Kotte
Encyclopedia
Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte , also known as Sri Jayawardenapura or Kotte කෝට්ටේ, is the administrative
capital of Sri Lanka
. It is located beyond the eastern suburbs of the commercial capital Colombo
and is often called New Capital Territory. The Parliament of Sri Lanka
has been based there since the formal inauguration of its new building on 29 April 1982.
and the Kolonnawa Oya. As Darugama was a naturally secure place, it was not easy for enemies to enter it. Here, in the 13th century, a chieftain named Nissanka Alagakkonara
built a fortress called
Kotte (meaning 'Fortress') against invasion from the Jaffna Kingdom
of Arya Chakaravarthi
.
Alagakkonara is mentioned by Ibn Batuta as ruling in Kurunegala
, but other sources indicate that he was the Bandara (Guardian) of Raigama Korale (county) in the modern Kalutara District. Arya Chakravarthy's army was held by Alagakkonara in front of Kotte, while he defeated the enemy's invasion fleet at Panadura to the south-west.
Kotte was a jala durgha (water fortress), in the shape of a triangle, with the Diyawanna Oya and Kolonnawa Oya marshes forming two long sides; along the shorter third (land) side a large moat
(the 'inner moat') was dug. The fortress was nearly 2.5 km² (1 sq. mile) in area, fortified with ramparts
of kabook or laterite
rock, 2.5 m high and 10.7 m in breadth.
In 1391, following the conquest of the Jaffna Kingdom by Prince Sapumal
(Sembahap Perumal), Kotte was given the epithet 'Sri Jayawardhanapura' ('resplendent city of growing victory'). It became the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kotte
, which it remained until the end of the 16th century.
From the ramparts to the magnificent three storied buildings that housed the Kings Palace, Laterite and clay were the main raw material used in its construction. One of the places from which the laterite blocks were mined, could be seen even today inside the Ananda Sasthralaya (a local school) premises.
The main features of the capital city were -
The Portuguese
arrived on the island in 1505 and were initially welcomed by the king. But they had militaristic and monopolistic intentions and gained control of the city by 1565. Failing to withstand repeated assaults by the forces of the neighbouring kingdom of Sitawaka, the city was abandoned by the Portuguese, who made Colombo their new capital.
Like similar cities of that era, Sri Jayawardhanapura was built with security in mind. A rampart and moat
protected the entire city. Traces of this moat and rampart are still visible today at certain places. Along parts of the rampart, encroachers have now built houses, garages and even toilets.
The urbanisation of Kotte restarted in the 19th century. The archaeological remains were torn up and used as building materials (a process that continues) — some of it even ending up in the Victoria Bridge, across the Kelani River.
was inaugurated on 29 April 1982. It was built once a massive lake was formed by dredging the marshlands around the Diyawanna Oya
. The new parliamentary buildings were built on Duwa, a 50,000 square metre (12 acre) island in the centre of the lake. The island (off Baddegana Road, Pita Kotte) had been used as a recreation and brawling spot for Portuguese soldiers in the last days of the Kotte era, alcohol being banned from the Royal City. It had belonged to E.W. Perera and had housed a chicken farm prior to being vested in the state. On 29 April 1982, the new parliamentary complex was declared open by the former president J.R. Jayawardene.
The process of relocating government institutions from the former capital of Colombo is still in progress.
. It was succeeded by the Kotte Urban Council, which had a large section of its area removed and tagged onto the Colombo Municipal Council ward of Borella while the Battaramulla urban council was dissolved and a small section of Battaramulla tagged onto the Kotte Urban Council.
The Kotte Urban Council became the Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte Municipal Council in 1997, with Chandra Silva as the first Mayor.
There are 20 Members of the Municipal Council (MMCs), elected on proportional representation. There are 10 wards, but these are now merely polling divisions, without individual representation.
, on the Kelani Valley Line. Also at Nugegoda is the city's main bus terminus. There are subsidiary bus stands at Pita Kotte and Welikada. The city is well served by buses and there is a major CTB bus depot at Udahamulla.
