Batticaloa
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Batticaloa மட்டக்களப்பு මඩකලපුව |
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Clockwise from top: Kallady Bridge, Unnichchai Tank, Fishing boats, Batticaloa Bus stand, Batticaloa Lagoon, Batticaloa Fort, Batticaloa Lighthouse
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 Batticaloa
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| Coordinates: 7°43′0″N 81°42′0″E / 7.71667°N 81.70000°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Eastern |
| District | Batticaloa |
| DS Division | Manmunai North |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Council |
| • Mayor | Sivageetha Prabhakaran (UPFA (TMVP)) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 92,332 |
| Demonym(s) | Batticalonians (in Tamil: மட்டக்களப்பான்) |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
Batticaloa (Tamil: மட்டக்களப்பு, Maṭṭakkaḷappu; Sinhalese: මඩකලපුව, Madakalapuwa) is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the Batticaloa District. The city is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka and is a major commercial city. It is on the east coast, 69 miles (111 km) south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island. Pasikudah is popular tourist destinations situated 35 km northwest with beaches and flat year-round warm-water shallow-lagoons.
Batticaloa is a Portuguese derivation. The original name of the region being the Tamil "Matakkalappu" (translation: Muddy Swamp). According to Mattakallappu Manmiyam (மட்டக்களப்பு மான்மியம்) the word Mattakkallpu consists Tamil words "Mattu" (மட்டு) Matta-derived from "Mattam" (மட்டம்) means 'flat' and geographical name KaLappu. Mukkuwa named this place as KaLappu-Mattam or boundary of lagoon later it became Matta-Kallappu or Flat Lagoon. Also, Batticaloa has a nickname, "Land of the singing fish" (Tamil: மீன் பாடும் தேன் நாடு) due to musical sounds that related to fish or aquatic creature in the Batticaloa Lagoon near the Kallady Bridge. BBC Radio 4 able to recorded the mysterious sound in Batticaloa Lagoon. The sound was broadcast by Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in 1960s with the help of Rev. Fr. Lang, a Catholic priest.
Batticaloa is in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka on a flat coastal plain boarded by the Indian Ocean in the east occupies a central part of the eastern Sri Lanka. Its average elevation is around 5 meters. Batticaloa district has three lagoons such as Batticaloa Lagoon, Valaichchenai Lagoon, and Vakari (Panichchankerni) Lagoon. Among these lagoon, Batticaloa Lagoon is the largest lagoon and has 56 km long 162 square km area, extending from Pankudaweli in North and Kalmunai in South.
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