"of afflictions and incurable illnesses. Saparagamu dancing is associated with the ritual known as the ""Gam Maduwa"", which is performed to propitiate the goddess Pattini. The purpose is to obtain a good harvest or to ward off evil or to be rid of an infectious disease. Dances of Sri Lanka The origin of the dances of Sri Lanka lies with the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, the Veddas and ""yakkas"" (""those who work with iron""). There are three main styles of Sri Lankan classical dance: Kandyan dance takes its name from Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka, which"
"capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte suburb or the parliament capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is also the administrative capital of Western Province, Sri Lanka and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo. Colombo is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins with a population of about 752,993 in the city limits. It was the political capital of Sri Lanka,"
"Colombo Colombo (; , ; , ) is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a popular tourist destination, and was also described as a city of sights and cities. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital"
"Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and urban councils such as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council, Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Kolonnawa Urban Council, Kaduwela Municipal Council and Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues."
"Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (commonly known as Kotte ) is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is a satellite city and within the urban area of Sri Lanka's de-facto capital, Colombo. Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council area is bounded in The village of Darugama lay at the confluence of two streams, the Diyawanna Oya and the Kolonnawa Oya. As Darugama was a naturally secure place, it was not easy for enemies to enter it. Here, in the 13th century, a chieftain named Nissanka Alagakkonara built a Kotte (meaning fortress) Alagakkonara is mentioned by Ibn"
"billiards, horse riding, indoor cricket, badminton and table tennis. Horse riding can be pursued at the Premadasa Riding School in Nugegoda. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (commonly known as Kotte ) is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is a satellite city and within the urban area of Sri Lanka's de-facto capital, Colombo. Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council area is bounded in The village of Darugama lay at the confluence of two streams, the Diyawanna Oya and the Kolonnawa Oya. As Darugama was a naturally secure place, it was not easy for enemies to enter"
"Transport in Sri Lanka Transport in Sri Lanka is based on its road network, which is centred on the country's capital Colombo. A rail network handles a portion of Sri Lanka's transport needs. There are navigable waterways, harbours and two international airports: in Katunayake, north of Colombo, and in Hambantota. Roads account for about 93 percent of Sri Lanka's land transport. In October 2013, there were of A- and B-class roads and of expressways. Sri Lanka's roads are graded E, A, B and C. The Colombo–Matara Expressway is a motorway linking Colombo, Galle and Matara which was built in 2011"
"Anuradhapura Anuradhapura (; ம்) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sri Lankan civilization. It was the third capital of the kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara. The city, now a World Heritage site, was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. The city lies north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the"
"Ratnapura Ratnapura (; ) (""City of Gems"" in Sinhala and Tamil) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, as well as the Ratnapura District, and is a traditional centre for the Sri Lankan gem trade. It is located on the Kalu Ganga (Black River) in south-central Sri Lanka, some southeast of the country's capital, Colombo. Ratnapura is also spelled as Rathnapura. The name 'Ratnapura' is a Sanskrit word meaning ""city of gems"", from the Sanskrit words ""pura"" (town) and ""ratna"" (gemstone). Over 2000 years ago, when the first Buddhist monks arrived here"
"stopping there. Anuradhapura is a central city in Sri Lanka. It is directly connected by road to a large number of major cities and towns on the island. By road, it is connected to [[Vavuniya]], [[Dambulla]], [[Matale]], [[Puttalam]], [[Trincomalee]], [[Jaffna]], [[Kurunegala]] and [[Kandy]]. [[Category:Anuradhapura| ]] [[Category:Provincial capitals in Sri Lanka]] [[Category:History of Sri Lanka]] [[Category:World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka]] [[Category:Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka]] [[Category:Buddhist pilgrimages]] [[Category:Former populated places in Sri Lanka]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in North Central Province, Sri Lanka]] Anuradhapura Anuradhapura (; ம்) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central"
"Sri Lankan Parliament Building The Sri Lankan Parliament Complex (also known as the New Parliament Complex) is a public building and landmark that houses the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Situated in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative capital, it is built on an island, surrounded by the ""Diyawanna Oya"". It was designed by Deshamanya Geoffrey Bawa. On 29 January 1930 the British Governor of Ceylon, Sir Herbert Stanley (1927–1931), opened a building fronting the ocean at Galle Face, Colombo, designed for meetings of the Legislative Council. It was subsequently used by the State Council (1931–1947), the House of Representatives (1947–1972), the"
