Ancient Names of Sri Lanka
- (1)LANKA-. This is one of the most ancient names used for Sri Lanka, and can be seen in the Ramayana, in which the island was simply referred to as “Lanka”.
- (2)LANKADEEPA,LAKDIVA,LAKBIMA-. ...
- (3)TAMBAPANNI-. ...
- (4)SIHALADEEPA-. ...
- (5)Parasamudra-. ...
- (6)Palaesimoundu-. ...
- (7)Simoundu-. ...
- (8)Taprobane-. ...
- (9)Sielediba-. ...
- (10)Salike or Sileke-. ...
What was Sri Lanka's name before they changed it?
The British modified the Portuguese colonial name, Ceilão, to Ceylon when they arrived, in the early 19th century. On becoming a republic, in 1972, the teardrop-shaped island became Sri Lanka, meaning "resplendent land".
Is Sri Lanka the oldest democracy in the east?
Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in the South East and it has a very long history in comparison to countries in other parts of the world. Our excavations substantiated it beyond doubt. The human fossils discovered at Phahiyangala cave in the Kalutara district is 37,000 years old. At Batadomba Lena, Ratnapura, 28,000 years.
Are Sri Lankans considered Indians?
Sri Lankans are not Indians or were not originated by india. We have a great but yet to be found history which the Current/Before corrupted Governments won’t allow us to discover due to threats they get from the ‘world leading countries’ Sri Lankan is a national identity rather than an ethnic identity.
Did Sri Lankans originate from Tamils?
Sri Lankan Tamils (also called Ceylon Tamils) are descendants of the Tamils of the old Jaffna Kingdom and east coast chieftaincies called Vannimais. The Indian Tamils (or Hill Country Tamils) are descendants of bonded labourers sent from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka in the 19th century to work on tea plantations.
What is the old name of Sri Lanka?
CeylonSri Lanka's government has decided to change the names of all state institutions still bearing the nation's former British colonial name, Ceylon. The government wants the country's modern name to be used instead. The decision comes 39 years after the country was renamed Sri Lanka.
What is the nickname of Sri Lanka?
This is reflected in the many nicknames Sri Lanka has acquired over the centuries: Serendib, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Indian Ocean; just to name a few. Sri Lanka is a green, fertile tropical island with palm-fringed beaches, misty mountains and significant archaeology.
How Lanka got its name?
Lanka was taken from the ancient name of the island, and joined with Sri, meaning “resplendent”. So, Sri Lanka means Resplendent Island.
When did Sri Lanka change name?
1972The Republic of Sri Lanka. In a new constitution proclaimed in 1972, Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka, while maintaining its link with the British Commonwealth.
What's Sri Lanka famous for?
Sri Lanka is famous for its rich biodiversity, large cinnamon and tea exportation, and stunning natural wonders! It's also known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean and has diverse cultural and religious elements across the nation.
How old is Sri Lanka?
125,000 yearsSri Lanka's documented history goes back 3,000 years, with evidence of prehistoric human settlements that dates back at least 125,000 years. The earliest known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, known collectively as the Pāli canon, date to the fourth Buddhist council, which took place in 29 BCE.
What was Sri Lanka called before 1972?
Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972.
How many names did Sri Lanka have?
Late Antiquity. As mentioned above, Ptolemy has three names for the island of Sri Lanka, one of them being “Salike”, which seems to be from the name “Salai”. It's highly likely that this Greek name is also derived from the Prakrit term “Sihala” for Sanskrit “Sinhala”.
Are Sri Lankans Indian?
The fact of the matter is that India and Sri Lanka are two different countries. They are characterized by different languages, traditions, foods, peoples and cultures. Besides the obvious geographic differences, India and Sri Lanka are distinguished by their differing populations.
What country did Sri Lanka used to be?
CeylonSri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, island country lying in the Indian Ocean and separated from peninsular India by the Palk Strait.
Where is actual Lanka?
Modern Sri Lanka—formerly known as Ceylon—is located close to the south-eastern end of the contemporary Indian subcontinent in the Indian Ocean; the shortest distance between the two is just 55 Kms.
Was Sri Lanka part of India?
No, Srilanka never a part of Indian Sub-continent. For the last 3000 years Srilanka maintains its own culture and traditions.
Why is Sri Lanka called the Wonder of Asia?
Sri Lanka, historically known as “Ceylon”, is called the pearl of the Indian Ocean by everyone who visits and for good reason. It truly is a paradise island boasting seven world heritage sites, miles of golden sandy beaches, wildlife and game parks, and mountainous tea plantations.
How many names did Sri Lanka have?
Late Antiquity. As mentioned above, Ptolemy has three names for the island of Sri Lanka, one of them being “Salike”, which seems to be from the name “Salai”. It's highly likely that this Greek name is also derived from the Prakrit term “Sihala” for Sanskrit “Sinhala”.
Why is Sri Lanka called Teardrop of India?
Sri Lanka is known as 'The Pearl of the Indian Ocean' due its outstanding natural beauty. It has also been called 'the Teardrop of India' because of its shape and location. Sri Lanka is an island country located in the Indian Ocean near to the southern coast of India.
What is Sri Lanka called?
The Europeans referred to Sri Lanka as “Zeylan” or “Seylan”, which is derived from the Arabic word “Saheelan”.
How long has Sri Lanka been known?
