Dutch Fort at Batticaloa

Dutch Fort at Batticaloa

Attribution:

World Monuments Fund

BATTICALOA

SRI LANKA

Key Dates

A Buddhist stupa and shatra from the Ruhuna Kingdom date back to the 1st Century BC.

The Dutch developed a fort there in 1628.

It was damaged in the 2004 tsunami.

The Fort of Batticaloa is on a small island on the east coast of Sri Lanka, 69 miles south by south east of Trincomalee. Its local name is Mada Kalapuwa, which means "muddy lagoon" in Sinhala, after the inland lagoon over which it looks. Although the site gets its name from a Dutch settlement built there in 1628, it has important ancient religious significance because of a Buddhist stupa and a a dagaba and Chatra from the Ruhuna kingdom of King Kavantissa.

The City of Batticaloa has had a violent recent history. Claimed by the Tamil separatist guerilla group, the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) as part of their homeland, it has been the scene of conflict, murder, and kidnapping. In 2004, it was one of the towns hit worst by the December 26 tsunami. It is now listed on the World Monuments Fund 2010's Monuments Watch List.

The Dutch Fort in Batticaloa

The Dutch Fort in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, and the Carlisle Memorial Methodist Church in Belfast, Northern Ireland, illustrate some of the ways in which heritage conservation can bring together fractured communities.

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2∫_new=33755

Batticaloa was under the Sinhalese kings – in 1505 – and not under any Tamil king.

Around 1505 when the Portuguese took over the south and harassed Arab traders who were running businesses there. The Arabs complained to the Sinhalese King and the king gave them land on the East coast, where they still live today. This proves the East, Batticaloa and Trincomalee were also under the Sinhalese kings – in 1505 – and not under any Tamil king.

When the Dutch arrived in 1637 they signed a deal with the Sinhalese King to have berthing rights for their ships in harbours on the East coast, Trincomalee and Batticaloa during the monsoon rains, proving that the eastern costal regions belonged to the Sinhalese in 1637.- and not to any Tamil Kingdom ..

When in 1660 Robert Knox’s father’s ship “Anne” stopped over at the eastern port of Trincomalee , Sinhalese soldiers arrested them and took them to their Sinhalese King, proving that in 1660 the east was under a Sinhalese King. Robert Knox and his friend Stephen Rutland lived among the Sinhalese (mostly in Kandy ) for over 17 years. Robert Knox wrote “Robert Knox in the Kandyan Kingdom ” a book about the Sinhalese he met. Nothing about Tamils or any Tamil kingdom is mentioned.

Portuguese historian De Queyroz in “Conquest of Ceylon ” says “As long as Anuradhapure was the capital, the whole island was subject to one King – There were fifteen kinglets, Dinvaca, Valave, Putaloa, Trinquilimale, Batecaloa, Candea and Jaffnapatam”. ( Anuradhapura was the capital of Sinhalese Kings)

http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2009/10/02/the-myth-of-eelam-dream/

On 9 April 1942

On 9 April 1942, whilst escorting the British carrier Hermes off Batticaloa, they were attacked by Japanese carrier aircraft. Both ships sunk, Vampire broken in half by a well placed bomb. Nine crew were lost.


There's some good pictures of HMAS (HMS) Vampire here: http://www.maritimequest.com/warship...d68_page_1.htm

Crew from HMS Vampire assisted in rescuing some crew from the Aberdeen trawler Imperial Prince when she founded on the Belshevie Sands in October 1923.

See here for a description: http://www.bavidge.co.uk/black_dog.htm

The picture shows the National Maritime museum.

Entire Eastern coastal belt was part of the Kandyan Kingdom

As for the Eastern Province the entire Eastern coastal belt was part of the Kandyan Kingdom . When the Dutchman Admiral Van Spilbergen arrived in Batticaloa in 1602, he was greeted by a Dissawe of the King of Kandy (Wimaladharmasuriya I) whose kingdom extended to the East coast to include both Batticaloa and Trincomalee. A painting that was presented to the Dutch Burger Union by the Netherlands Armed Forces clearly proves this fact. It was the Kandyan King’s (Rajasinghe II) troops that captured Robert Knox and not an ‘army’ of some mythical Tamil King who ruled so-called traditional Tamil homeland. (Asiapost)

Batticaloa Distance from Colombo 303km

Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, 69 miles south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.

Batticaloa is a quiet little place, with a small but well-preserved Dutch fort surrounded by a large lagoon on three sides. The constantly shifting views of land, lagoon and ocean lend Batticaloa an interesting character. A visit to the Kalkudah and Passekudah beaches is a must in the route from Arugam Bay upto Polonnaruwa.