"data sources. The CIA World Factbook lists Sri Lanka's current population as 20,653,913 persons. Considering the island is only , it is a very densely populated nation. Over 85% of the population live in non-urban environments. The largest city is Colombo, with a population of 1,819,777. Sri Lanka is occupied by several ethnic groups. The Sinhalese are the predominant ethnic group (74%), followed by Sri Lankan Tamils (13%), Indian Tamils (5%) and Moors (Muslim) (7%). Sinhala is the national language and is the predominant language spoken by 74% of the population. Most Tamils and Moors speak Tamil, part of the"
"reduces the time spent for travel to one hour from the three hours taken by the regular A2 highway. The City of Galle is twinned with: Galle Galle (; ) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District. Galle was known as ""Gimhathiththa""(although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as ""Qali"") before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle"
"death by guillotine, while his elder brother was hiding behind his mother (who was drowned). Ratnapura Ratnapura (; ) (""City of Gems"" in Sinhala and Tamil) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, as well as the Ratnapura District, and is a traditional centre for the Sri Lankan gem trade. It is located on the Kalu Ganga (Black River) in south-central Sri Lanka, some southeast of the country's capital, Colombo. Ratnapura is also spelled as Rathnapura. The name 'Ratnapura' is a Sanskrit word meaning ""city of gems"", from the Sanskrit words ""pura"""
"initiatives give opportunities for the cities' residents to come to know each other's cultures. The initiatives will facilitate the cultural, educational, municipal, business, professional and technical exchanges and projects among the sister cities. Its sister cities are: Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most populous city. Jaffna is approximately from Kandarodai which served as an emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical"
"rooms. The harbour at Kankesanturai, north of Jaffna, is navigable by ships of relatively shallow draught and was inactive during the civil war. The port is being restored and deepened with Indian aid. In 2010, Sri Lanka had 21 ships ( or over), totalling 192,190 GT and (: four bulk carriers, 13 cargo ships, one chemical tanker, one container ship and two petroleum tankers. In 1987, Sri Lanka had of pipelines for crude oil and petroleum products. Transport in Sri Lanka Transport in Sri Lanka is based on its road network, which is centred on the country's capital Colombo. A"
"Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Badulla, and Panadura. Bank of Ceylon Bank of Ceylon (BOC; Sinhala: ලංකා බැංකුව ""Lanka Bænkuwa"") is a government-owned, major commercial bank in Sri Lanka. Its head office is located in an iconic cylindrical building in Colombo, the political and commercial capital of the island. The bank has a network of 628 branches,689 automated teller machines (ATMs), 123 CDM network and 15 Regional loan centres within the country. It also has an around-the-clock call centre at ""0094 11 2204444"" and an around the clock branch at its Colombo office. In addition to the local presence, the bank maintains an"
"Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most populous city. Jaffna is approximately from Kandarodai which served as an emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical antiquity. Jaffna's suburb Nallur served as the capital of the four-century-long medieval Jaffna Kingdom. Prior to the Sri Lankan Civil War, it was Sri Lanka's second most populous city after Colombo. The 1980s insurgent uprising led to"
"Galle Galle (; ) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District. Galle was known as ""Gimhathiththa""(although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as ""Qali"") before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by"
"area around the ""Fort"" and ""Pettah Market"" which is famous for the variety of products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. At present, it refers to the city limits of the Colombo Municipal Council. More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo, which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo. Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s, it continues to be the island's commercial centre. Despite the official capital of Sri Lanka moving to the adjacent Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte, most countries"
"Crown Sri Lanka was one of three integrated resorts planned in Sri Lanka, located in the capital city Colombo. This was a joint partnership between Ravi Wijeratne (head of the Rank Holdings group) and Crown Limited, who each held a 45% stake. The project was criticized by civil society groups (on the grounds of being contrary to the country's conservative principles), and by opposition parties, which alleged that the tax incentives given to the project were disproportionate and an unfair burden to the taxpayer. The project was slated to be completed by 2015, but a change in government led to"
"Dambadeniya Dambadeniya is a ruined ancient city situated in the North Western Province (Wayamba), Sri Lanka on the Kurunegala - Negombo main road. It served as the capital of Sri Lanka in the mid 13th century. Much of Dambadeniya still lies buried on a huge fortified rock. Dambadeniya is situated about 31 km from Kurunegala, the modern day capital of the North Western Province. Dambadeniya, about 30 km south-west of Kurunegala, became prominent in the mid-13th century. It was selected as the capital of the kingdom of Sri Lanka by King Vijayabahu III (1232–36). The sovereignty of the country was"
"Lanka. Sri Lanka Cricket decided to shift all international cricket to Pallekele, about 15 kilometers from the city, but it is possible that Asgiriya will get an occasional international match. In December 2014 it was announced that the stadium would be renovated and improved, with a new electronic scoreboard. Surrounded by mountains in the ancient Sri Lankan hill capital of Kandy, Asgiriya is considered by ESPNcricinfo to be one of the most beautiful venues on earth. The stadium has the unique distinction of being the only Test class cricket stadium in the world to be owned and maintained by a"
