Kopay ( ta, கோப்பாய், translit=Kōppāy) is a town about 4 km from the city of

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 ...

along

Point Pedro Point Pedro ( ta, பருத்தித்துறை, translit=Paruttittuṟai; si, පේදුරු තුඩුව, translit=Pēduru Tuḍuva) is a town, located in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka, at the northernmost point of the island. ...

road. An agricultural town consisting mainly of vegetable farms,

paddy field A paddy field is a flooded field (agriculture), field of arable land used for growing Aquatic plant, semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in sout ...

s and coconut gardens. The suburb Kopay is blessed with several scholars because of very strong schooling system.

Arumuka Navalar Arumuka Navalar (; 18 December 1822 – 5 December 1879) was a Sri Lankan Shaivite Tamil language scholar, polemicist, and a religious reformer who was central in reviving native Hindu Tamil traditions in Sri Lanka and India. Navalar's bi ...

established the school managed by Suwaminathan is famous for this. Arrival of

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...

(CMS) strengthened the educational system. Kopay Christian College is one of the oldest schools in Jaffna with 150 years of service remain unbeaten in producing quality scholars. During the Sri Lankan civil war, Kopay was also known as the place where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) built their first war cemetery (known as ''Maaveerar Thuyilum Illam'') for their dead fighters when they controlled the Jaffna peninsula in the early 1990s. This cemetery was destroyed by the

Sri Lankan armed forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Th ...

in 1996 after they captured the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE. The cemetery was then rebuilt in 2002 during the ceasefire period. However, after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, the Sri Lankan armed forces completely demolished the cemetery in July 2010, and also built an

army base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and Military operation, operations. A military base always provides ...

on the site of the cemetery.
Kopay Divisional Secretariat

Etymology

Kopay was the 2nd capital of the

Jaffna Kingdom The Jaffna Kingdom ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாண அரசு, si, යාපනය රාජධානිය; 1215–1624 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka. It came i ...

while Nallur was the capital. The name ''Kopay'' derives from the two

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

words ''kō'' meaning "king" and ''pāy'' meaning "seat", which it gained because the kings of

Aryacakravarti dynasty The Arya Chakravarti dynasty ( ta, ஆரியச் சக்கரவர்த்திகள் வம்சம், Sinhalese: ආර්ය චක්‍රවර්තී රාජවංශය) were kings of the Jaffna Kingdom in Sri Lank ...

had their residence here. King

Cankili I Cankili I ( ta, சங்கிலியன்) (died 1565), also known as Segarasasekaram (Jaga Rajasekharam), is the most remembered Jaffna kingdom king in the Sri Lankan Tamil history. He was very active in resisting Portuguese colonial inroads ...

had his stronghold at the fort previously located in Kopay.

History

The Arya Cakravartti, Kings of

, for the purpose of defending their country against all enemies had forts erected at Nallur and Kopay. Kopay fort lies on the Point Petro Road, 150m, North of Kopay junction and at the end of a lane which goes on the right-hand side of the main road. According to Ponnampalam Ragupathy (Early Settlements in Jaffna), historiographical literature and chronicles, Kopay was a second capital for the

Kings of Jaffna Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

where they had a fort and residence. It is only about 4 km from Nallur, a place known from the

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

times and which was the capital of the Kings of Jaffna till the advent of

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

. The word Kopay may possibly render a meaning the residence of the King (Ko-king; Pay-seat). In the 16th century, during the struggle between the Arya Cakravartti, Kings of Jaffna, and the

, the Arya Cakravarttis used the Kopy fort as their main

defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

centre, especially during the period of King Cankili Raja (I) Segarasasekaram. He stationed one section of his troops at Nallur, as he feared that the

might invade the

Kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...

again. The strategic position of Kopay made the King to choose it as an important defence centre in times of war. According to Joao Ribeiro (Army Captain) the Portuguese historian and Sir Paul E. Pieris, in 1560 when King Cankili Raja (I) Segarasasekaram’s forces launched repeated onslaughts against the fort at Kopay, they used ladders made of arecanut trees to scale the walls of the citadel. Later fortress at Kopay was also captured and destroyed by the

. Both Nallur and Kopay are along the Upparu lagoon. The site of the

Palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

inside the Kopay fort, marked with

archaeological remains An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and ...

, was known as "Raasa Maaligai" (

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...

). Kopay fort had some remains of foundations and some small dilapidated walls. At present everything has been erased and place has been transformed into a place of

cultivation of crops Cultivation may refer to: * The state of having or expressing a good education (bildung), refinement, culture, or high culture * Gardening * The controlled growing of organisms by humans ** Agriculture, the land-based cultivation and breeding is ...

. The evidences of bricks and stones, found at the place confirm that a building structure existed there earlier and the adjacent tank which was renovated from time to time, now lies as a waste plot covered with shrubs, bushes and other plants.

