14 Facts About Jaffna

Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

Jaffna is known in Tamil as Yalpanam and earlier known as Yalpanapattinam.

Iron Age urn burials including other Tamil-Brahmi inscribed potsherds found in Kandarodai, Poonakari and Anaikoddai in the Jaffna region, reflects the burial practices of older times.

Jaffna and surrounding region was part of the chiefdom of Naga Nadu mentioned in the 5th century CE Tamil epic Manimekalai and the Pali chronicle Mahavamsa as inhabited by tribal Naga people, surmised as one of the earliest tribes of Sri Lanka.

Under British rule, Jaffna enjoyed a period of rapid growth and prosperity, as the British built the major roads and railway line connecting the city with Colombo, Kandy and the rest of the country.

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The economic embargo of the rebel controlled territories in general had a negative impact in Jaffna including lack of power, critical medicines and food.

Jaffna peninsula is made of limestone as it was submerged under sea during the Miocene period.

Historically residents of Jaffna city were Tamils, Moors, Europeans and Eurasian Burghers.

Jaffna city was founded as a trading town by European merchants.

Jaffna city has number of education institutions founded by the missionary efforts and Saivite revivalism during the British colonial period.

Peter Percival a Wesleyan Missionary started several schools in Jaffna city including Jaffna Central College and Vembadi Girls' High School.

Jaffna was the seen the publication of journals committed to the growth of modernistic and socially purposive literature such as Bharati and Marumalarchi in 1946.

Since the 2000s Jaffna is served by newspapers such as Uthayan, Yarl Thinakkural and Valampurii.

Almost all Hindu temples in Jaffna including the socially important Nallur Kandaswamy temple were reconstructed during the Dutch and British period.