A Passenger boat service is being finalised and would commence adjacent to Parliament Junction at Bataramulla and end at the Wellawatte canal near Marine drive. Each journey would take around 30 minutes. It would have stations at the Kotte Marsh, Nawala
, Open University, Apollo Hospital, Duplication road, Wellawatte and at St Peter's College, Colombo
. The Srilanka Navy is currently conducting a pilot project between the Open University and Wellawatte.
, and another Maternity hospital under construction in Nawala. A small private health centre, the Blue Cross Hospital at Rajagiriya, provides basic facilities for medical diagnostics, and there is a small nursing home in Park Lane, Welikada, much patronised by Maldivians.
The second oldest in the island, formerly known as Christian College
is located in Ethul Kotte. The Ananda Sastralaya at Pita Kotte, is the oldest Buddhist school in the city.
The Education Ministry
as well as the Department of Examinations is based here.
A considerable number of the students living within the city limits study at government owned colleges and International schools in Colombo.
Located at Nawala
is the Open University, Sri Lanka and at Nugegoda
is the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
. Public Libraries are conveniently located, and can be found at Nugegoda
and Rajagiriya
.
The largest telephone service provider is Sri Lanka Telecom
, which previously held a monopoly over fixed line services, and provides fixed line as well as mobile services through its subsidiary Mobitel. Cell phone coverage is extensive, and the main service providers are Dialog Telekom
, Mobitel
, Tigo, Airtel and Hutch
. Both GSM and CDMA services are available in the city and Broadband internet penetration is increasing. Mobitel
supplies the city with 3.5G mobile solutions while Dialog Telekom
provides 3G
.
Electricity is provided by the Lanka Electricity Co. Ltd.
, with little variation in temperatures throughout the course of the year. The city does feature wetter and drier months, with February on average being its driest month (seeing on average 63 mm of precipitation). However, since none of the average monthly precipitation falls below 60 mm, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte falls under the tropical rainforest climate category.
source: Weatherbase
is the most popular sport in the city as well as the country, and is usually played in the grounds around the city.
Football
was at one time the most popular sport in the Colombo area, although it was eclipsed by Cricket after 1980. Four separate football clubs (Lido, Welikada Progress, Welikada Red Star and Welikada United) once used the EW Perera Park grounds at Welikada, Rajagiriya - where a pavilion was constructed in the 1970s. However, when the grounds were destroyed by the JR Jayawardene regime in the late 1970s, the football clubs disappeared. Football continued to be played at the grounds at Obeysekerapura in Rajagiriya.
In the 1990s the Kotte Municipal Council constructed the Chandra Silva Stadium, to replace the EW Perera Grounds. Part of the grounds was sold and later used to construct the HSBC building. In 2007 the Municipality, with aid from the Ministry of Urban Development, completed the first stage of the new Chandra Silva Stadium on the site of a rubbish dump behind the HSBC building.
Recently, football has once more grown in popularity, and the sport now has a considerable following. The Football association's new training facility at Kotte is aimed at harnessing and developing the available talent and organizing the individual players into a cohesive team. It includes a football playground with a sprinkler system, gym and a host of other facilities.
Other sports are mostly played in the numerous clubs and gyms, and include tennis, squash, billiards, horse riding, Indoor cricket, badminton and table tennis.
Horse riding can be pursued at the Premadasa Riding School in Nugegoda.
Education
History
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
capital of Sri Lanka
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...
. It is located beyond the eastern suburbs of the commercial capital Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
and is often called New Capital Territory. The Parliament of Sri Lanka
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
has been based there since the formal inauguration of its new building on 29 April 1982.
History
The village of Darugama lay at the confluence of two streams, the Diyawanna OyaDiyawanna Oya
Diyawanna Oya is one of the lakes within Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, Sri Lanka.The new Sri Lankan Parliament Building was built on an island formed at the center of the lake using dredgings from the surrounding marshlands....
and the Kolonnawa Oya. As Darugama was a naturally secure place, it was not easy for enemies to enter it. Here, in the 13th century, a chieftain named Nissanka Alagakkonara
Alagakkonara
Alagakkonara or Allegakoen or Alakeshwara is a name of a prominent feudal family that provided powerful ministers and military rulers during the medieval period in Sri Lanka. Although some historian say that the family was of Malayalee origin others say it originated in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu,...
built a fortress called
Kotte (meaning 'Fortress') against invasion from the Jaffna Kingdom
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
of Arya Chakaravarthi
Arya Chakaravarthi
The Aryacakravarti dynasty were kings of the Jaffna Kingdom in Sri Lanka. The earliest Sri Lankan sources, between 1277 and 1283, mention a military leader of this name as a minister in the services of the Pandyan Empire; he raided the western Sri Lankan coast and took the politically significant...
