Maligawatta

Maligawatta is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Maligawatta is located approximately 3 kilometres north-east from the centre of Colombo, Colombo Fort. The name Maligawatta is from the Sinhalese language which translates into garden of the palace.[1]

Maligawatta මාලිගාවත්ත மாளிகாவத்தை
Suburb
Maligawatta Location in Greater Colombo
Coordinates: 6°56′14″N 79°52′19″E
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Western Province
District	Colombo District
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone)

The R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium is located in this area on Khettarama Road.

History

King Rajasinha I of Sitawaka ordered a deep ditch to be dug, thereby draining the eastern approaches. He located his headquarters on a hill further back, which came to be known as Maligakanda (Palace hill) since he held court there. The fields adjacent became Maligawatte.

In May 1587, Rajasinha I of Sitawaka, having conquered the Kandyan Kingdom, laid siege to the Portuguese fort of Colombo, with 60,000 men, 150 guns, 11,600 muskets and firelocks and 120 war elephants. The siege lasted nine months, but the 350 Portuguese soldiers in Colombo held out.

Under the Portuguese, the city walls encompassed the Pettah, and the Beira Lake was much bigger than it is now. The fort could only be approached from the south and east, and a moat defended the eastern approaches. Rajasinha I of Sitawaka ordered a deep ditch to be dug, thereby draining the eastern approaches. He located his headquarters on a hill further back, which came to be known as Maligakanda, since he held court there. The fields adjacent became Maligawatte.[2]

See also

• 2020 Maligawatta stampede

References

1. Paranavitana, K. D. (10 September 2006). "Colombo Landmarks". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
2. Moonesinghe, Vinod (6 April 2018). "Ten Places in Colombo and the Origins of their Names". Roar Media. Retrieved 8 July 2020.