Gampaha
| Gampaha ගම්පහ கம்பகா |
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 Gampaha
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| Coordinates: 7°05′30″N 79°59′59″E / 7.09167°N 79.99972°E | |
| Country |  Sri Lanka |
| District | Gampaha District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Eranga Senanyake |
| Area | |
| • Total | 96.0 km2 (37.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2001[1]) | |
| • Total | 171,040 (town) |
| • Density | 1,782/km2 (4,615.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
| • Summer (DST) | Summer time (UTC+6) |
| Postal code | 11xxx |
| Area code(s) | 033 |
Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka and is the capital of the Gampaha District in Western Province, north of Colombo. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River.
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[edit] Namesake
The name "Gampaha" in Sinhala (ගම්පහ ) literally means “Five Villages”. The five villages are known to be Ihalagama, Pahalagama, Medagama, Pattiyagama and Aluthgama. However, at present village Pattiyagama cannot be identified within the city limits of Gampaha and remains disputed. Elders believe Pattiyagama is the area surrounding “Ananda Mawatha” today. Another theory suggests the last village name is not Pattiyagama, but Oruthota. Oruthota road connects the heart of Gampaha to Colombo-Kandy road near Belummahara junction, and was recently widened and developed under Gampaha city development plan. Gampaha was also known to be called Henarathgoda in the past.
[edit] Location
Gampaha town is located in the center of Gampaha District. Gampaha town is about 4 km from Miriswatta on Colombo-Kandy road. Gampaha is surrounded by Yakkala, Miriswatta, Weliweriya Udugampola and Ja-Ela towns.
[edit] Historical turning points of the town
“The temporal and spiritual conquest of Ceylon” written about Portuguese invading the country in year 1505 AD, which was written by a Portuguese writer Fernao de Queyroz has mentioned Gampaha in his book. After overpowering Portuguese, Dutch rulers captured the power of most of the island nation and archaic Dutch documents reveal that they cultivated pepper in Gampaha area. There are historic accounts of a person named “Baron” who was attacked and killed by a Tiger in the jungles of Gampaha, at that time.
Before year 1815, Gampaha was a dense forest. The 5th governor of Ceylon, Sir Edward Barnes made a visit to Gampaha in 1825, on the way to observe the construction work of Colombo-Kandy road. The British colonists built Henarathgoda railway station in 1864 which act as a key factor for the progress and recognition of the town. In year 1867, the first rubber tree of Sri Lanka was planted in Henarathgoda botanical garden, near Gampaha.
At the time of sir Edward barns, the current Gampaha town location was a jungle which had only narrow foot paths through it. Bullock carts with lanterns transported coffee from Kandy to Colombo, and “Miriswaththa” (Chili garden) was the location chosen by them to respite. When British built the “Moragoda” catholic church in 1828, Gampaha and surrounding areas became inhabitant slowly.
The structured Gampaha town plan was first introduced in 1920 by the Government Agent J.P Pressers. The plan incorporated 52 roads including the main street, a water tank, a public market, a hospital and an electrical generator. Most of these are still present in their original sites with various improvements over time. Lady Ridgeway Mary (Wife of Sir Joseph West Ridgeway - Governor of Ceylon - 1896 to 1903[2] ) made decorative touches to the town with plants and trees making the town a scenic place. As an honor for her name, the road running from downtown to the hospital junction was later named “Queen Mary’s” road.
The work of reputable Ayurvedic physician Pandit G. P. Wickramarchchi and the well known Bandaranayake political family were other important reasons for the wide popularity of the town all over Sri Lanka.
[edit] Local Governments and Government Administration
Gampaha was a village council until year 1945. On 1 January that year, the town qualified to become an urban council. The first urban council had 5 members. P.P Jayawardane was the first chairman of the urban council. Total number of workforce in the urban council was 197 persons.