.
Alagakkonara is mentioned by Ibn Batuta as ruling in Kurunegala
Kurunegala
Kurunegala , is the capital of the North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was also an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 13th century. The town itself is a busy commercial and a transport hub...
, but other sources indicate that he was the Bandara (Guardian) of Raigama Korale (county) in the modern Kalutara District. Arya Chakravarthy's army was held by Alagakkonara in front of Kotte, while he defeated the enemy's invasion fleet at Panadura to the south-west.
Kotte was a jala durgha (water fortress), in the shape of a triangle, with the Diyawanna Oya and Kolonnawa Oya marshes forming two long sides; along the shorter third (land) side a large moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
(the 'inner moat') was dug. The fortress was nearly 2.5 km² (1 sq. mile) in area, fortified with ramparts
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
of kabook or laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
rock, 2.5 m high and 10.7 m in breadth.
In 1391, following the conquest of the Jaffna Kingdom by Prince Sapumal
Sapumal Kumaraya
Bhuvanekabahu VI or Chempaha Perumal or Sapumal Kumaraya was by self admission an adopted son of Parakramabâhu VI whose principal achievement was the conquest of Jaffna Kingdom in the year 1447 or 1450. He ruled the Kingdom for 17 years when he was apparently summoned to the south after the demise...
(Sembahap Perumal), Kotte was given the epithet 'Sri Jayawardhanapura' ('resplendent city of growing victory'). It became the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kotte
Kingdom of Kotte
The Kingdom of Kotte , centred on Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte was a kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th century. Its king was the last native sovereign to unify all of Sri Lanka under one rule. -Etymology:The term Kotte means fortress in Sinhalese...
, which it remained until the end of the 16th century.
From the ramparts to the magnificent three storied buildings that housed the Kings Palace, Laterite and clay were the main raw material used in its construction. One of the places from which the laterite blocks were mined, could be seen even today inside the Ananda Sasthralaya (a local school) premises.
The main features of the capital city were -
- The King's palace, with walls of quartz that sparkle in the moonlight (candrakanta pasana) and a golden spire, with beautiful flower gardens and springs of water.
- The three storeyed Dalada Maligawa with Buddha's sacret tooth relic in it (Temple of the tooth)
- The Five storeyed "Arama" where sixty Buddhist Bhikkus resided, with a Sangha Nayaka (a high priest)as the chief incumbent.
- The Kings Treasure House
- The 'Kotavehara' at Baddagana, the only Buddhist temple of the city outside the moat and rampart.
- The Royal cemetery at Beddagana (Veherakanda memorial)
- The 'Angampitiya', the military parade and training ground just inside the inner moat.
The Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
arrived on the island in 1505 and were initially welcomed by the king. But they had militaristic and monopolistic intentions and gained control of the city by 1565. Failing to withstand repeated assaults by the forces of the neighbouring kingdom of Sitawaka, the city was abandoned by the Portuguese, who made Colombo their new capital.
Like similar cities of that era, Sri Jayawardhanapura was built with security in mind. A rampart and moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
protected the entire city. Traces of this moat and rampart are still visible today at certain places. Along parts of the rampart, encroachers have now built houses, garages and even toilets.
The urbanisation of Kotte restarted in the 19th century. The archaeological remains were torn up and used as building materials (a process that continues) — some of it even ending up in the Victoria Bridge, across the Kelani River.
Legislature
The New ParliamentParliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
was inaugurated on 29 April 1982. It was built once a massive lake was formed by dredging the marshlands around the Diyawanna Oya
Diyawanna Oya
Diyawanna Oya is one of the lakes within Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, Sri Lanka.The new Sri Lankan Parliament Building was built on an island formed at the center of the lake using dredgings from the surrounding marshlands....
