Mannar District
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Mannar (மன்னர்) is a district of Sri Lanka. Many Buddhist ruins dating to pre-Christian times are found in this area. This is the location of Thiruketheeswaram. the ancient temple which was sung in Tevaram and visited by Sambanthar.
During ancient times Mannar was called Tamiravarni or Tambapanni (Tamirabarani). Legend holds that Prince Vijaya, a Kalinga (India) Hindu prince, landed in Sri lanka at this place around 500 B.C. and called this place Tambapanni. But there is a possibility that Vijaya may have landed in Jaffna (where Varani is another place name) and may be the closest possible land site for the Kalinga invaders to land and penetrate Sri Lanka. Later when Kalinga Magha and Chandrabhanu invaded they used Jaffna as a launching pad for invasion. Only the Tamil kings have used Mannar as a launching pad for invasion.
But now another river called Tamirabharani is actually located in Tuticorin area and there was a connection of land which kept both countries together during ancient times. Ptolemy may have named both sides of the sea with the same name in his Greek map.
Ramayana refers to Mannar in epic terms. Rama Setu bridge was constructed by Prince Rama. After the Ramayana war with Ravana, Rama built the temples of Ketheeswaram and Rameshwaram. They were built on both sides of the Rama Setu bridge in Sri Lanka and India around 15,000 B.C. Sethu bridge itself was constructed by Rama's army and is considered to be a marvel of engineering feat. In the ancient past during the Ice Age the sea was around 120 meters lower than the present sea levels. Thus it does not need any extraordinary scientific background to built a 18 miles long bridge. India and Sri Lanka remained as one piece without separation during ice age.
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[edit] Etymology
Mannar means 'deer river' or 'silt river'. Manthai is a holy land where Hindu saints from India visited and sang Thevaram devotional songs of historical importance during the Hindu Renaissance period when the Jain and Buddhist religions were completely wiped out of India.
Thevaram refers to a set of sacred hymns sung by the 3 saints Appar , Sundharar & Gnaana Sambandhar. These songs are in praise of Shiva , the hindu god representing Saivam. There are about 276 temples sung in the thevaram which are distributed all over India and about 96% of them are located in the state of tamizh nadu.
The ancient port was known as Mahaota Mahawamsa, Mantota, and Mahatheetha in Sanskrit, where it means the 'great port'. Mathoddam or Manthai (Tamil = Mango Gardens) is a location of the ancient Sivan temple. e.g., in Egyptian, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch maps. The Malvatu oya (Aruvi Aru) provided a direct water route from Mantota to the Ancient capital Anuradhapura.
[edit] Geology, soil and water
Mudungama, today known as Murunkan (Tamil = Cracked Earth) is due to the black clay surface which is cracked while dry, is the place where the Giant's Tank or Yodaweva, built by King Vasabha in the 3rd century BC, is situated. It has montmorillonite clay and is the only place in Sri Lanka where this kind of clay can be obtained. This clay is used in making cement.
Aruvi Aru (Malwatu Oya) is the second longest river in Sri Lanka and runs through Mannar and Anuradhapura districts. Mannar has artesian springs and aquifers. These water supply comes from Sri Lanka's central areas. The Northern Province has a supply of fresh water from aquifers and it was used in successful cultivation. It only exists in the areas where Red Yellow Latosol exists. These types of aquifers do not exist where Reddish Brown Earth is found. The rest of the Vanni area is void of perennial supply of fresh water.
[edit] Demography
Mannar is a predominantly Catholic Christian area. There was equal amount of Muslim population and a few Sinhalase before 1990. The ethnic conflict created distrust between communities and LTTE expelled all Muslims out of Northern Province during 1990. Muslims refugees settled around Puttalam. Muslims have lived here from ancient times when Arab traders were travelling the Indian Ocean. Christians have lived here from Portuguese times. This was the principal port of the Sinhala kings until about the 11th century. Christians originate from the local Tamil people who changed their religions after the foreign traders or missionaries came to Mannar.
Travancore or Kerala was the origin of settlers in Mannar and Mappillai Muslims from Cochin settled as trading partners of the ruler of Sethu. Ay dynasty which ruled Travancore had marital connections with all the local rulers and people of Kerala settled in Ceylon without any hindrance as Portugal ruled certain areas in Ceylon and Kerala like Mannar, Kochi and Thuthukudi and Catholic religion flourished in all the coastal villages wiping out Hinduism forever.
Muslim lineages claim that their Arab ancestors married Sinhala and Tamil women.
[edit] Christian churches
Mannar is part of the 'Catholic Belt' extending from Negombo to Jaffna. Portuguese first arrived in Colombo and established Catholicism in areas around Chilaw and further expanded their rule into Nagar Kovil,Kanyakumari and Tuticorin area. Thus the whole of Gulf of Mannar could be called a Catholic Belt.
The ancient Madu Church is one of the ancient churches in Asia and located near Murunkan. An ancient Kali Temple was demolished by Portuguese to construct the Catholic church on the same location.
The largest church in Sri Lanka is the Pesalai Church. Recent human rights violations by Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE attacks have brought it to the media attention internationally. (see 2006 Mannar massacres)
[edit] Mannar Harbour
Mannar has an ancient port which needs to be expanded into a large harbour like Rameshwaram Harbour. The present 'Sethusamudram Project' by the Indian Government will bring 90% of the shipping traffic very near to the Mannar Harbour.
The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour. Tuticurin has the potential to transform itself into a nodal port. The Tamil Nadu Government has announced its proposal to develop 13 minor ports, including Ennore, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi, Valinokam, Kolachel and Kanyakumari.
Development of the canal and ports is also expected to provide increased maritime security for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
All the other harbours of Sri Lanka will get bypassed by the ships and Indian harbours will be servicing the shipping traffic. As such a hundred million dollar project needs to be started to build a modern harbour in Mannar to compete. The location of such a harbour can be on the northern side and southern side of Mannar as both the sides can cater for deep sea vessels.
The project has been criticized by environmentalists as a disaster [1]
[edit] Wildlife
Mannar needs to be linked to Puttalam by a straight road which may be not more than 20 miles of distance. Part of this needs to be underground as it goes through The Wilpattu National Park. This will be of economic benefit to Sri Lanka as it will save so many kilometers of unnecessary drive through Anuradhapura and Wanni area to Jaffna.
[edit] External links
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