In 1979, Constitutional reforms declared Gampaha as a new administrative district, which was formerly recognized as a part of the Colombo District. The new district status lead the town to a rapid development, establishing new government institutes, schools, businesses and other buildings in the town and suburbs. Gampaha District is a major share of the most developed region of the country – The Western Province. Gampaha district is a collection of 13 electorate divisions including "Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha" (Divisional council) electorate.
Presently, assorted central government administration activities are carried out by the District Secretariat situated on Colombo-road, under the control of the District Secretary. Divisional Secretary and the Divisional Secretariat to be found on "Ananda Mawatha", passes on these services to Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha administrative zone. Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabha administrative zone is a grouping of 101 "Grama Niladari" (Village officer) divisions which are inspected by the Divisional Secretary.
On 16 April 2002, Gampaha urban council was offered the Municipal council status.
[edit] Botanical Garden
Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens where the first rubber tree planted in Sri Lanka is still present located close to Gampaha Town.
[edit] Ayurveda
Gampaha is renowned for the Ayurveda and indigenous medicine practice by late "Ayurveda Chakravarthi" Pundit Gabriel Perera Wickramarachchi. Ayurveda is rather a natural approach looking for the cures of human infirmities and the remedy is mostly native to the Indian subcontinent. Pundit Wickramarachchi was an outstanding Ayurveda scholar and his work has been widely accredited as an ultimate service to safeguard the wisdom of Ayurveda, in an era of advancing western medicine popularity. Pundit Wickramarachchi was the first to be awarded the title of “Ayurveda Chakravarthi Raja Vaidya” by the government of Sri Lanka, which is the highest honor given to an Ayurveda physician.
Pundit Wickramarachchi found the first Ayurveda College of the country - "Sri Lanka Siddhayurveda Vidyalaya"[3][4] in 1929 closer to Yakkala. "Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Vidyalaya (Incorporation) Act No. 30 of 1982" established the college as a national institute for Ayurveda education. From 1 March 1995 the institute was recognized as "Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute" and was affiliated to the main university stream of the country Under University of Kelaniya. The institute offers "Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery" (BAMS) diploma and the practitioners are distinguished around the country as "Gampaha Ayurvedic Physicians". Rules for the regulation of the professional conduct of Ayurvedic physicians have been approved by the Minister of Health and gazetted in June 1971.
[edit] Development
Gampaha is the second most developed district in Sri Lanka and there are programmes to make it the best place to live in the country. In the recent years Gampaha has faced rapid development, many new shopping complexes, roads, bridges and flyovers have been constructed. Private institutions carry out many development programmes in the area.
[edit] Transport
Gampaha is the 15th railway station from the Colombo fort on Colombo-Polgahawela main railway line.
The first railway in British Ceylon started construction work on 3 August 1853, backed by the governor Henry George Ward, and the planned railway line went across Henarathgoda. It took around 11 years to complete the project, with felling of trees in the jungle were necessary to make way for the rail track. The British built the Henarathgoda railway station that can be seen alongside Gampaha railway station today; it is now an archeologically protected monument.
On 27 December 1864, the first train started its journey on the new rail track. Reportedly, when the first steam locomotive arrived at Henerathgoda station, local villagers gazed with astonishment and horror.
[edit] Postal service
Postal code of Gampaha is 11000 [5].
[edit] Education
[edit] Bandaranayake College
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Bandaranayake College was founded in January 1918. It is considered to be a leading School in Gampaha. It is a National School, meaning that it is controlled by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council and provides only the secondary education.
Bandaranayaka College is a boys' secondary school in Gampaha district Sri Lanka. This is the foremost college in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka.
Bandaranayake College won the Best College In Sri Lanka Award in 2006.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Sri Lanka
- ^ "Siddhayurveda College AKA The Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute". http://www.kln.ac.lk/institutes/wickramarachchi/introduction.htm.
- ^ "Siddhayurveda Rasayanushada Samagama". http://www.siddhayurveda.lk/.
- ^ http://www.lankalinksystems.com/directory/newsinfo/slpostcode1.htm
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 07°05′30″N 79°59′39″E / 7.09167°N 79.99417°E
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