. The new parliamentary buildings were built on Duwa, a 50,000 square metre (12 acre) island in the centre of the lake. The island (off Baddegana Road, Pita Kotte) had been used as a recreation and brawling spot for Portuguese soldiers in the last days of the Kotte era, alcohol being banned from the Royal City. It had belonged to E.W. Perera and had housed a chicken farm prior to being vested in the state. On 29 April 1982, the new parliamentary complex was declared open by the former president J.R. Jayawardene.
The process of relocating government institutions from the former capital of Colombo is still in progress.
Municipal structure
The Kotte Urban Development Council was created in the 1930s, with a modern building at RajagiriyaRajagiriya
Rajagiriya is one of the main residential and Commercial suburbs after Nugegoda in the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte municipal limits. Rajagiriya is bordered by Borella and Ethul Kotte.-History:...
. It was succeeded by the Kotte Urban Council, which had a large section of its area removed and tagged onto the Colombo Municipal Council ward of Borella while the Battaramulla urban council was dissolved and a small section of Battaramulla tagged onto the Kotte Urban Council.
The Kotte Urban Council became the Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte Municipal Council in 1997, with Chandra Silva as the first Mayor.
There are 20 Members of the Municipal Council (MMCs), elected on proportional representation. There are 10 wards, but these are now merely polling divisions, without individual representation.
Suburbs
- Ethul Kotte
- Mirihana
- Madiwela
- NawalaNawalaNawala is a Suburb of Colombo near Rajagiriya, within the Kotte municipality in the western province of Sri Lanka.An up-market residential area, Nawala lies between the Commercial Capital Colombo and the Administrative Capital of Kotte. It is considered to be a part of Rajagiriya and is bordered by...
- NugegodaNugegodaNugegoda is one of the most densely populated suburbs of Colombo. It is in the border of Sri Jayawardenapura Municipal Council Limits and Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council Limits, just outside Colombo City Limits. Central Nugegoda is a collection of densely packed shops and mixed residential...
- Pita Kotte
- RajagiriyaRajagiriyaRajagiriya is one of the main residential and Commercial suburbs after Nugegoda in the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte municipal limits. Rajagiriya is bordered by Borella and Ethul Kotte.-History:...
Demographics
Kotte is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious city. The population of Kotte is mainly Sinhalese, with a mix of Tamils, Muslims, Malays and Burghers (most of the Muslims and Indian Tamils living in the Rajagiriya area). There are small communities of people with Chinese, Malay and Indian origins living here as well as a small foreign expatriate community. According to the census of 2001 the demographics by ethnicity and religion is as follows.| 2001 | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhalese Sinhalese people The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the... |
101,331 | 87.49% |
| Sri Lankan Tamil | 6,583 | 5.68% |
| Indian Tamil | 786 | 0.68% |
| Sri Lankan Moor | 4,031 | 3.48% |
| Burgher Burgher people The Burghers are a Eurasian ethnic group, historically from Sri Lanka, consisting for the most part of male-line descendants of European colonists from the 16th to 20th centuries and local women, with some minorities of Swedish, Norwegian, French and Irish.Today the mother tongue of the Burghers... |
1,367 | 1.18% |
| Malay | 919 | 0.79% |
| Sri Lankan Chetty | 65 | 0.06% |
| Baratha | 57 | 0.05% |
| Other | 687 | 0.59% |
| Total | 115,826 | 100.00% |
| Buddhist | 93,364 | |
| Hindu Hindu Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion... |
4,550 | |
| Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... |
5,465 | |
| Roman Catholic | 8,659 | |
| Other Christian | 3,618 | |
| Other | 170 |
Transport
The only major railway station is at NugegodaNugegoda
Nugegoda is one of the most densely populated suburbs of Colombo. It is in the border of Sri Jayawardenapura Municipal Council Limits and Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council Limits, just outside Colombo City Limits. Central Nugegoda is a collection of densely packed shops and mixed residential...