"North Central Province, Sri Lanka North Central Province ( ""Uturumeda Palata"", ""Wada Maththiya Maakaanam"") is a province of Sri Lanka. Its capital is Anuradhapura. The province is not densely populated, and it has a weak economy as the land tends to be dry tropical woodlands. Maithripala Sirisena, the Sri Lankan president, hails from the North Central Province. The centralized system of Sri Lanka, which is a Unitary State, failed to satisfy the aspirations of the people and there was growing insistence on decentralization of administrative processes in order to achieve rapid economic and social development of the country. In the"
"people of Sri Lanka, avoid using the style and also to avoid using the word First Lady for his wife, and requested only to use ""President's wife"". Sirisena is married to Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari, they have two daughters, Chathurika, Dharani, and a son, Daham. Sirisena is a teetotaler, vegetarian, and a Buddhist. Sirisena's youngest brother, Priyantha Sirisena, died on 28 March 2015 after an axe attack two days earlier in his hometown of Polonnaruwa, north-east of the capital Colombo. Priyantha was immediately transferred to hospital in a critical condition, where he died from severe head injuries; Sirisena was in China"
"Kandy Kandy ( ""Mahanuwara"", pronounced ; Kandy, pronounced ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic (""Sri Dalada Maligawa""), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was"
"Lanka. World Capital Centre The World Capital Centre is a proposed skyscraper to be constructed in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With 117 floors and a planned height of , it will be one of the tallest buildings in Asia. A agreement was signed with Sri Lanka's Board of Investment on , with the presence of the BOI chairman Upul Jayasooriya, WCC chairman Ahmed Moulana, and other officials. Among other features planned, the skyscraper will consist of 1,200 residential units, 2,000 hotel rooms, 3,000 retail outlets, 5,000-slot carpark, 20 swimming pools, double-deck elevators, helipad, observation deck, and the first Michelin-starred restaurant in"
"expressway E01 expressway (Sri Lanka) since March 2014. Matara, Sri Lanka Matara (, ) (originally Mahathota) is a major city in Sri Lanka, on the southern coast of Southern Province, 160 km from Colombo. It is a major commercial hub, and it is the administrative capital of Matara District. It was gravely affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004. Matara historically belongs to the area that was called the Kingdom of Ruhuna, which was one of the three kingdoms in Sri Lanka (Thun Sinhalaya තුන් සිංහලය). Matara was previously called Mahathota. The Nilwala River runs through Matara and there"
"Lotus Tower The Lotus Tower (; ), also referred to as Colombo Lotus Tower, is a tower under construction but architecturally topped out at , located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. After an initial decision to construct the tower within the confines of a suburb of the country's capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka's government announced their plans to shift the location to the heart of the city. The tower's new location is on the waterfront of the Beira Lake. With the witness of the President of Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Foreign"
"opened for public from October 2013, which also connects Sri Lanka's premier international airport Bandaranaike International Airport with capital Colombo. Colombo Outer Circular Expressway (E02), which is currently under construction, is designed to link the major expressways connected to Sri Lanka's commercial hub, Colombo, bypassing the traffic within the city limits. The first freeway in Sweden was built between the cities of Malmö and Lund in the Skåne County in southern Sweden. The Swedish roads are divided in three classes; Motorväg, which is a 4-8 lane motorway with the speed limit of 110–120 km/h. Riksväg, which is a state highway"
"to start their Businesses, specially Agriculture, agro based industries and Livestock sectors. Uturumeda is divided into 2 districts: North Central Province, Sri Lanka North Central Province ( ""Uturumeda Palata"", ""Wada Maththiya Maakaanam"") is a province of Sri Lanka. Its capital is Anuradhapura. The province is not densely populated, and it has a weak economy as the land tends to be dry tropical woodlands. Maithripala Sirisena, the Sri Lankan president, hails from the North Central Province. The centralized system of Sri Lanka, which is a Unitary State, failed to satisfy the aspirations of the people and there was growing insistence on"
"capital of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka and is located inside the historic Galle Fort, a hexagonal stone fort built over an area of . The fort, fully inhabited, has many period buildings of the colonial era within a network of narrow roads. The complex of buildings was originally built in 1684 as the headquarters of the Dutch commanders and their staff. During the British rule, the complex was used as the quarters for their soldiers. In 1865 it was converted into the New Orient Hotel, catering to the European passengers travelling between Europe and Galle port in the"
"Bank of Ceylon Bank of Ceylon (BOC; Sinhala: ලංකා බැංකුව ""Lanka Bænkuwa"") is a government-owned, major commercial bank in Sri Lanka. Its head office is located in an iconic cylindrical building in Colombo, the political and commercial capital of the island. The bank has a network of 628 branches,689 automated teller machines (ATMs), 123 CDM network and 15 Regional loan centres within the country. It also has an around-the-clock call centre at ""0094 11 2204444"" and an around the clock branch at its Colombo office. In addition to the local presence, the bank maintains an off-shore banking unit in the"