Kokkadichcholai ( ta, கொக்கட்டிச்சோலை) is a village in

Batticaloa District Batticaloa District ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு மாவட்டம் ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu Māvaṭṭam''; si, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්‍රික්කය ''maḍakalapūva distrikkaya'') is one of the 25 dis ...

within the Eastern Province of

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Etymology

According to legend, the name of the village comes from the Kokkatti tree.

Geography

It is located west of the provincial town of

Batticaloa Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the ...

across from the

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into '' coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons' ...

that separates the Batticaloa district's hinterland from the populated coastal area. The general area consists of four villages, one is known as Ampilanthurai, Mahiladitivu and the other Mudalaikudah (Crocodile bay) and the main hamlet of Kokkadichcholai. Although Kokkadichcholai is a collective name for the three hamlets, the name refers to the main hamlet in local parlance. The area is known for its famous Batticaloa

curd Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as lem ...

in Sri Lanka.

Kokkadicholai Thaanthonreeswarar Temple Kokkadicholai Thaanthonrichcharar Kovil (also known as Kokkadicholai Thanthonrichcharam) is the most significant Shaivism Kovil located in Kokkadicholai, 15km southwest Batticaloa District of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. It is also one of the o ...

is located in the area which is popular for its miracles.

Demography

The dominant group is the Mukkuvar

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...

- mainly

farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer ...

, followed by service castes such as dhobys,

barbers A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...

and others. There is a notion of a self-contained autonomous system of villages, presided over by the Ur-Podiyar, elected from among the Podiyars or village leaders, the role of the Ur Podiyar is considered more ceremonial than coercive. Podiyars in practice were the large landowners. It has become common for people of the area to prefix their name with Podiyar. Most are

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

with some

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

amongst them.

References

{{reflist, 2 Villages in Batticaloa District Manmunai South West DS Division

Etymology

Geography

Demography

See also

References