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37-526: Between 5th century BC and 13th century AD present day Kilinochchi District was part of Rajarata . Much of Kilinochchi District was thereafter part of the pre-colonial Jaffna kingdom . The district then came under Portuguese , Dutch and British control. In 1815 the British gained control of the entire island of Ceylon . They divided the island into three ethnic based administrative structures: Low Country Sinhalese, Kandyan Sinhalese and Tamil. The district, which

74-411: A Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 95 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions). Kilinochchi District's population was 112,875 in 2011. The population of the district is almost exclusively Sri Lankan Tamil. The population of the district, like the rest of the north and east of Sri Lanka, has been heavily affected by

111-517: A caravan headed for Magadha , which was attacked by Sinha ("lion") in a forest in the Lala (or Lada) region. The Mahavamsa calls the Sinha a lion; according to some modern interpreters, however, Sinha was a beastly outlaw human living in the jungle. Lala is identified as Bengal's Rarh region (part of the present-day Indian state of West Bengal ) or Lata , part of present-day Gujarat . Suppadevi fled from

148-464: A hundred noble maidens, craftsmen, a thousand families from 18 guilds , elephants, horses, wagons and other gifts. The group landed in Lanka at a port known as Mahatittha. Vijaya then asked Kuveni, his Yakkhini consort, to leave the community because his citizens feared supernatural beings like her. He offered her money, asking her to leave their two children behind, but Kuveni brought the children along to

185-482: A kingdom which was named Tambapanni ("copper-red hands"), because the men's hands were coloured by the area's red soil . Members of Vijaya's community were called Sinhala, after Sinhabahu. Vijaya's ministers and other followers established several villages; Upatissa established Upatissagāma on the bank of the Gambhira river, north of Anuradhagama. Vijaya's followers decided to crown him king, but for this he needed

222-508: A letter to Sumitta, but died before receiving a reply. His ministers from Upatissagāma then governed the kingdom for a year while they waited for a reply. In Sinhapura, Sumitta had become king and had three sons. His queen was a daughter of the king of Madda (possibly Madra ). When Vijaya's messengers arrived, Sumitta asked one of his sons to go to Lanka because he was too old; Panduvasdeva , his youngest son, volunteered. Panduvasdeva and 32 sons of Sumitta's ministers reached Lanka, where he became

259-463: A maiden of a noble house as queen. His ministers sent emissaries with gifts to the city of Madhura, which was ruled by a Pandya king. (Madhura is identified with Madurai , a city in Tamil Nadu ). The king agreed to send his daughter as Vijaya's bride, and asked other families to offer their daughters as brides for Vijaya's followers. Several families volunteered, and were rewarded by the king, who sent

296-590: Is uncertain. It has been identified with Singur, West Bengal (in the Rada, or Rarh, region) or Singhpur, near Jajpur ( Sinhapura, Odisha ). Those who identify the Lala kingdom with present-day Gujarat place it in present-day Sihor . Another theory identifies it with the village of Singupuram , near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh . It has also been placed in present-day Thailand or on the Malay Peninsula . Vijaya

333-546: The Pulindas of India). Vijaya was crowned king. The Pandya king's daughter became his queen, and other women were married to his followers according to their rank. Vijaya bestowed gifts on his ministers and his father-in-law; he abandoned his evil ways, and ruled Lanka in peace and justice. Vijaya had no other children after Kuveni left. Concerned in old age that he would die without an heir, he decided to bring his twin brother Sumitta from India to govern his kingdom. Vijaya sent

370-465: The 13th century) was divided into three parts: Prince Vijaya Prince Vijaya (c. 543–505 BCE) was a legendary king of Tambapanni , based in modern day Sri Lanka . His reign was first mentioned in Mahāvaṃsa . He is said to have came to Sri Lanka with seven hundred followers after being banished from Sinhapura . However, there is no archaeological evidence of this. After arriving on

407-408: The 700 men were sent on separate ships. Vijaya and his followers landed at a place called Supparaka; the women landed at a place called Mahiladipaka, and the children landed at a place called Naggadipa. Vijaya's ship later reached Lanka, in the area known as Tambapanni , on the day that Gautama Buddha died in northern India. Those who think that Vijaya set out from the west coast of India (Sinhapura

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444-638: The Kalinga forces extended their power to the Malaya Rata. During the rise of the Kingdom of Dambadeniya under the king Vijayabahu III (1220-1224 CE), Magha lost the control of Malaya Rata. The native Sinhalese resisted the Magha's administration at Pollonnaruwa. The Sinhalese gathered around inaccessible towns, fortresses and mountains including Yapahuwa and Gangadoni under army generals including Subha and Sankha. Because of

481-594: The Sinhalese people. The Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa identify the prince as Vijaya, and the other two legends have different names for the prince. According to the Mahāvaṃsa , the king of Vanga (the historical Bengal region) married a princess named Mayavati of neighbouring Kalinga (present-day Odisha ). The couple had a daughter, Suppadevi, who was prophesied to mate with the king of beasts. As an adult, Princess Suppadevi left Vanga to seek an independent life. She joined

