Sammanthurai
| Sammanthurai සමන්තුරේ சம்மாந்துறை | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
|
Sammanthurai Clock Tower | |
  Sammanthurai සමන්තුරේ சம்மாந்துறை | |
| Coordinates: 7°22′0″N 81°48′0″E / 7.36667°N 81.80000°ECoordinates: 7°22′0″N 81°48′0″E / 7.36667°N 81.80000°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Eastern |
| District | Ampara |
| DS Division | Sammanthurai Divisional Secretariat |
| Population | 60,596 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Pradeshiya Sabha |
| • Chairman | A. M. M. Naushad (UPFA) |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
| Postal code | 32200 |
| Area code(s) | 067 |
| Website |
www |
Sammanthurai (Tamil: சம்மாந்துறை), Sinhalese: සමන්තුරේ), is a town in Ampara District of Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Sammanthurai, at 7°22′0″N 81°48′0″E / 7.36667°N 81.80000°E,[1] is 4.8 km west of the Bay of Bengal coast. It lies between the towns of Ampara and Karaitivu along the A31 road. It is surrounded by paddy fields and It's renowned for its rice paddies and its inner harbour from ancient times.
Sammanthurai is the birthplace of M. H. M. Ashraff, known as "the kingmaker"[2] and the founder of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress political party.
History
Sammanthurai is an important and historical place. It was the first place where Dutch people arrived in Sri Lanka. Sammanthurai derives its name from ‘sampan,’ the vessel, and ‘Sammankaran’ who were Muslims from India who came to Sammanthurai during the Portuguese period.
Demographics
Sammanthurai has a population of 60,596, with a majority of Sri Lankan Moors (Muslim) ethnicity. There is a small Sri Lankan Hindu Tamil minority, particularly in the Veeramunai area. The majority is Tamil speaking Muslims and a few speak Sinhala and English. Sammanthurai is home to many victims of the tsunami of 2004.[3]
| Ethnicity | Population[4] | ! % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lankan Moors | 53,114 | 87.51 |
| Sinhalese | 297 | 0.49 |
| Sri Lankan Tamils | 7,178 | 12 |
| Burgher | 1 | 0.002 |
| Others (Including Malay) | 6 | 0.01 |
| Total | 60,596 | 100 |
Climate
Being close to the equator, Sammanthurai enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer prevails in the months of May, June, July and August. Days in June are the hottest period, with temperatures regularly reaching 30 °C.[5] Monsoons occur in November, December and January. Sammanthurai receives most of its rainfall from the Northeast Monsoon.
Education
Sammanthurai has a number of post-secondary institutions. In addition to the Faculty of Applied Science campus of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, there are two colleges granting diplomas and certificates in Sammanthurai: Technical College[6] and Vocational Training Center.[7] The town is also home to an Arabic college:[8] (Sammanthurai Thableekul Islam Arabic College) also Markaz Darul Iman (Arabic College)
The Sammanthurai Zonal Education Office (STRZEO) operates 65 public schools in an area of 257 km2.[9] The Main Amir Ali Public Library has two branches in the town.
Economy
Traditionally Sammanthuraiyans (natives of Sammanthurai) rely on farming. Agriculture is the most important source of income for the townsfolk and paddy is the major crop cultivated in 55,000 acres. Other sources of revenue include the service sector and small businesses.
Culture
Sammanthurai culture is strongly influenced by Islamic thoughts. Life in Sammanthurai revolves around the prayer calls (Adhan). The people, particularly women, heavily depend on Adhan to keep their regular activities on track. The Adhan for early morning prayer well before sunrise acts as a wakeup alarm. It is followed by four prayer calls throughout the day. Friday is observed as spiritual day and the month of Ramadan (month of fasting) is observed as a spiritual month in Sammanthurai like in any Muslim country. Eid Al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are the two festivals celebrated here.
Islam and the people
As many as 45 Masjids are in this town. Sammanthurai houses two religious institutions: the Thablighul Islam Arabic College, Hifz Madrasa and a Markaz Darul Iman (Arabic College)
Transport and communication
This town is well connected via road with major towns and cities in Sri Lanka. A31 road runs through Sammanthurai. Bus service is available to the nearby cities of Kalmunai, Ampara and Batticaloa. The state-owned Sri Lanka Transport Board provides regular passenger services.
Approximate distance from other cities and towns
| City | Distance (in km) |
|---|---|
| Anuradhapura | 248 |
| Batticaloa | 49 |
| Colombo | 343 |
| Galle | 323 |
| Hambantota | 209 |
| Jaffna | 415 |
| Kandy | 195 |
| Nuwara Eliya | 214 |
| Polonnaruwa | 149 |
Infrastructure
Sammanthurai houses a government hospital along with private hospitals/clinics. The police station serves the town as well as the surrounding villages. Government establishments like the post office, magistrates' court,[10] Pradeshiya Shaba, Ceylon Electricity Board, Sri Lanka Transport Board Bus Depot, Rice Research Station[11] and Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka are based in the town.
In addition, Group Action For Social Order (GAFSO) and Centre for Peace Studies (CPS) Sri Lanka are the national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) headquartered in Sammanthurai.[12]
Sports
Sammanthurai is home to a sports complex,[13] a public playground and many public school playgrounds. Cricket is the most popular sport as it is the most popular sport in the country.
Environmental issues
The post-tsunami and post-war development activities and subsequent resettlement programs have contributed to air pollution in this area. In addition, solid waste generation, contaminated water and mosquito breeding, have caused much damage to peoples’ health. The dusty air with bad odour has become a major threat to the daily lives of inhabitants of Sammanthurai.[14]
References
- ↑ "Sammanthurai (Terra) - Geody search". geody.com.
- ↑ "Muslim Politician Dies In Helicopter Crash". tribunedigital-chicagotribune.
- ↑ Sri Lanka: 193 Families Receive New Permanent Houses in Sammanthurai in Ampara District. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Administrative units Population (2012 Census)
- ↑ High/Low Temperature for Sammanthurai, Sri Lanka. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Department of Technical Education and Training. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Sammanthurai Thableekul Islam Arabic College Incorporation Act . Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Ministry of Education . Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Inauguration of Magistrate Court & Quazi Court, Sammanthurai 20-02-2011. Ministry of Justice. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ↑ Rice Research Station in Ampara opened Archived May 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "GAFSO - Contact". gafso.org.
- ↑ "Presidential Cultural Sports Complex Handed Over to Sammanthurai Pradeshiya Sabha". Eastern Provincial Council. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ↑ An Evaluation of the Threats of a Dusty Environment on the Sustainability of Human Health: A Study of Sammanthurai
External links
Sammanthurai travel guide from Wikivoyage