Who lived in Sri Lanka first?
According to the Sinhalese tradition, as recorded in the Mahavamsa, the first Indian settlers on Sri Lanka were Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers, who landed on the west coast near Puttalam (5th century bce).
What was Sri Lanka called before?
Ceylon
Ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane. Arabs referred to it as Serendib. Later European mapmakers called it Ceylon, a name still used occasionally for trade purposes. It officially became Sri Lanka in 1972.
Why were Tamils killed in Sri Lanka?
The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island, due to the continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sinhalese dominated Sri Lankan Government.
How many years of history does Sri Lanka have?
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo is its largest city and financial centre. Sri Lanka’s documented history goes back 3,000 years, with evidence of prehistoric human settlements that dates to at least 125,000 years ago. It has a rich cultural heritage.
Who is Ravana in Sri Lanka?
According to Hindu mythology Ravana was born to a great sage Vishrava and his wife, princess Kaikesi. He was born in the Devagana, as his grandfather, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind-born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi or the Seven Great Sages during the age of Manu.
Who built Lanka?
According to both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Lanka was originally ruled by a rakshasa named Sumali. According to Uttara Kanda, Lanka was originally built by the divine architect of Devas, Vishwakarma for Lord Shiva, but was seized by the brothers, Malyavan, Sumali and Mali.
Who colonized Sri Lanka first?
the Portuguese
The Colonization of Sri Lanka began with the Portuguese in 1505. It ended in 1948 after the British gave Independence to Sri Lanka.
What is the history of Sri Lanka?
The earliest human remains found on the island of Sri Lanka date to about 35,000 years ago (Balangoda Man). The proto-historical period begins roughly in the 3rd century, based on chronicles like the Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, and the Culavamsa.
Is Sri Lanka and Ceylon the same?
Ceylon tea is made from the same plant as regular black and green tea, which is Camellia sinensis . The difference is that it is grown in the country of Sri Lanka, which until 1972 was called Ceylon.
Is Sri Lanka in the southern hemisphere?
Sri Lanka is located in both the eastern and northern hemispheres , and is positioned on the far southern edge of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. Sri Lanka is bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Mannar .
How did the Sri Lanka civil war start?
The Sri Lankan civil war by definition started in 1983 when two pronounced groups began to rival, the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam , a separatist group that was formed seeking to represent the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka (Clarance, 2002).