & Christian Fellowship Church are also old churches in Mannar more than 10 years.
Local government
Mannar district has 5 local authorities of which one is an Urban Council and the remaining 4 are Pradeshya Sabhas.| Local Authority | Elected Members |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mannar Pradeshya Sabha | 9 | 286.40 | 0 |
| Mannar Urban Council | 9 | 27.85 | 22,581 |
| Manthai West Urban Council | 9 | 1,053.06 | 46,639 |
| Musalai Pradeshya Sabha | 9 | 458.25 | 6,195 |
| Nanaddan Pradeshya Sabha | 9 | 256.10 | 19,223 |
| Source: | |||
Mannar harbour
Sethusamudram
Sethusamudram is the sea that separates Tamil Nadu, India, from Sri Lanka. It encompasses the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and a shoal of islands and bays that separate them called Ram Setu...
Project' by the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Government will bring 90% of the shipping traffic very near to the Mannar Harbour.
The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour. Tuticurin has the potential to transform itself into a nodal port. The Tamil Nadu Government has announced its proposal to develop 13 minor ports, including Ennore, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi, Valinokam, Kolachel and Kanyakumari.
Development of the canal and ports is also expected to provide increased maritime security for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
All the other harbours of Sri Lanka will get bypassed by the ships and Indian harbours will be servicing the shipping traffic. As such a hundred million dollar project needs to be started to build a modern harbour in Mannar to compete. The location of such a harbour can be on the northern side and southern side of Mannar as both the sides can cater for deep sea vessels.
The project has been criticized by some environmentalists.