, on the Kelani Valley Line. Also at Nugegoda is the city's main bus terminus. There are subsidiary bus stands at Pita Kotte and Welikada. The city is well served by buses and there is a major CTB bus depot at Udahamulla.
A Passenger boat service is being finalised and would commence adjacent to Parliament Junction at Bataramulla and end at the Wellawatte canal near Marine drive. Each journey would take around 30 minutes. It would have stations at the Kotte Marsh, Nawala
Nawala
Nawala is a Suburb of Colombo near Rajagiriya, within the Kotte municipality in the western province of Sri Lanka.An up-market residential area, Nawala lies between the Commercial Capital Colombo and the Administrative Capital of Kotte. It is considered to be a part of Rajagiriya and is bordered by...
, Open University, Apollo Hospital, Duplication road, Wellawatte and at St Peter's College, Colombo
St Peter's College, Colombo
St. Peter's College is a distinguished boys only primary to secondary school in the Bambalapitiya zone of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1922....
. The Srilanka Navy is currently conducting a pilot project between the Open University and Wellawatte.
Health
There is a dedicated Eye & ENT hospital at RajagiriyaRajagiriya
Rajagiriya is one of the main residential and Commercial suburbs after Nugegoda in the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte municipal limits. Rajagiriya is bordered by Borella and Ethul Kotte.-History:...
, and another Maternity hospital under construction in Nawala. A small private health centre, the Blue Cross Hospital at Rajagiriya, provides basic facilities for medical diagnostics, and there is a small nursing home in Park Lane, Welikada, much patronised by Maldivians.
Education
There are a number of State and Private Schools in Kotte. They are either "National schools" (run by the central government), "Government schools" (run by the Provincial Councils), Semi-government/Private schools or International schools (run by trusts and individuals).The second oldest in the island, formerly known as Christian College
Christian College
Sri Jayawardenepura Maha Vidyalaya is a government school in Kotte, Sri Lanka. It was formally known as Christian College until 1964 when the administration of the school was taken over by the government. The school traces its roots to 1822 when the Cotta Institute was established as a seminary for...
is located in Ethul Kotte. The Ananda Sastralaya at Pita Kotte, is the oldest Buddhist school in the city.
The Education Ministry
Ministry of Education (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
as well as the Department of Examinations is based here.
A considerable number of the students living within the city limits study at government owned colleges and International schools in Colombo.
Nawala
Nawala is a Suburb of Colombo near Rajagiriya, within the Kotte municipality in the western province of Sri Lanka.An up-market residential area, Nawala lies between the Commercial Capital Colombo and the Administrative Capital of Kotte. It is considered to be a part of Rajagiriya and is bordered by...
is the Open University, Sri Lanka and at Nugegoda
Nugegoda
Nugegoda is one of the most densely populated suburbs of Colombo. It is in the border of Sri Jayawardenapura Municipal Council Limits and Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council Limits, just outside Colombo City Limits. Central Nugegoda is a collection of densely packed shops and mixed residential...
is the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is one of the Universities in Sri Lanka. It is located in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka...
. Public Libraries are conveniently located, and can be found at Nugegoda
Nugegoda
Nugegoda is one of the most densely populated suburbs of Colombo. It is in the border of Sri Jayawardenapura Municipal Council Limits and Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council Limits, just outside Colombo City Limits. Central Nugegoda is a collection of densely packed shops and mixed residential...
and Rajagiriya
Rajagiriya
Rajagiriya is one of the main residential and Commercial suburbs after Nugegoda in the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte municipal limits. Rajagiriya is bordered by Borella and Ethul Kotte.-History:...
.
Utilities
The Kotte Municipal Council is responsible for road maintenance and door-to-door garbage collection in the city. They also are responsible for keeping Storm drains clean to cope with the heavy Tropical rains.The largest telephone service provider is Sri Lanka Telecom
Sri Lanka Telecom
Sri Lanka Telecom PLC is the premier telecommunications services provider in Sri Lanka and one of the country’s most valuable blue chip companies with an annual turnover in excess of Rs 40 billion...
