Bata atha Agro Technology Park

 Bata Atha Agro Technology Park is located in the village of Batatha in the Ambalantota Divisional Secretariat Division in the Hambantota District, facing the Matara - Kataragama Main Road.  The 50 acre Batatha Agro Technology Park is the second agro technology park in Sri Lanka apart from the Gannoruwa Agro Technology Park.

 At the front entrance of the park, there is an attractive pair of hand-carved monuments which are said to have been created for the farmers. It symbolizes the connection between the farmer and the agriculture.

 It belongs to the Information Technology and Communication Unit of the Department of Agriculture.

Nilaveli beach

 About 18 km from the Trincomalee town on the Trincomalee-Pulmudai road in the Eastern Province, a beautiful artist creates the first dawn of the millennium with blue ink.  It was a paradise for foreign tourists.  Within the Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province, there are many wonders of Sri Lanka's natural beauty and many ancient sites of great historical significance. 

 Among the places that have always attracted the attention of local and foreign tourists, the serene beaches with their soothing white beaches are a sight to behold.  Nilaveli beach is a huge beach with a large pool of water. If you go to Nilaveli beach, you can have another unique and inspiring opportunity.  Pigeon Island, or Pigeon Island, is a natural reserve just a few miles off the coast.  A boat ride is a must to reach this biodiversity hotspot.  

During the trip, you will have the opportunity to experience the wonders of this island full of pigeons as well as the beauty of the sea fish.  .  However, April to October is the best time to visit the East Coast.

Madhu Church

 The grand feast of the historic Madhu Church will be held in grand style on the 15th of this month.  It is the Feast of the Ascension of the Mothers.

 This great festival which is being held at the Madhu Sacred Area in the Vanni is the main pilgrimage festival of the Christians in this country.  During this festival, many Christians camp at the Madhu Shrine for more than a week and prepare for the Madhu festival.  Madhu Church is undoubtedly one of the most important Christian places of worship in the country.

 Madhu Shrine is also a place of worship for all believers for over 400 years.

 Devotees have not been able to go there for 30 years due to terrorist threats, but they have never forgotten the kindness shown to them by the Madhu mothers.  This is the eighth year that the Madhumatha festival is being celebrated after the liberation of the country from terrorism.

 Devotees believe that Mother Marada Madhu, who resides in the Vanni forest, is a loving mother who miraculously heals the sick and provides relief to the needy in all possible ways.  This is why tens of thousands of devotees flock to the Madhu shrine all year round from all over the island.  It is true that the Madhu sacred ground has always been a sacred place of unity where all people are treated equally.  Its devotees pray to God in Sinhala, Tamil and English together with the languages ​​they know.  Due to this the great services at the Madhu Shrine are also multilingual.  Not only Sinhala and Tamil ethnic groups but also people of different religions visit the Madhu Shrine.

 The story of the highly revered Mysterious Goddess statue in the Marudamadu sacred area dates back to the Portuguese period when Christianity was introduced to the country.  When the Dutch came after the Portuguese era, the Catholics were greatly persecuted.  For this reason, a group of Catholics who had escaped from the Dutch and sought refuge in the village of Sinna Maruda Madhu from Mante built small huts and lodged in them.  In one of the huts, the devotees took steps to keep the statue of Maruda Madhu Mata and continue their religious activities.  This happened during the period 1658 - 1687.

 It was in 1687 that Father Juscevas, who had decided to help the Catholics in Sri Lanka after hearing the sad news, came to Sri Lanka.

 A report written in 1701 reveals the construction of the first church in the Madhu sacred area.  This church was built in an area that was ruled by Sinhala kings outside the Dutch rule.  It is no secret that Father Jusevas, who came from Goa, India at that time, also received permission from the kings of Kandy to carry out his religious activities.

 However, the story of the Catholics in Mannar was not so easy.  Even before the Dutch came to this country in 1544, more than 500 Catholics had to be sacrificed at Thottaveli in Mannar at the wrath of the Hindu kings of Jaffna.  In fact, Sankili massacred those devotees with swords.  It is said that the Catholics who survived the tragedy continued their religious activities without fear.  At the same time, an idol of the Mother of God was placed in one place in Manthai and worship began.  It was a place that attracted all Catholics.  When the Dutch began their persecution, the Manthai Catholics were also targeted.  Frightened by this, a group of Catholics removed the statue from its place, hid in the jungle, and hid in a thicket.  After that we will not hear much about the Mother of God statue.  Meanwhile, the Mother of God reveals information about a statue hidden in a palm tree to a woman who appeared in a dream.  This is the beginning of the story of the Madhu shrine.  The worship of the Mother of God which started with the statue of Madhumatha in a small hut in 1701 is transformed into a small church  The foundation stone of the present church was laid in 1872 during the reign of Bishop Andrew Mellison with the religious freedom granted by the British.

 Even today the Madhu sacred area is in the dense jungle.  As soon as one speaks of the Madhu Church, one is reminded of the majestic statue of Goddess Maradamadu in the midst of a majestic forest and the majestic statue of Goddess Daya perched on its altar.

