Jaffna Peninsula, the northernmost part of Sri Lanka, is the heartland of the island's Tamil culture. "Jaffna" is the name of both the peninsula and its capital at its southwestern tip. The peninsula can be reached via a bridge crossing the Jaffna lagoon in the west and the much shorter famous causeway known as Elephant Pass. Originally, this was a ford, wild elephants from mainland Sri Lanka were driven through it to be shipped from the port of Jaffna to India. The elephant pass was embettled during the three decades of civil war. Memorials can now be seen at both ends of the causeway.
Jaffna Peninsula - Heartland of Sri Lanka's Tamil Culture
Jaffna Peninsula, the northernmost part of Sri Lanka, is the major hub of the island's Tamil culture. "Jaffna" is the name of both the peninsula and its capital at its southwestern tip. The peninsula can be reached via a bridge crossing the Jaffna lagoon in the west and the much shorter famous causeway known as Elephant Pass. Originally, this was a ford, wild elephants from mainland Sri Lanka were driven through it to be shipped from the port of Jaffna to India. The Elephant Pass was embattled during the three decades of civil war. Memorials can now be seen at both ends of the causeway.
The main attraction of Jaffna City is the Dutch Fort, which is Asia's best preserved fort with a star-shaped groundplan. Another landmark building of Jaffna is close-by, the white Jaffna Public Library from the British colonial period is inspired by Indian colonial architecture. It had been one of the most important archives of historical documents in Asia, before it was burnt down by Sinhalese mob in 1981, which was one of the events that triggered Tamil yearning for independence and escalated the ethnic conflict. Jaffna is rich in church buildings, as it was a centre of Christian missionary activities in the mid 19th century.
Nallur is the northeastern suburb of Jaffna. In the precolonial period, Nallur was the actual capital of the Jaffna Peninsula, whereas today's Jaffna closer to the ocean was founded by the Portuguese. The ancient temple of Nallur was replaced by a church and had to be rebuilt at a different place. It is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva held in extraordinarily high esteem in the Tamil culture. Today's Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil is the largest Hindu temple of the island. Visitors are allowed to enter it for ceremonies. Nallur has several Hindu Ashrams and is considered to be the centre of Vedanta studies in Sri Lanka. Some remants of ancient palaces can also be seen in Jaffna.
Remnants of an early Buddhist presence on the Peninsula can be found in Kantharodai alias Kadurugoda near Puttur to the north of Jaffna, where a group of about wo mini stupas has been restored. They are believed to have been the burial places of ashes of Buddhist monks who had lived in this monastery.
To the east of Puttur is the largest well of the Jaffna Peninsula. Nilawari is said to never dry up and to be bottomless. In fact, the depth was recorded to be 44m in the late 19th century. Remarkably, the salinity of the water is higher at the bottom than at the surface, indicating that there must be freshwater springs close to the water surface and an additional influx of sea water further below. Nilawari well is a Ramyana Pilgrimage Site. When Lord Rama's army entered Lanka, it was facing a lack of freshwater. But Rama shot a magic arrow into the ground and water sprung out instantly.
Further north is Keerimalai at the northern shores of the peninsula. It houses one of the five most important Shiva shrines which are known as Ihvaram temples, namely naguleshvaram Kovil. Nearby are the mineral springs believed to be of healing power. The sacred freshwather bathes are situated surprisingly close to the saltwater ocean.
Only a few kilometers further west is the ancient main port of Jaffna Peninsula which is known as Jambukola in the island's Pali chronicles. The modern Sinhala name is Dambakola. A modern white stupa marks the sacred site which is believed to have been the landing place of the sapling of the sacred Bo Tree from India's Bodhgaya that was then planted in Anuradhapura.
Point Pedro, the northernmost point of Sri Lanka, is further east. It's marked by lighthouse and has a small fishing harbour. Point Pedro is also the name of the city nearby. The lonesome coastline to the east of Point Pedro has Sri Lanka's longest chain of sand dunes, now mostly overgrown. Manalkadu is the most important settlement in this remote part of Jaffna Peninsula.
Islands to the West of jaffna - Religious and Nature Sanctuaries
Apart from Jaffna and Nallur, the most rewarding travel destinations of northern Sri Lanka are the islands to the west of Jaffna. Most of them can be reached via causeways, but the two most interesting one require boat transfers. Nainativu is a narrow island, which is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike. The large Nagapooshani Amman Kovil is one of the most colourful in Sri Lanka. What's most attractive is that its largest Gopuram tower is placed at the shore and the harbour. This annual festival of this temple attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims, sometimes even a hundredthousand, they also arrive from India.
Delft Island is worth a visit due to its scenic beauty. The southern half of the island is a wildlife conservation area famous for its freely roaming feral horses, offspring of a former breeding station for horse trade with India. Ruins of colonial buildings such as the Dutch fort and the Queens tower are the colonial landmarks of Delft Island. Delft is also home to a large Baobab tree, a very rare species in South Asia.
mannar Island - natural bridge to India
Outside Jaffna Peninsula, Mannar Island in the northwest is the most important travel destination of Sri Lanka's Northern Province. Like Jaffna Peninsula, Mannar can be reached via a bridge. An important Shiva shrine, Keteeshvaram temple, one of only five Ishvaram Kovils is near the mainland side of the bridge. The main attractions of Mannar city at the opposite end of the bridge are the fishing port to the left and the Dutch Fort and the Pallimunai Baobab tree in a suburb to the right. Mannar Island, like Delft island, is a place were feral horses can be observed in the wildlife areas. They can often be spotted on the way from Mannar to Talaimannar, a fishing village situated 25 km further northwest near the opposite end of the island. its landmark is a lighthouse at the northernmost point of Mannar Island. Nearby is the Talaimannar Pier, originally built by the British in 1914 for a ferry service from India‘s Danushkodi Point. The ferry was the link between the railway lines of India and Sri Lanka. Because Tailaimannar is one of the most windy place in Sri Lanka, it has become a second kitesurfing destination in Sri Lanka, much less crowded than Kalpitiya Island.
Mannar Island and India' Rameshvaram Island are connected by a 25 km long sand dune, which is partly above and partly below the sea level, thereby forming a chain of sandy islets. They are known as Rama Setu or Adam's Bridge, as Hindus believe they are the remains of a bridge once constructed by Lord Rama, wheres Muslim folk tales have it that was built by Adam. After Adam had to leave paradise, he arrived on Adam's Peak and the left the island via this bridge. Not many people know that India and Sri lanka actually have a landborder and that it is the shortest in the world. Actually, one of the sanddunes of the Rama Setu is devided by a 50 m long border.
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