518-615: The Yakkha city of Lankapura. She asked her children to remain behind as she entered the city, where other Yakkhas saw her as a traitor; suspected of spying, she was killed by a Yakkha. On the advice of her maternal uncle, the children fled to Sumanakuta (identified with Adam's Peak ). In the Malaya region of Lanka, they married and began the Pulinda race (identified with the Vedda people, not to be confused with

555-462: The attack, but encountered Sinha again. Sinha was attracted to her and she caressed him, mindful of the prophecy. He kept Suppadevi in captivity in a cave, and they had two children: a son named Sinhabahu (or Sihabahu, "lion-armed") and a daughter named Sinhasivali (or Sihasivali). When the children grew up, Sinhabahu asked his mother why she and Sinha looked so different. After she told him about her royal ancestry, he decided to go to Vanga. While Sinha

592-490: The capital, the king of Vanga was dead. Sinhabahu was crowned the new king, but later passed the kingship to his mother's husband (the general). Returning to his birthplace in Lala, he founded the city of Sinhapura (or Sihapura). Sinhabahu married his sister, Sinhasivali, and they had 32 sons (16 pairs of twins). Vijaya Singha ("the greatly victorious") was their eldest son, followed by his twin Sumitta. The location of Sinhapura

629-856: The civil war. The war killed an estimated 100,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as one million, emigrated to the West during the war. Many Sri Lankan Tamils also moved to the relative safety of the capital Colombo . Most of the Sri Lankan Moors and Sinhalese who lived in the district fled to other parts of Sri Lanka or were forcibly expelled by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. There are 92,986 Hindus in Kilinochchi District.Also 18,499 Christians , 1275 Buddhists , 700 Muslims and 50 Other Religious people in Kilinochchi District In 2016

666-595: The district was the poorest in Sri Lanka and had the highest incidence of extreme poverty according to the World Bank . Religion in Kilinochchi District (2011) Kilinochchi District has three local authorities all of which are Divisional Councils (Pradesha Sabhai or Pradeshiya Sabha). Rajarata Rajarata ( Sinhala : රජරට , romanized:  rajaraṭa ( IPA: [rad͡ʒəraʈə] ); Tamil : ரஜரட , romanized:  rajaraṭa ; meaning "King's country")

703-591: The forest. Tanks built during the Anuradhapura era (Giant's, Padaviya, Minneriya, Kantale, Mahavillachchiya, Thabbowa, Kala) are proof of the early settlements in Rajarata area. Initial settlements based near rivers: Boundaries of the three divisions (Rata): In 1215, Kalinga Magha invaded Rajarata with an army of 24,000 soldiers . After the conquest of Rajarata, Magha established his capital in Pollonnaruwa. Then

740-569: The form of a dog. One of the followers thought that a dog indicated habitation, and followed her. After some time, he saw a Yakkhini named Kuveni (or Kuvanna) who was spinning thread . Kuveni tried to devour him, but Vijaya's magical thread protected him. Unable to kill him, Kuveni hurled the follower into a chasm ; she then did the same thing to all 700 followers. Vijaya went to Kuveni's place, looking for his men; he overpowered her, and forced her to free them. Kuveni asked Vijaya to spare her life, swearing loyalty to him. She brought food and goods from

777-403: The guardianship of Lanka to the lotus-coloured god ( Upulvan ), who came to Lanka in the guise of an ascetic to protect Vijaya. Wilhelm Geiger identifies the lotus-coloured god as Vishnu ; uppala is the blue lotus . Senarath Paranavithana identifies him with Varuna . Vijaya tied a protective ( paritta ) thread on the hands of his followers. Later, a Yakkhini appeared before them in

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814-408: The island, Vijaya and his settlers defeated a yaksha near "Thammena" ( Tambapaṇṇī ) displacing the inhabitants. Eventually Vijaya's married Kuveni , a daughter of a yaksha leader legitimizing Vijaya’s rule over the region. Four versions of the legend explain the origin of the Sinhalese people. In all the versions, a prince comes to the island of Lanka and establishes a community which gives rise to

851-678: The island. Administrative centres in Rajarata: Prince Vijaya and his clan settled in Tambapanni, near the Malvatu Oya delta. According to Mahavamsa , various groups came from India in the period between Prince Vijaya and King Pandukabhaya's reign, frequently settling along the Malvathu Oya. In 377 BCE, King Pandukabhaya moved the administrative centre to Anuradhapura . Most of the settlements were located near rivers and reservoirs. Water

888-493: The king's brothers "Mapa" and "Epa" . The Magha invasion in the 13th century brought about the end of the Rajarata kingdom. The first kingdom in Rajarata was established by Prince Vijaya in 543 BCE. He settled near the delta of the Malvathu River between Chilaw and Mannar . According o a local myth, Prince Vijaya married a local princess, Kuveni , to gain control of Rajarata. With her help, he betrayed and killed all of

