Tangalle

තංගල්ල

தங்கல்லை
Town
Tangalle is located in Sri Lanka
Tangalle
Tangalle
Coordinates: 6°01′N 80°47′E / 6.017°N 80.783°E / 6.017; 80.783
CountrySri Lanka
ProvinceSouthern Province
DistrictHambantota
Government
 • TypeTangalle Municipal Council
 • MayorW. P. Ariyadasa
 • HeadquartersTangalle Town Hall
Population
 (2012)
 • Total72,500
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+6 (Summer time)
Postal Code
82200
Area Code047

Tangalle (Sinhala තංගල්ල [ˈtaŋɡalːə], Tamil: தங்கல்லை) (also known as Tangalla) is a large town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. It is one of the largest towns in southern province. It is located 195 km (121 mi) south of Colombo and 35 km (22 mi) east of Matara. It has a mild climate, in comparison to the rest of the district, and sandy beaches.

Tangalle is a regionally important fishing port, situated on one of the largest bays in Sri Lanka, which is protected from the ocean by an enclosing reef.[1][2] It is a centre of tourism and a popular holiday destination on the south coast. In the town centre there is an old Dutch fort which is used as a prison today.[3][4] The Dutch and subsequently the British used Tangalle as an important anchorage on the southern coast of the island. The Dutch Fort, Rest House and Court House are a few remaining examples of Dutch architecture in Tangalle.

Etymology

The name of the town in Sinhala means "projected rock", a reference to the rocks which form the coastline in the town area, which contrasts with the sandy beach of the surrounding areas. Another rationale is that the name is derived from ran-gala or "golden rock", which relates to a local legend that a holy man once ate a meal there and the rock was turned to gold.

Attractions

Education

Universities

Schools

Gallery

Notable residents

Suwanda Hennedige Sauris Silva (5 May 1898 – October 1982), dancer (principal dancer of his father's dance troupe, performed the first public low country dance for the visiting Queen Elizabeth), poet, educationalist, social-worker, journalist. He was the pioneer in committing to writing the oral tradition of the healing ceremony of Tovil. Locally a road, Sauris Silva Mawata, has been named after him.[9]

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan politician who served as the sixth President of Sri Lanka from 19 November 2005 to 9 January 2015. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and he served as prime minister from 6 April 2004 until his victory in the 2005 presidential election . He was sworn in for his first six-year term as president on 19 November 2005. He was re-elected for a second term on 27 January 2010. [10]

References

  1. ^ The Nautical Magazine a Journal of Papers on Subjects Connected with Maritime Affairs in General. Fisher, Son & Company. 1836. pp. 521–522.
  2. ^ Bennett, John Whitchurch (1843). Ceylon and Its Capabilities. Trumpet Publishers. pp. 319–320.
  3. ^ Fernando, Kishanie S. (9 June 2013). "Colonial Forts – relics of old time warfare". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  4. ^ Pieris, Kamalika (24 May 2012). "Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka". The Daily News. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Mulkirigala Raja Maha Viharaya – මුල්කිරිගල රජමහා විහාරය". amazinglanka. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. ^ Ranatunga, D. C. "The Rock Temple down South". Sunday Times. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Hummanaya Blow Hole". geocaching. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary". Ceylon Tour Advsor. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  9. ^ Sugunasiri, Suwanda H. J. (2018). Sauris Silva of Tangalla, Sri Lanka: In the Eyes of Himself and Others. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Godage International Publishing.
  10. ^ "Home". Mahinda Rajapaksa - Official Website. Retrieved 4 March 2018.


Categories