Afro-Sri Lankans

Afro-Sri Lankans Few know that in the fascinating ethnomosaic that is Sri Lanka, there is a community of Afro-Sri Lankans. They are the Kaffir of Puttalam and Batticaloa districts who stand out with their kinky hair. Historians say that they were brought by the Portuguese to Sri Lanka via Goa in the 16th century, converted to Catholicism, and made to work under very exploitative conditions.The Dutch, who followed the Portuguese, used 4,000 of them to build the Colombo Fort. Sadly, even after five centuries today, the Kaffir are mainly manual labourers. Over the years, most have merged with the Sinhalese, and only about 215 families still retain their identity. Even these have no knowledge of their original tongue, Afro- Portuguese Creole. But amazingly, the Kaffir’s vigorous Afro-Portuguese musical and dance tradition has survived the ravages of time and cultural onslaughts.

History of Batticaloa

History of the beginnings

One records it in the history that the people of Mattakkallppu Thamizaham (மட்டக்களப்புதமிழகம்) had lived in this ground during more than 2500 years. The Hindu scripture principal Ramayan also recorded that the crowned tank which was created by Hanuman is localized in the kovil of Mamangeshwarar.

Arrival of Mutkuhar

According to Mattakallappu Manmiyam (மட்டக்களப்புமான்மியம்) Mukkuva or Mutkuhar are known like the first people emigrated with this ground and built seven villages in various sectors. They have immigrant their India shape of people and established the kingdom of the name of Mukkuva.The of the villages and the cities in Batticaloa always holds the historical evedence of the ancient people batticaloan. When Mutkuhar imposed through by salt water and reached the destination of their voyage with the forests located around the lagoon. When they finshes.

The name given by Mukkuva was (Kallpu-Mattam) which means the " literally; border of the lagoon Later this was called (Matta-Kallappu) which indicates that the destination of the voyage and the water of Mukkuva is punt.

Arrival of Thimilar

A group of people of Fisher called " Thimilar" who emigrated of India lived in " Thimilathivu" where the strong first was built by Thimilar for the themself. " Valaikattiravu" who a place where Thimilar fished the massive quantity of fish by using the fishing nets (Valai/வலை). With the begginng there were conflicts between Thimilar and Mutkuhar later which it developed to the war and continued for one long period.

to fight between Mutkuhar and Thimilar

Mutkuhar gained the assistance of another group of people who came in Batticaloa from " Pattaniar" called parInde for the business and have demolishes Thimilar and drive out them far in Verukal/வெருகல் (close to the village boundry of Trincomalee).

The name of some villages are seemed to be the monuments of this war. A village close to morden Batticaloa " Sathurukondan/சத்துருகொண்டான்" called by city (Sathuru=ambush Kondan=kill the enemy) was employed by Mutkuhar attracted in an ambush the enemy. The place where the warriors who drove out behind Thimilar returned with Santhiwelli/சந்திவெளி together are called vitory and met (not of meeting of Santhi=a in all manners +Welli=field) and place of tha the warriors took the rest and celebrated the victory was called Vantharoomoolai/வந்தாறுமூலை (place of Vanthu=coming Aaru=rest Moolai=a took the rest) where the Eastern university of Sri Lanka is today localized.

The place where Mutkuhar accustomed Pattaniar them helped by conquering Thimilar and built the fortress to prevent Thimilar immigrate Eravur/ஏறாவூர் again called. (Era-derivative Erathu= to prevent the oor=place or the village Re-immegrant).

The rule and the expansion of Ellalan

For the period of King Ellalan (545 before JC) of Chola which reigned the majority of Scandinavian, the oriental parties of the country including/understanding ancient Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura were several of the soldiers of Chera, Chola, empires of Pandiya were remained with the existing people of Batticaloa

Etymology

Mattakallappu Manmiyam (மட்டக்களப்புமான்மியம்) is the only resource having the valid resourses events recorded in the ancient word Mattakkallpu de BatticaloaThe consists the words Mattu/மட்டு (honey) of Tamoul or Matta-derivative of Mattam/மட்டம் (flat) and Kallappu named geogrphical.

Mukkuwa called this place like Kallpu-Mattam or boundry of the lagoon later it became Matta-Kallappu or flat Lagoon.Similarly Mattu-Kallppu or the " confluence of the river of miel" became combinig Mattu de Mattakkallppu.When and additional Kallappu and sounnd of " k" added accoding to the rule tamoule lexicon. Consequently it became Mattukkallappu.But by pronouncing Mattukkallppu gives the same noise as Mattakkallppu is marked. Mattakkallppu became of this fact the name of this place. What consists the pure words tamoul employed 2500 years of back Mattu (honey)

References

• Mattakkallappu Manmium
• Batticaloa.com,
• Tamilian Nation, Oya Project