Batticaloa Territory

Batticaloa region ( ta, மட்டக்களப்புத் தேசம் ''Maṭṭakkaḷapput tēcam''; also known as ''Matecalo''; ''Baticalo''; in Colonial records, was the ancient region of Tamil Settlements in Sri Lanka. The foremost record of this region can be seen in Portuguese and Dutch historical documents along with local inscriptions such as " Sammanthurai Copper epigraphs" written on 1683 CE which also mentions about "Mattakkalappu Desam". Although there is no more the existence of Batticaloa region today, the amended term "Batti-Ampara Districts" still can be seen in the Tamil print media of Sri Lanka.

History

Ancient Batticaloa region spread south to Verugal Aru and north to Kumbukkan Oya. and some researchers lengthen it from Koneswaram to the north and Katirkamam to the south. Brahmi Inscriptions and ruins related to Megalithic period observed in Kathiraveli, Vellaveli, Ukanthai and kudumbigala are pointing out the antiquity of Batticaloa region. Mattakalappu Purva Charithiram, the chronicle of Eastern Tamils, which was collected from palm manuscripts dated back to 17th century CE, annotates the history of the kings ruled this region with some historical background which is still in question. It narrates that this region was an ancient settlement of aborigines including Nagar, Thumilar or Iyakkar and Vedar. Etymological researches on some places such as "Nagamunai", and "Mantunagan Saalai" (present Mandur) indicated their association with Naga tribe of ancient Sri Lanka.

Mattakalappu Purva Charithiram also includes the settlements arrived this territory from various parts of present India in different time periods. Arrival of Virasaivite Priests for Nagarmunai Subramanya Swami Kovil from Srisailam
of Andhra is believed to be a contemporary of Vira Saivite renaissance occurred during the 12th Century CE.

Capital

It is said that Sammanthurai, a town in present Ampara district was the primary capital of Batticaloa region until the colonial period. Portuguese built a fort in 1628 against the union of Kandy kings and Dutch merchants at Puliyanthivu where the present Batticaloa town is situated. However, Portuguese were defeated in the war with the alliance of Kandyan and Dutch Company in 1638 and the fort was captured by the dutch. Since that , Puliyanthivu became the administrative capital of the District until the independence of the island in 1948.

Administration

During the colonial period, Batticaloa region was following Vannimai chieftainship same like Vanni region of northern Ceylon. There were three or four Vannian Chieftainships were observed by the Portuguese historians like Bocarro and Queroz – Palugāmam, Panova and Sammanturai along with Eravur. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Dutch colonial territories comprised eleven separate sub-chieftaincies, or as dutch called them, "Provinces": seven Mukkuvar controlled districts of Eravur, Manmunai, Eruvil, Poraitivu, Karaivaku, Sammanturai and Akkaraipattu, plus Panama in the south, NaduKadu(or Nadene) in the west, and Koralai and Kariwitti to the north. totally eleven "provinces" were in Batticaloa territory. Nadukadupattu, the last pattu inhabited by the people came from Sitawaka in the 17th Century was abandoned by its inhabitants at the end of 19th century and its residual populated area was later identified as "Wewgampattu". In 1950s, there were nine D.R.O divisions (Divisional Revenue Officer Divisions – present Divisional secretariat Divisions) in Batticaloa District: Panamapattu, Akkaraipattu, Nintavur-Karaivakupattu, Sammanthuraipattu, Manmunaipattu North, Porativu – Manmunai South – Eruvilpattu, Bintennapattu, Eravur-Koralaipattu and Wewgampattu.

Bifurcation of the ancient territory

After the independence, Gal oya scheme was proposed by the Dominion of Ceylon to increase the rice productivity of South eastern part of the country in 1949 and it caused the creation of many settlements in the Nadukadupattu region within the end of that scheme in 1953. According to the new proposal of Electoral reforms in Ceylon in 1959, Nadukadu – Nadene pattus were introduced as a new electoral District with the name "Digamadulla" on 19 March 1960. At the end of 1960, Batticaloa District consists of four electoral districts in its southernmost part – Pottuvil, Kalmunai, Nintavur and Ampara.

Subsequently, The government declared a new administrative district including Pottuvil, Kalmunai and Ampara electoral districts on 10 April 1961. Ancient Batticaloa region was thereby divided into two administrative districts where the northern part remained in the same name, the southern part got a new name, "Amparai". According to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka, the four single-member electoral districts of Ampara were replaced with one multi-member Digamadulla electoral district.

It could be noted that pattu divisions of newly formed Batticaloa district still remain in their old names, though they disrupted to following divisions in modern Ampara District.

*Akkaraipattu – Divided into four divisions today; Akkaraipattu, Addalaichenai, Alayadivembu and Thirukkovil.
*Panamaipattu – Lahugala and Pottuvil divisions.
*Karaivakupattu – Navitanveli, Karaitivu, Kalmunai Tamil, Kalmunai Muslim and Sainthamaruthu
*Sammanturaipattu – Sammanthurai, Irakkamam and Nintavur
*Nadene -Nadukadupattu / Wewagampattu – Ampara, Damana and Uhana
* Bintennapattu – Pathiyathalawa(Bintenna West) and Maha-Oya (Bintenna East)S. L. Gunasekara (2002)
The Wages of Sin
. Sinhala Jathika Sangamaya. p.101.

References

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Batticaloa
Ampara District