925-513: The new ruler. In Sri Lanka, the legend of Vijaya is political rhetoric used to explain the origin and genetics of the Sinhalese; it is often treated as an account of historical events. Sinhalese scholars such as K. M. de Silva have used the legend to confirm the Indo-Aryan origin of the Sinhalese, distinguishing them from the Dravidians ; Tamil authors such as Satchi Ponnambalam have dismissed

962-458: The regional leaders. After his death, the administrative center was moved to the countryside along the Malvathu Oya. The river was ideal for agriculture. The first three administrative centres Tambapanni, Upatissa Nuwara, and Anuradhapura, were situated close to the Malvathu Oya. King Pandukabhaya , once a prince descended from local Yaksha and Sinha tribes, formed a stable kingdom in Anuradhapura. He garnered support from tribes in different areas of

999-595: The rising threat, Pandyan troops established an administration centre in Jaffna Peninsula which was more secure and isolated by the impenetrable Vanni forest. Later Rajarata was annexed by king Parakramabahu II(1236–70). His power extended over Rohana, the central hills, Rajarata and the Vanni. The Sinhalese tried to re-establish the administrative centre in Rajarata but this never happened because of constant battles with invaders from south India. The administration centre

1036-518: The ships of the traders she had devoured for Vijaya and his followers, and Vijaya took her as his consort. Vijaya woke up to the sounds of music and singing. Kuveni told him that the island was home to Yakkhas, who would kill her for sheltering Vijaya's men, and the sound was from wedding festivities in the Yakkha city of Sirisavatthu. With Kuveni's help, Vijaya defeated the Yakkhas. Vijaya and Kuveni had two children: Jivahatta and Disala. Vijaya established

1073-630: Was colonised in 1936 by residents from Jaffna Peninsula as part of a scheme that sought to ease overpopulation and unemployment. At the time that Ceylon gained independence , Jaffna was one of the three districts located in the Northern Province. Parts of Jaffna District were transferred to newly created Mullaitivu District in September 1978. Kilinochchi District was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna District in February 1984. Kilinochchi District

1110-628: Was in Gujarat) identify present-day Sopara as the location of Supparaka. Those who think that Sinhapura was in the Vanga-Kalinga region identify it with locations off the east coast of India; S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar speculates that Supparaka might have been Sumatra . According to the Mahavamsa , Gautama Buddha asked the lord of gods (identified as Indra ) before he attained Nirvana to protect Vijaya in Lanka so Buddhism could flourish there. Indra gave

1147-412: Was made the prince regent by his father, but he and his band of followers became notorious for their violent deeds. After their repeated complaints failed to stop him, prominent citizens demanded that Vijaya be put to death. King Sinhabahu then expelled Vijaya and his 700 followers from the kingdom. The men's heads were half-shaved, and they were put on a ship that set out to sea. The wives and children of

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1184-596: Was moved away from Rajarata by the Sinhalese. The defeat of Pandyan in South India in the rising Mogul empires weakened the Tamil power in Sri Lanka. The last Pandyan ruler of Madurai, was defeated and expelled in 1323 by Malik Kafur , the army general of the Muslim empire Delhi Sultanate . The falling of Pandyan was a historical event that had a big impact for Sri Lanka. It leads to following events: Also, ancient Rajarata (before

1221-490: Was one of three historical regions of the island of Sri Lanka for about 1,700 years from the 6th century BCE to the early 13th century CE. Several ancient cities, including Tambapanni, Upatissa Nuwara, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, were established as capitals within the area by successive rulers. Rajarata was under the direct administration of the King (raja/king, rata/country). Two other areas, Mayarata and Ruhunurata, were ruled by

1258-475: Was out, Sinhabahu escaped from the cave with Suppadevi and Sinhasivali. They reached a village, where they met a general of the Vanga Kingdom. The general was a cousin of Suppadevi, and later married her. Sinha began ravaging villages to find his missing family. The king of Vanga announced a reward to anyone who could kill Sinha, and Sinhabahu killed his father to claim the reward. By the time Sinhabahu returned to

1295-475: Was then part of Jaffna District, was part of the Tamil administration. In 1833, in accordance with the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission , the ethnic based administrative structures were unified into a single administration divided into five geographic provinces. Jaffna District, together with Mannar District and Vanni District, formed the new Northern Province . The district

1332-495: Was under the control of rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for many years during the civil war . The district was recaptured by the Sri Lankan military in late 2008/early 2009. Kilinochchi District is located in the north of Sri Lanka in the Northern Province. It has an area of 1,279 square kilometres (494 sq mi). Kilinochchi District is divided into 4 Divisional Secretary's Division (DS Divisions), each headed by

1369-695: Was used for agricultural purposes. According to the Yodha wewa area in Mannar District by King Dhatusena, Eropathana in Vavuniya District , Padawiya area in Anuradhapura District and Mullaitivu District by King Moggallana II the extent of Sri Lanka's golden civilization spread to the southern boundary of the Vanni forest . The thick Vanni forest acted as a barrier to colonizers above the southern border of

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