Tissamaharama

Tissamaharama
Town
Tissamaharama
Location in Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°17′N 81°17′E / 6.283°N 81.283°E / 6.283; 81.283Coordinates: 6°17′N 81°17′E / 6.283°N 81.283°E / 6.283; 81.283
Country Sri Lanka
Province Southern Province
District Hambantota District
Area
 • Total 840 sq mi (2,180 km2)
Elevation 62 ft (19 m)
Population
 • Total 79,618 in 2,011
Time zone +5.30

Tissamaharama (Sinhala තිස්සමහාරාමය [ˈtissəmaˌhaːˈraːməyə], Tamil திஸ்ஸமஹாராம) is a town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

History

It used to be the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century B.C. Only few buildings from that period can still be seen today. The presence ordinary early Tamils in Tissamaharama was confirmed following archaeological excavations in 2010. The Tissamaharama Tamil Brahmi inscription, a fragment of black and red ware flat dish inscribed in Tamil in the Tamil Brahmi script was excavated at the earliest layer in the southern town.[1][2]

The large artificial Tissa Wewa lake, which was a part of a sophisticated irrigation system, also dates from that time.There are five main lakes in the vicinity of Tissamaharama: Tissa Wewa; Yoda Wewa; Weerawila Wewa; Pannegamuwa Wewa; and Debarawewa Wewa.

Today, the town mainly serves as a starting point for visits to Yala National Park and Kataragama.

Images

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mahathevan, Iravatham (24 June 2010). "An epigraphic perspective on the antiquity of Tamil". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  2. ↑ Ragupathy, P (28 June 2010). "Tissamaharama potsherd evidences ordinary early Tamils among population". Tamilnet. Tamilnet. Retrieved 31 October 2010.


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