Avissawella
Encyclopedia
Avissawella, also known as Seethawakapura or Seethawaka, is a town 55 km (34.2 mi) along the A4 route from Colombo
on the Western Coast to Kalmunai in the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka
via Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Balangoda and Wellawaya.
on its border with the Sabaragamuwa Province
. This town has a rich and proud history in the annals of its military exploits against the Portuguese invaders as it was the capital of Sitawaka Kingdom
from 1521 to 1593. Seethawaka was ruled by King Mayadunne and later his son Rajasinghe the First during this period. There is a lore that Rajasinghe was a parricide but some historians discount this as a story spread by jealousy. Avissawella is the junction from where the oldest land route to the Hill Country via Hatton and the road down South via Ratnapura diverge. The town is governed by an Urban Council named the Seethawakapura Urban Council.
During the past, this area was known as Seethawaka and this name is used to identify a section of this town to this day. There are folklore which relate this name to "Seetha Devi" of Ramayanaya fame. Seethawaka legend has become richer because of these stories.
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on the Western Coast to Kalmunai in the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
via Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Balangoda and Wellawaya.
Overview
It is on the periphery of the Western ProvinceWestern Province, Sri Lanka
The Western Province is the most densely populated province of Sri Lanka. It is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenapura as well to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.-Districts:Basnahira is divided into 3 districts:...
on its border with the Sabaragamuwa Province
Sabaragamuwa Province
Sabaragamuwa, is a province of Sri Lanka, and contains two main cities: Ratnapura and Kegalle. Sabaragamuwa University is in Belihuloya. It is named after its former indigenous inhabitants, namely the Sabara, an indic term for hunter gatherer tribes, a term seldom used in ancient Sri...
. This town has a rich and proud history in the annals of its military exploits against the Portuguese invaders as it was the capital of Sitawaka Kingdom
Kingdom of Sitawaka
The Kingdom of Sitawaka was a kingdom located in south-central Sri Lanka. It emerged from the division of the kingdom of Kotte following the Spoiling of Vijayabahu in 1521, and over the course of the next seventy years came to dominate much of the island. Sitawaka also offered fierce resistance to...
from 1521 to 1593. Seethawaka was ruled by King Mayadunne and later his son Rajasinghe the First during this period. There is a lore that Rajasinghe was a parricide but some historians discount this as a story spread by jealousy. Avissawella is the junction from where the oldest land route to the Hill Country via Hatton and the road down South via Ratnapura diverge. The town is governed by an Urban Council named the Seethawakapura Urban Council.
During the past, this area was known as Seethawaka and this name is used to identify a section of this town to this day. There are folklore which relate this name to "Seetha Devi" of Ramayanaya fame. Seethawaka legend has become richer because of these stories.