HJ - Tricoil to Bathkalapuwa

Tricoil to Bathkalapuwa

The Names of all the places from Tricoil to Bathkalapuwa, are found detailed on a Dutch map from 1695. This amazing map is found in Beeldbank National Archives, the Netherlands.

• Collection / Archief-Kaartcollectie Buitenland Leupe
• Description-Kaart van de Hooft-Fortificatien van Colombo, Jaffanapatnam, Gale en Batacalo, alsmede van de subalterne of mindere forten, onder voorgenoemde plaasten behorende, en die aan Zee gelegen zyn.
• Date-1695
• Opmerkingen-Atlas Amsterdam van Isaac de Graaff.

We have done our utmost to work out where necessary the Dutch pronounced written words but obviously we can manage so much. There are some with question marks, that were very difficult to workout. If anyone manages to work out, what they are. Please inform us!

We must admit though, we were very surprised to see this many Malabar place names in the East, even though they seem to be all within the coastal regions, which do suggest that they may have been fishing villages. Batacalo, it was expected as much due the Immigration policy adopted by the Dutch in the mid 1600's!

We have left the Malabar names intact. The ones that cannot be worked out bare question marks next to them.

Pagoda Tricoil+(Tricoil Dagaba. More than likely a Sinhalese town)

Kottewilla+-Sinhala
Carangodadiva+-Sinhala
Molladiva+*-Sinhala
Walalwage+*-Sinhala
Sinha Podi Ganga-Sinhala
Bammamoda-Sinhala
Sorov Kanduwa-Sinhala
Calmone++
Chamfimadeuay
Nay Patmohena(Not sure but we think it is Sinhala)
Kohombawatta-Sinhala
Kalwanfe exipo
Kalloedawelly
Siette waly
Callewange koede exipo
Mamone-Sinhala
Ambalama-Sinhala
Katankoedeexipo
Mangetuwa-Sinhala
Bathkalapuwa+++-Sinhala

+Tricoil today is all 100% Tamil but as can been seen, in 1695, all the villages leading to Tricoil and beyond are in fact, majority Sinhala!

Tricoil or Thirkkovil....The earliest records of the site and temple is of the Portuguese. Queyroz(p65), the greatest authority of this period gives the details of this site.

The correct it seems is 'Tuncoule', meaning a three storied Pagoda. Apparently all three had Idols and alters for worship.

This Pagoda lasted till General D. Jeronimo de Azevedo who destroyed it and captured and killed the Ganezes(These are Buddhist priests, who had married), the persons dedicated to its services.

This shows that, in the 1600's, this site was a great centre of Sinhala Buddhits!

++Administration report, 1898;

In Kalmunai an organissed attack by Muslims on the Sinhalese, has driven many away. Today though, it is the Sinhalese that are blamed for the first Sinhala-Muslim issues in 1915 and even that was instigated by Muslim's.

+++According to 18th Century French sources, Batecalo is derived from the Sinhala word for Rice..'Bath'. The French were present in the East for 3 years.

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                    Taken from www.jaffnahistory.com without any alteration. Thanks.