The Island of Mannar

The Island of Mannar

There exist many legends and beliefs regarding the History of Mannar. It is believed that King Vijaya and his retinue had landed in Sri Lanka at this site and that a bride from Madurai was transported between A.D. 505 and 543 across Mannar. (There is also a belief that they had com e here from the area known as Kudiramale, situated at the edge of the Wilpattu Wildlife reserve). Another folk-tale claims that King Ilanaga had escaped to Kerala due to enemy invasions, through Mannar. The Mahawamsa mentions that during the era of Kakusadha Budun, a Bo-tree had been planted at Mahathiththa.

The Mannar Island which occupies an area of 1505.4 square kilometers, has been known historically by names such as, “Manthei”, “Mathota”, “Mahathiththa”, “Mahaputu” “Mawatuthota”. Mannar displays a similarity to the dry desert climate.

There are two main roads leading to Mannar. One is the road passing through Anuradhapura and Madwachchiya, along which 80km should be travelled to reach Mannar. The other is the recently opened road through Puttalam, Eluankulam, Silawatura and the Wilpattu National Park

Venkalai Bridge and the Bird-sanctuary

The Venkalai bridge connecting the Mannar Island is the longest island built in Sri Lanka. This bird-sanctuary is located on either side of the bride, between Paliyanthiv and Thirikenilwert, and is 4828 hectares in extent. This place which is a sanctuary of Migratory birds is a haven for about 200 types of birds. Siyakkaraya, Kabiliththa, Ranpath tharawa, Ul peda Tharawa, Petamathabatta are the main types. Apart from them, very rare species of animals have made this place their home, among them are, the Geta Kibula, and Muhudu oora. Mangrove plans and stretches of sand are found all over the Venkalai Sanctuary.

Thiruketheeswaram Kovil

Thiruketheeswaram Kovil is one of the famous Kovils built to worship God Eeswara. The others are the Muneshwaram kovil in Halawatha, Koneshwaram Kovil in Trincomale and Rameshwaram of India. This Kovil is situated near the A-32 road. There is a legend that the Kovil was built by Mayan, Ravana’s Uncle, while it is also believed that Rama had worshipped at this temple before travelling to India with Seetha. Another belief among the villagers is that a Brahmin of King Vijaya had worshipped at the temple. The temple is one of the legendary sites where Eeswara had performed many miracles.

Donkeys of Mannar.

Donkeys had been imported to Mannar from Somalia for daft purposes. These donkeys were transported to Puttalam and Kalpitiya too. They can still be seen in herds in the area.

Agriculture in Mannar.

The rainy season of Mannar is only two-months long. The day is much longer too. This climate is favorable for paddy-cultivation. Most of the cultivation is done using rain-water while 24,000 acres are nourished by the water of the Yada Wawa. The red-mixed Latirus soil is perfect for paddy cultivation, while the Data of the Agriculture department show that 170 bushels of paddy are obtained per acre.

Mannar Fort.

The Mannar Fort had been built by the Portuguese. After 1696, the Fort has been controlled by the Dutch. The English captured the fort on October 05 th, 1975. The Mannar port could be described as port that linked Sri Lanka to the world. Details about the Mannar port and fort are found in a stone inscription at Thamanhil island. Presently, the island is controlled by the Sri Lanka police.

Biobas tree.

The Biobas is a huge tree found on the Mannar island. The largest Biobas tree in Mannar is found about 2km from the entrance to Mannar island. The Biobas tree had been the favorite food of Camels brought to the island for draft.

Urumale beach

Urumale is a beautiful beach situated on the annar island. On a clear day, the light of the light-house situated in Rameshwaram, India could be seen at Urumale. The only place in Sri Lanka from which another country could be seen is the Urumale beach. The closest beach to India is the Urumale beach. The sand-hills of the Adam’s bridge which the legendary Hanumatha had used are seen at Urumale. A variety of fish are present in this sea-strip. Beautiful corals are also seen. Presently, this sea-strip is under the control of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The Doric Tower

The Doric has been erroneously mentioned as the Dutch Fort by a few journalists and authors recently. Some of these have provided photographs of it. This mistaken identification seems to be due to few reasons. Though many knew about the existence of the Dutch Fort in Arippu, most of them were ignorant of the existence of a British mansion in the area. Also the lack of frequent visitors is the main cause of this ignorance. In some extreme cases the Doric was mentioned as a Portuguese mansion and the palace of a legendary queen Dona Katerina.

Photos from Mr.Doric /Sources:Sancharaya Blogspot