 The Maradamadu Pilgrimage is a journey that one cannot go on once again.

 The Maradamadu pilgrimage, which intensifies the devotion of the Mariottamas, seems to have become a separate pilgrimage culture.  There are many prayers, wishes and hymns inherent in Maduwandana which are spread in different languages.

 ‘Mother Japamala who appears in the forest where the tiger bears live and showers mercy.  Devotees bow down at the feet of Mother Marudamadu and pray for Mother Japamala, who sympathizes with her slaves like a working mother in the Vanni forest.

 Devotees who go to Madhu Church with great devotion do not return with any intention.  Promising to see her again.

 Therefore ... Finally, 'Mother Marada Madhu, the time has come for you to leave your romantic land, which shines with this sweet and beautiful sri, and which we will never forget in our hearts.  Devotees pray with tears in their eyes, 'Dear Mother, how can you walk alone with us? Do not end the journey of seeing your holy face on this journey.'

 The Madhu festival is a festival that brings together Catholics in Sri Lanka as well as all the bishops of the country.  If there is a Bishop in Sri Lanka, whether he has made a statement or not, he will join the inaugural service held in the open pavilion of the Madhu Church.  At worst, they even go there with their minds.  It is a wonderful wedding that is not to be missed by devotees and clergy alike.

 Heavy carts, wagons and pedestrians are now used by vehicles.  This pilgrimage, which was in full swing at that time, should never have been a fun one.  It must be a journey to meet God, the midwives, with a sincere heart.

Nine Arch Bridge

 The nine-arched building was erected at Gotuwala between the two railway stations of Ella and Demodara during the British colonial period.  Located at a height of about 3100 feet above sea level, this 99.6 feet high bridge is known in Sinhala as the "Bridge of the Nine Sky".  When one looks below it, one can see the 'nine heavens' through the nine arches.  Hence the Sinhala name is used.  This bridge is also known as the 'Bridge of the Sky'.

 Types of liquids used - stone, brick and cement

 Total length 300 feet (91.44 m) [1]

 Width 25 feet (7.62 m)

 80 feet (24.38 m) high

 Arches- Number9

 This massive bridge is made entirely of stone, brick and cement without a single piece of steel.  The bridge was finally opened in 1921.

 Legend has it that when the construction of the bridge began, World War I broke out and the steel stockpiled for the site was seized and used for war-related projects.  When the work stopped, the locals came forward and built the bridge out of stone bricks and cement without steel.

 A story about the origin of this bridge was published in the Mawbima newspaper.  According to this article, the construction of this bridge was carried out by P.K.  It is believed to have been carried out by a man named Appuhamy.  He is said to have lived in a village called Keppetipola Melimada.  According to one of his sons, who now lives in the house, P.K.  Appuhamy was born in 1870 and is a popular drummer and devil dancer.  One day he lost another drumming competition to a drummer at a party and returned home in traditional devil costume.

 The railroad was under construction at the time and the British man who saw him in his clothes was horrified to see him near the Ohio train station.  But a connection was later established between them, and Appuhamy assisted in the construction of the railway by supplying labor to Britain.

 As the construction approached the gap between the two mountains, British engineers became alarmed by a square at the bottom of the gap.  Safe anchoring of bridge towers was a problem.  By now Appuhamy had won the confidence of the engineers and asked them to hand over the construction of this huge bridge to him.  After being rejected for the first time, they finally agreed to hand over this massive task to Appuhamy.

 He started work around 1913, and he took his men and built brick towers on these rock beds until large boulders filled the bottom to fill this gap.  He had been working there for about a year and the British had doubts about the structural integrity of the bridge as construction costs were very low.

 On the first train ride, Appuhamy confirmed that he was lying under the bridge, and he is said to have fulfilled that promise when the railroad first opened.

 It is said that the English later paid him the balance and took the silver coins from four carts from Colombo, where he fed the villagers of Parabedda and Puranwela for two days and gave them one silver coin each.

Ella Rock

 Located at the end of the Poonagala Range, 'Ella Gala' is a specialty of the mountain range in the middle of the Phineas forest.  It takes about an hour and a half to climb the 500-foot-high mountain, but the total trek is more than three miles [3 km].

Battalangunduwa Island

 Battalangunduwa Island covers an area of ​​145.53 hectares.  The area of ​​Palliyawatta Island is 60.89 hectares and Uchchimune is 449.3 hectares.  715.14 hectares at the moment.  The farthest of these archipelagos is Battalanguduwa.  Battalangunduwa Island is located 25 nautical miles from Kalpitiya Jetty.  Palliyawatta Island is the adjacent island.  The shortest distance from Battalangunduwa Island to India is about 111 nautical miles.  The archipelago that stretches across the Northwest Sea on the map of Lak is four days old.  This archipelago, which can be described as one of nature's wonders, is also a unique feature of the proposed tourism project in Kalpitiya.

