Sri Lankan Tourism -»
Travel Guide
Jaffna City
Distance from Colombo 396km
The peninsula is practically an island, connected the rest of Sri Lanka
by a narrow spit of land which houses the Chundikkulam bird sanctuary and
a causeway known as Elephant Pass because elephants would once cross the
shallow lagoon at this point. Topographically quaint unlike the rest of
lush Sri Lanka, only hard work and aggressive irrigation will coax a living
out of this inhospitable northern soil. Jaffna is justly famous for the
deliciousness of its mangoes and toddy from the palmyrah palm. There are
plenty of beaches but no resorts. The Dutch ‘star’ fort in Jaffna
is said to be Asia’s best example of Dutch fortification. Inside it
are the King’s House and the Dutch Church. Since Jaffna’s population
is predominantly Tamil, there are also many Hindu Kovils.
The Northern Sri Lankan city of Jaffna has a written history of 2000 years.
Along with the Mahavamsa and Chulavamsa, The Yalpana Vaipava Malai, Kailaya
Malai, and Irasamurai are some of the books containing historical facts
of Jaffna. The Abitta Jataka in the Pali canon refers to the Brahmin sage
Akitta (Agastya?) who had visited the island of Kara adjacent to Nagadipa.
This is identified by some as the present Karaitivu or Karainagar.
The Mahavamsa mentions that Lord Buddha used his iddhi or yogic powers to
visit Jaffna by air to resolve a crisis over a jewel between the Naga chieftains
and introduced Buddhism to them. It refers to the port of Jambukola Pattuna,
now known as Sambalturai, where ships embarked to India. The Mahavamsa Tika
- a commentary to the chronicle, speaks of a Thera Dhammadinna in the island
of Piyangudipa which is probably the present island of Punguduteevu. The
Sangam era Tamil literature in the early centuries of the common era included
poets from Mantai in what is today the Mannar District in Sri Lanka. The
Tamil epic the Manimekalai refers to a place called Manipallavam which might
well be Jaffna. The archeological ruins in Kantarodai might well confirm
this literary reference.
Most Jaffna tamils belong to the Dravidian cultural group and The Pongal,
The Hindu New Year in April, Christmas, Deepavali, Navaratri and Shivaratri
are some of the religious festivals celebrated. During the colonial period
Jaffna people were attracted to western culture and these features can be
identified even today in the Jaffna society.
Jaffna City, Sri Lanka Travel Guide - Reservation Form
