Beruwala
Encyclopedia
Beruwala, is a small resort town in the south western coastal belt of Sri Lanka
. The name Beruwala is derived from the Sinhalese word for the place where the sail is lowered. It marks the spot for the first Muslim
settlement on the island, established by Arab traders around the 8th century AD. A large population of Sri Lankan Moors
, many of them are gem merchants, still live in the town-- particularly in the "China Fort". Msjid-ul-Abrar , a landmark of Beruwala and Sri Lanka's oldest mosque, was built by Arab traders on a rocky peninsula overlooking the town.
Beruwala is also home to Al- Fasiyatul Nasriya Muslim Balika Maha Vidyalaya, which is the first and oldest girls school in Sri Lanka. It was damaged by tsunami on boxing day in 2004.
Beruwala is the starting point of the 130 km long stretch of beach. In the past few years great strides have been made in the field of resort development in this area. The bay around remains ideal for bathing almost for the whole year.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The name Beruwala is derived from the Sinhalese word for the place where the sail is lowered. It marks the spot for the first Muslim
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
settlement on the island, established by Arab traders around the 8th century AD. A large population of Sri Lankan Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
, many of them are gem merchants, still live in the town-- particularly in the "China Fort". Msjid-ul-Abrar , a landmark of Beruwala and Sri Lanka's oldest mosque, was built by Arab traders on a rocky peninsula overlooking the town.
Beruwala is the starting point of the 130 km long stretch of beach. In the past few years great strides have been made in the field of resort development in this area. The bay around remains ideal for bathing almost for the whole year.