         Bounded by the Puttalam Lagoon and the ocean, this picturesque archipelago is a major tourist attraction.  Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average fisherman.  Battalangunduwa, Palliyawatta, Dam 1, Dam 2, Dam 3, Uchchimune, Ippantivu, Periya Arichchal, Sinnarichchal, Eramutivu, Sinna Eramutivu, Eramutivu West, Kakativu, and Mohottuwarama arelands.  From this archipelago, Mohottuwarama, Uchchimune, Battalangunduwa and Palliyawatta are the islands inhabited by the fishing community.  The other islands are inhabited by migrant fishermen only part of the year.  Two passenger boats ply from the Kalpitiya jetty to the islands.  Every day at 8:30 am, the normal passenger boat service begins.  The islands can be reached in about three hours.  The fare is Rs. 350 per passenger.  Luxury passenger transport with comfortable seating and safety is also in operation.  Advance bookings are required.  Both boats are owned by Mark Sujith, a resident of Negombo.  Islanders meet many of their daily needs on these passenger boats.  These include drinking water, salt for ice cream, ice and food.  On reaching Battalangunduwa Island and Palliyawatta Island, you will pass many islands such as Anawasala, Iramathev, Sinna Arichchal, Periya Arichchal, Ippantivu, Aligaha Kele, Kimbula Bay, etc.

 Battalangunduwa and Palliyawatta are located to the east of Serakkuliya, Wanathawilluwa, Eluwankulama, River Wadiya, Dam Mundalama, to the west Eratiya Theev, Dam, Kollan Cemetery, Palugahathure, Kudiramale Kanda.  The majority of the island's inhabitants are migrant fishermen from the Negombo area.  But most of their lives have been spent on Battalangunduwa or Palliyawatta Island.  Therefore, it is appropriate to refer to the island as the home of these fishermen.

 Although most of the islanders are of Sinhala origin, they speak Tamil.  Many older fishermen do not have a definite name, surname or birth certificate.  They are known by many aliases such as Kira, Baba, Yaka, Raju.  But we learned that many such old fishermen had been evicted from the island by their relatives because of the lack of facilities on the island.  The proud fishing life of the islanders is now being severely challenged.  The current economic and social background has put an unbearable pressure on them.  Moreover, even nature seems to be engaged in a conspiracy to drive these people off the island, right now, right now.  Life on the island is currently costly.  Many fishermen have told us that rising fuel prices have made fishing a losing gamble.  "The days of coming home without fuel are endless," they say.  The cost of living on the island is also very high.  Extreme levels of flood danger were announced in at least two places.  Because of this, some fishermen have a tendency to leave the islands.  Fishermen on Battalangunduwa Island as well as Palliyawatta Island are increasingly leaving their islands.  Accordingly, there is a clear decline in the fishing industry as well.  “Fishermen running a net” The island had a prosperous season.  Gradually, the seafood overcame all the disasters on the island.  The small islands of Muktale and Settu, near Palliyawatta Island, were completely submerged.  The island called Vella was completely separated from the church garden island and the crocodile bay was newly created.  There were about 300 coconut trees on the dam island.  There was a large well that supplied drinking water to the neighboring islands.  Today there is no sign of any of that.  At present only one-third of the church estate remains.  Church Garden Catholic Church, completely submerged.  The islanders who slept in peace are now at sea.  “There are no health facilities for the islanders.  There is no other option but the pill requested from the naval base.  In the past, in case of illness or an accident, one had to reach the Kalpitiya Hospital after a difficult three and a half hour sea voyage.  Currently the situation is a bit different (a Navy jet can reach the land in about 20 minutes. A Navy soldier told us).  Several times in the history of the island, there have been reports of boat births on the way to the Kalpitiya Hospital.  The traditional midwives in the Battalion gang as well as in the church garden, as well as the paramedics, have now left the island.  Pregnant mothers as well as chronic patients are not allowed on the island.  The island fishermen have made this collective decision for their own good.  A government school was started in 1979 on Palliyawatta Island.  Assistant teachers Harrell Manchanayake and Tennakoon have taken over the school.  On May 14, 1989, the then Fisheries Minister Pestus Perera opened an island jetty.  1990 Palliyawatta police post opened.  There is no school today.  No students either.  There is nothing left on the island except the ruins of a police checkpoint.  The Battalangunduwa school has also been closed.  It was not a government school but was started on April 30, 2000 by the Catholic Church in Chilaw with the assistance of the Zedek Institute under the patronage of Rev. Frank Marcus, a former Bishop.  Today, there are about 100 families in Battalangundu, which provided shelter to about 3,000 fishing families.

 Excerpted from

Galle Fort

 Galle Fort is a fort built by the Portuguese in the Galle area.  It was later modernized by the Dutch in the 17th century and now dates back 400 years.  Today, two gates are used to access the fort. Many government office buildings have been maintained along the fort wall to this day.  Named a World Heritage Site, Galle Fort is a beautiful and ancient object.  Galle Fort is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka.

It is a World Heritage Site completed by the Portuguese in 1588 and later extensively modernized by the Dutch in the 17th century.  The United Nations has acknowledged that the Galle Fort is of ancient value. It is known as the Dutch Fort or the Galle Wall. The Dutch Fort has been renovated.