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Breif History of Sri Lanka
Although Sri Lanka is a small country it boasts of a chronicled history spanning more than two and a half millennia.
The earliest know civilization were the indigenous people, where different tribes like the "Nagas" and the "Yakkas" ruled the land. Then in 543 BC saw the arrival of Prince Vijaya, and outcast from northern India who was set adrift in the seas with 700 hundred of his men. By chance their ship washed ashore on the North Western coast of "Thambapani", present day Mannar, and they went on to build their new home. According to legend the grandfather of Vijaya was a Lion -"Sinha" - hence his tribe was know as "sinhala" the Sinhalese of today. This is considered as the beginning of the Sinhalese people.
The next most important event in Sri Lankan history that has had an evelasting impact in shaping the lives of its people even today, is the arrival of Buddhism In 307 BC the great Emperor Asoka of India sent missions through out Asia to spread the teachings of the Buddha. As a result his son Mahinda Thero arrived in Sri Lanka and preached Buddhism to the then ruler of the country King Devanampiyatissa. The king was so enthralled by the word of the Lord Buddha that he and his ministers all converted to Buddhism and from that day onwards it has been the state religion of Sri Lanka.
For nearly two millennia after Prince Vijaya's arrival in 543 BC, the island thrived as a sovereign monarchy ruled by a succession of kings. The main goal of these kings was to develop the agrarian economy to sustain the people. To accomplish these goals they built huge tanks to collect rain water and complex irrigation system to ensure the steady supply of water to maintain year round cultivation of crops. Some of these developments are to this day hailed as marvels of engineering feats of the people of that day. The other most important thing on their agendas was the development of Buddhism in the country. It was an integral part of life for the people of that day. The tooth relic of the Buddha was considered as a sign of sovereignty and whoever held it was considered the ruler of the country. The king was looked upon as the guardian of the relic and of Buddhism. They built temples, chaitiyas and other religious monuments in honor of the Buddha. Most of these are still standing to this day and are revered by the faithful.
Sadly this independent rule came to an end in 1505, which saw the beginning of 443 years of foreign occupation by western colonial powers. Because of its location Sri Lanka was considered as having a key position on the east-west shipping routes. This made it a likely target for the colonialist. First to arrive was the Portuguese who occupied the coastal regions from 1505 to 1656. Then cam the Dutch in 1656 and occupied the land till the British overthrew them in 1796. The British conquered the whole island in 1815 and it remained a British colony until independence in 1948. More than four centuries of foreign occupation has left a lasting impact on the economy, culture, the social structure and the lives of the people of this country.
Places of Historical Interest
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