, which previously held a monopoly over fixed line services, and provides fixed line as well as mobile services through its subsidiary Mobitel. Cell phone coverage is extensive, and the main service providers are Dialog Telekom
Dialog Telekom
Dialog Axiata PLC is Sri Lanka's largest telecommunications service provider, which operates Dialog Mobile, the country's largest mobile phone network with over 6 million subscribers...
, Mobitel
Mobitel
Mobitel is a Slovenian GSM/UMTS mobile operator. The company is under a 100-per-cent ownership of Telekom Slovenije.- Company history :Mobitel was established in October 1991 as a limited liability company. The founder was SP PTT Ljubljana, which was joined by other Slovenian PTT companies by the...
, Tigo, Airtel and Hutch
Hutch
-People:* Ken Hutcherson, former National Football League linebacker, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington* Leslie Hutchinson, a popular singer of the 1930s known as 'Hutch'* Jesse Hutch, actor...
. Both GSM and CDMA services are available in the city and Broadband internet penetration is increasing. Mobitel
Mobitel
Mobitel is a Slovenian GSM/UMTS mobile operator. The company is under a 100-per-cent ownership of Telekom Slovenije.- Company history :Mobitel was established in October 1991 as a limited liability company. The founder was SP PTT Ljubljana, which was joined by other Slovenian PTT companies by the...
supplies the city with 3.5G mobile solutions while Dialog Telekom
Dialog Telekom
Dialog Axiata PLC is Sri Lanka's largest telecommunications service provider, which operates Dialog Mobile, the country's largest mobile phone network with over 6 million subscribers...
provides 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
.
Electricity is provided by the Lanka Electricity Co. Ltd.
Climate
Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte features a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
, with little variation in temperatures throughout the course of the year. The city does feature wetter and drier months, with February on average being its driest month (seeing on average 63 mm of precipitation). However, since none of the average monthly precipitation falls below 60 mm, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte falls under the tropical rainforest climate category.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp °C (°F) |
26 (78) |
26 (78) |
27 (80) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
27 (80) |
27 (80) |
27 (80) |
27 (80) |
26 (78) |
26 (78) |
26 (78) |
26 (78) |
| Precipitation centimeters (inches) |
8.5 (3.3) |
6.3 (2.5) |
11.2 (4.4) |
25.2 (9.9) |
33.5 (13.2) |
19.5 (7.7) |
13 (5.1) |
9.5 (3.7) |
16.5 (6.5) |
35.8 (14.1) |
30.9 (12.2) |
15.3 (6) |
225.1 (88.6) |
source: Weatherbase
Sports and recreation
CricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
is the most popular sport in the city as well as the country, and is usually played in the grounds around the city.
Football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
was at one time the most popular sport in the Colombo area, although it was eclipsed by Cricket after 1980. Four separate football clubs (Lido, Welikada Progress, Welikada Red Star and Welikada United) once used the EW Perera Park grounds at Welikada, Rajagiriya - where a pavilion was constructed in the 1970s. However, when the grounds were destroyed by the JR Jayawardene regime in the late 1970s, the football clubs disappeared. Football continued to be played at the grounds at Obeysekerapura in Rajagiriya.
In the 1990s the Kotte Municipal Council constructed the Chandra Silva Stadium, to replace the EW Perera Grounds. Part of the grounds was sold and later used to construct the HSBC building. In 2007 the Municipality, with aid from the Ministry of Urban Development, completed the first stage of the new Chandra Silva Stadium on the site of a rubbish dump behind the HSBC building.
Recently, football has once more grown in popularity, and the sport now has a considerable following. The Football association's new training facility at Kotte is aimed at harnessing and developing the available talent and organizing the individual players into a cohesive team. It includes a football playground with a sprinkler system, gym and a host of other facilities.
Other sports are mostly played in the numerous clubs and gyms, and include tennis, squash, billiards, horse riding, Indoor cricket, badminton and table tennis.
Horse riding can be pursued at the Premadasa Riding School in Nugegoda.
Security
There are many military checkpoints on the way to Kotte. These checkpoints are to see if people are carrying weapons to parliament.External links
Government- Government of Sri Lanka Official Web Portal
- The Parliament of Sri Lanka
- CIA Fact book
- Ministry of Defence : Sri Lanka
Education
History