History of Jaffna

 Jaffna

Jaffna is the main city of the Jaffna district.  Jaffna situated near to the sub-continent of India and it separated by Palk strait and the Bay of Bengal. this city was face to 30 years of war. Now this city developed as a new way. Today many tourists are visiting to the Jaffna for feel that culture and to get new experiences.

Reaching Jaffna

You can reach to Jaffna from Colombo via A9 road. It will take 7-8 hours and it has 404km from Colombo to Jaffna. 

Also, you can visit to Jaffna by train or Plane.

History of Jaffna

Nagadipa or Naka-diva was supposedly the ancient name given to the Jaffna peninsula. Nagadipa is first mentioned in the Pali chronicles of Sri Lanka in connection with the story of the Buddha’s second visit to the island in the 6th century B.C. Mahavamsa (ch.1.vv 44-70) narrates that the Buddha during this visit made peace between two Naga kings of Nagadipa who were about to wage war over a gem-set throne.

According to records reviewed by the Portuguese, Prince Sapumal of Kotte re-populated the barren ‘Yapanaya’ (The Sinhalese Term for Jaffna) with the Sinhalese of Kotte Kingdom. During the Dutch era Jaffna was populated by the south Indians brought into the peninsula for the cultivation of Tobacco. Today the Jaffna peninsula is inhabited mainly by the Tamils.

 

Casuarina Beach

Casuarina beach the name casuariana is due to the casuarina trees spread along the beach this a place where most visitiors spend time having a see bath and swim.

The beach at karainager is Located about 20km from Jaffna. one can walk along way in to the waters as the current is low and the waves are gentle.

Jaffna Archaeological Museum

You can visit to Museum by Nallur Kovil road. The land of this museum was a gift by the Sri Arumuga Navalar foundation in 1975. A collection of items illustrated that the buddhist and the hindu religious heritage includes metal items, a large collection of coins of different periods, stone items, and wooden items.

Jaffna Fort

The Jaffna Fort, the second largest Dutch Fort in Sri Lanka, is located immediately south of the Jaffna town, with the southern side bounded by the shallow waters of Jaffna lagoon, the inlet of the Indian Ocean that carves out the Jaffna Peninsula. “A true and exact description of the Great Island of Ceylon” (1672) by Dutch pastor Phillipus Baldaeus, who lived in Jaffna for about nine years narrates:

“The fort of Jaffnapatan is square surrounded with strong high walls as the print exhibits, it is larger than the fort of Batavia and is the capital of the entire kingdom. It remained under the Portugezen sway for upwards of 40 years, wrested from the Emperor by Philippo d’Olivero when he defeated the Cingalezen forces near Achiavelli by the great pagode, where there are still to be seen the ruins and a wonderfully large wide well, deep and round and its centre 24 fathoms deep, truly a wonderful work hewn out of a large rock”.

Following a grant of LKR 104.5 million, the Department of Archaeology of National Heritage and the Cultural Affairs Ministry has secured the assistance of the 51 Division of Sri Lanka Army in the reconstruction works of the five sided fort that consists of high ramparts and bastions and a moat that runs along the land side.

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