Sri Lanka had been known by several different names during it’s long history of over 2,500 years. Some of the common names by which Sri Lanka had been known in the past and are found in recorded history are listed below in chronological order.
What is the island called that is derived from Sinhala?
The 10th Century Arab historian Al-Biruni or Abu Rihaan Muhammad called the Island “Singaldip”-also derived from Sinhala and dipa.
What does "Lakbima" mean in Sinhala?
Diwa or Deepa means island. Thus “Lakdiva also means “Island of Lanka”. Bima in Sinhala means Land. Thus “Lakbima” means “The land of Lanka”.
What is the name of the island in the Ramayana?
This is one of the most ancient names used for Sri Lanka, and can be seen in the Ramayana, in which the island was simply referred to as “Lanka”.
Why was Prince Vijaya called Sihala?
Prince Vijaya and his followers were known as the Sihala, because of Vijaya’s supposed lion ancestry according to the Mahawamsa, the ancient chronicle of Sri Lanka’s history.
When did Sri Lanka become a country?
At the time Sri Lanka was granted independence in 1948 by the British, the country was still known as Ceylon. This name was maintained until the year 1972,when the country became a full fledged Republic, and the name was officially changed to Sri Lanka-“The Resplendent Land”.
Who was the Dutch ruler of Sri Lanka?
Zeylan or Seylan, under Dutch rule (1640–1796). They succeeded over the Portuguese Empire in Sri Lanka and also the Sitawaka Kingdom.
What is the island of Lanka?
Lanka, the name of the island ruled by Ravana in Hindu epic Ramayana. The etymology is uncertain, however it is thought that the word has Austro-Asiatic origin. Lanka means “island” in many languages of tribals in India, and it is thought that the name was bestowed on the island by the aboriginals of Sri Lanka, the Veddas. Other derivates of the name include the Sinhalese names Lankadipa, Lakbima and also the Tamil name Ilankai. Sri Lanka, the official name stems also from this term with the additional “Sri” which means holy in sanskrit. The island has also been referred as Ratnadeep (Sanskrit “Gem island”).
What is the name of the country that is known as Sinhale?
Sinhale is a name that used many years ago before named as Sri Lanka. In English term of that name is called as Ceylon. Still some unique companies and Authorities are used that name Ceylon. As an example Ceylon Tea.
What was the name of the country that was founded in 1935?
The name was used by the Marxist Lanka Sama Samaja Party, which was founded in 1935.
Where did the name Taprobana come from?
Taprobana, was an ancient name for Sri Lanka that was also bestowed on by the Greeks. The word is probably derived from Tambapanni, which is thought to be the name bestowed on the island by the mythical king Vijaya, which means “copper-colored”. Other scholars suggest that the word Tambapanni is again derived from Tamaraparani, the name of a river that flows in Tamil Nadu.
Where did Sihala get its name?
The name is first mentioned in an inscription in Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh. The name is also mentioned in the 4th century AD Pali chronicle Dipa vamsa. The name is thought to earn it name from the mythical landing of the Prince Vijaya, who was according to the legend the grandson of a lion. The name is translated as “lion blood”. Other derivates of the word is Sinhala, Simhala, Sinhaladipa.
Which dynasty was established by the Pandyans?
Aryacakravarti dynasty: One of the major dynasties of Sri Lanka, Aryacakravarti dynasty, was set up by the Pandyans when they captured and established a kingdom, known as Jaffna kingdom. This dynasty went on to rule the kingdom for centuries to come and is recorded as one of the major dynasties in that era.
Overview
Toponymy
History
- the Ancient Greek geographers called Sri Lanka named it Taprobane. The Persians and Arabs referred to it as Sarandib. The Portuguese empire named Sri Lanka Ceilao when they arrived on the island in the sixteenth century. The name was later translated in the English language to Ceylon. The country achieved its independence as the Dominion of Ceylon....
Geography
Government and politics
In antiquity, Sri Lanka was known to travellers by a variety of names. According to the Mahāvaṃsa, the legendary Prince Vijaya named the island Tambapaṇṇĩ ("copper-red hands" or "copper-red earth"), because his followers' hands were reddened by the red soil of the area where he landed. In Hindu mythology, the term Lankā ("Island") appears but it's unknown whether it refers to the modern day state. But scholars generally agree that it must have been Sri Lanka because it is s…
Administrative divisions
The pre-history of Sri Lanka goes back 125,000 years and possibly even as far back as 500,000 years. The era spans the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and early Iron Ages. Among the Paleolithic human settlements discovered in Sri Lanka, Pahiyangala (37,000 BP), named after the Chinese traveller monk Faxian; Batadombalena (28,500 BP); and Belilena (12,000 BP) are the most important. In these caves, archaeologists have found the remains of anatomically modern humans which they h…
Foreign relations
Sri Lanka is a pear-shaped Island nation in South Asia, lying on the Indian Plate, a major tectonic plate that was formerly part of the Indo-Australian Plate. It is in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal, between latitudes 5° and 10° N, and longitudes 79° and 82° E. Sri Lanka is separated from the mainland portion of the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait. According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge existed between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka. …
Military
Sri Lanka is a democratic republic and a unitary state which is governed by a semi-presidential system, with a mixture of a presidential system and a parliamentary system. Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia. Most provisions of the constitution can be amended by a two-thirds majority in parliament. The amendment of certain basic features such as the clauses on language, religion, and reference to Sri Lanka as a unitary state require both a two-thirds majority and approval in …