Velanai Island
Velanai Island
வேலணைத் தீவு | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the Velanai Island. | |
Velanai Island Velanai Island | |
| Coordinates: 9°40′0″N 79°52′0″E / 9.66667°N 79.86667°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Northern |
| District | Jaffna |
Velanai Island (Tamil: வேலணை), also known as Leiden in Dutch, or Kayts Island,[1] is a small island off the coast of the Jaffna Peninsula in the north of Sri Lanka.[2][3] There are a number of villages within the island, such as Allaipiddy, Mankumpan, Velanai, Saravanai, Puliyankoodal, Suruvil, Naranthanai, Kayts and Karampon.
The majority of the island's inhabitants are Hindus, along with a sizeable minority of Christians. There are a number of Hindu temples along with a few churches on the island. The village also consists of a few schools. Sir Vaithilingam Duraiswamy, a member of the State Council of Ceylon during the British colonial period, and his son Yogendra Duraiswamy, a Sri Lankan diplomat, were both born in Velanai.
Velanai was marred by violence during the Sri Lankan Civil War, with the island being the main setting of the Allaipiddy massacre in 2006.[4][5][6][7] In 1992, Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Commodore Mohan Jayamaha were killed along with several senior officers when their Land Rover hit a landmine off Araly Point in Kayts.[8]
Etymology
The name Velanai is believed to have been derived from the name of the Tamil god Velan (Tamil: வேலன்). The goddess Parvathi gave a pointed spear (vel) to her son, the god Murugan (Tamil: முருகன்) in Velanai.
Geography and climate
Velani is located at 9°24′N 79°32′E / 9.40°N 79.54°E. It is surrounded by the Palk Strait and at a distance of 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-west of Jaffna town. Though most of Velani district is a level plain and also has maximum elevation of 15 metres (49 ft) above mean sea level. The total area of this island is nearly 36 km2.
Places of interest
- Vangalavadi Murugan Temple
- Velanai West Mudipilayar Temple
- Saatti Sea side
- Mankumpan Vellaipputtady Sri Veerakaththi Vinayagar Temple
Gallery
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Velanai Vangalavadi Murugan Kovil
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Portuguese fort, Kayts
References
- ^ Philomin, Muthurasa (2000). A concise geneaology of Catholic families of Karampon (PDF). Colombo. pp. ii.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "AdministrativeMap" (PDF). United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Sri Lanka. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Sri Lanka. 28 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
- ^ "District Secretariat Velanai". Gov of Sri Lanka. Gov of Sri Lanka.
- ^ K. T. Rajasingham (29 September 2001). "Sri Lanka: The Untold Story : Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers - A Sinhalese ploy". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 24 December 2001. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Special Report No.2". University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), Sri Lanka in association with Pax Christi (an international Catholic peacemaking movement). Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ K. T. Rajasingham (29 September 2001). "Sri Lanka: The Untold Story : Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers - A Sinhalese ploy". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 24 December 2001. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Special Report No.2". University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), Sri Lanka in association with Pax Christi (an international Catholic peacemaking movement). Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa, who led from the front