Education

Kopay Christian College was founded in 1852 and it is one of the oldest High Schools in

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 ...

established by the

(CMS). This is the school where many old leaders studied in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Renowned philosopher and theologian Nallur Late. Srilasri Arumuga Navalar (1822–1879) is the founder of Kopay Navalar Boys School in 1872. Late. Murugasar Swaminathan J.P. was the founder of Kopay Saraswathy Girls' School in (1910). Later, both Swaminathan and Hon.C. W. Thamotharampillai who he was a High Court Judge and a renowned poet, amalgamated two schools in 1915 and named as Navalar Hindu Tamil Mixed School in Kopay. National College of Education (NCOE) is renovated in a donated land of Hon. Dharmalingam Siddarthan, Member of Parliament in 2001. Ministry of Education Sri Lanka is approved the proposal to establish a building with the funding of

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...

for 465 million

Sri Lankan rupee The Sri Lankan Rupee ( si, රුපියල්, ta, ரூபாய்; Currency symbol, symbol: Re and Rs (plural) in English, රු in Sinhala, ௹ in Tamil; ISO 4217, ISO code: LKR) is the currency of Sri Lanka. It is subdivided into 100 ...

s. But the

is refused to provide the total sum because of the Sri Lankan Civil War and provided 35 million rupees to the NCOE. With the financial help of Dr Aaru Thirumurugan along with Sivayogam Trust – London Muthumari Amman Temple, and donation from former Hindu Affairs Minister

T. Maheswaran Thiyagarajah Maheswaran ( ta, தியாகராஜா மகேஸ்வரன்) (10 January 1966 – 1 January 2008) was a Tamil Sri Lankan Member of Parliament (MP) from Colombo. He belonged to the main opposition United National Par ...

, NCOE is re-established in December 2004. Kopay Teachers' Training college is formerly known as '''Central Teachers College which is established by Late.Murugesar Swaminathan. J.P in 1881. It is one of the largest training college for teachers in the country. List of Educations in Kopay
National College of Education, Jaffna
* Teachers Training College, Kopay * Kopay Christian College

Religion

Kopay has traditionally been

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 ...

belonging the Shaivite tradition with a large number of

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

s along with small but influential number of

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. The well-known Kopay Palanai Kanagai Amman Kovil (AD 135), Vada Kovai Verakaththi Vinayakar Kovil and St. Mary's Church (AD 1854) are examples of these. Several temples have been established in Kopay by the

of Jaffna Kingdom. There is a history from the book of

Cenkuttuvan Cheran Chenkuttuvan ( ml, ചേരൻ ചെങ്കുട്ടുവൻ ; ta, சேரன் செங்குட்டுவன்) (''c.'' 2nd century CE), literally 'the Alluring Kuttuvan Chera', identified with Katal Pirakottiya Vel ...

that the King who ruled

from AD 113 to 135 was brought

Kannagi Kannagi ( ta, கண்ணகி) sometimes spelled Kannaki, is a legendary Tamil woman who forms the central character of the Tamil epic '' Cilappatikaram''. Kannagi is described as the chaste woman who stays with her husband despite his unfa ...

Amman statues from the

Chola Kingdom The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...

and established Kopay Palani Kannagai Amman temple in the year of AD 135. List of Temples in Kopay * Vadakovai Verakaththi Vinayakar Kovil * Palani Kannagai Amman Kovil * Makilady Ukkira Vayiravar Kovil * Kopay Kanthasuwamy Kovil * Kopay Selva Vinayagar Kovil * Kopay Gana Vairavar Kovil * St. Mary's Church, Kopay * Kopay Kirushnan Kovil * Kopay Muthumari Amman Kovil * Irupalai Katpaga Pillayar Kovil * Veerapathirar Kovil *Vellerukku Pillayar Kovil *Kopay Naachimar Kovil

Healthcare

Ministry of Health Sri Lanka operates the

Public hospital A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is fully funded by the government and operates solely off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In some countries, this typ ...

s and clinics in Kopay. Kopay Base Hospital transformed as Kopay Divisional Hospital along with full facilities, and there is a Government Veterinary Office also functioning in Kopay.

Notable people

* King Singai Pararasasegaram, King of Jaffna * S. Kathiravelupillai,

Sri Lankan Tamil Sri Lankan Tamils ( or ), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, live in significant numbers in the Eastern Pr ...

lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament * D.M Swaminathan, 2nd Governor of Western Province *

C. Sittampalam Cathiravelu Sittampalam ( ta, கதிரவேலு சிற்றம்பலம்; 13 September 1898 – 3 February 1964) was a Ceylon Tamil civil servant, politician, Member of Parliament and government minister. Early life and famil ...

politician and Minister of Posts and Telecommunication * Hon. Coomaraswamy Vanniasingam,

lawyer, Member of Parliament * Murugesu Balasundaram,

lawyer, Member of Parliament * C. Arulampalam, Politician and Member of Parliament * Arumugam Murugesu Alalasundaram, Politician and Member of Parliament * Dr. Aaru Thirumurugan, Renowned Speaker, Pundit and Hindu Social Activist * Shenthuran, Peace Ambassador for Sri Lanka

References

External links

DS Kopay- District Secretariat Kopay

See it on google
Towns in Jaffna District Valikamam East DS Division Suburbs of Jaffna {{NorthernLK-geo-stub