Moratuwa

Moratuwa is a large suburb of Colombo city, on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, near Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. It is situated on the Galle–Colombo (Galle road) main highway, 18 km south of Colombo city centre. Moratuwa is surrounded on three sides by water, except in the north of the city, by the Indian Ocean on the west, the Bolgoda lake on the east and the Moratu river on the south. According to the 2001 census, the suburb had a population of 177,190.

Moratuwa is also the birthplace of Veera Puran Appu, a hero who rose against oppression by the British in Kandy and the legendary philanthropist Sir Charles Henry de Soysa.

Suburb structure

Moratuwa consists of 23 main areas: Angulana, Borupana, Dahampura, Egoda Uyana, Idama, Indibedda, Kadalana, Kaduwamulla, Kaldemulla, Katubedda, Katukurunda, Koralawella, Lakshapathiya, Lunawa, Molpe, Moratumulla, Puwakaramba, Rawathawatta, Soysapura, Thelawala, Uswatta, Uyana and Willorawatta.

History

Both Moratuwa and Lakshapathiya are mentioned in the 15th century poem Kokila Sandesha, written by a monk poet of Devundara to celebrate Prince Sapumal during the reign of king Parakramabahu VI. Lunawa, Uyana and Rawathawatte are mentioned in 16th century chronicles and church records of martyrs, the latter commemorates Revatha Thera, the chief incumbent of a temple built by king Vijayabahu I. Lakshapathiya, meaning commanding a hundred-thousand, was once the land awarded to Lak Vijaya Singu, a Commander of king Nissanka Malla. Subsequent to the Wijayaba Kollaya and the division of the Kotte Kingdom, the hamlet of Korala-Wella was created as part of Raigam Korale. It was reunited with Moratuwa in 1735, however losing Ratmalana and parts of Borupane to Dehiwala. The name Moratuwa is derived from "Mura Atuwa" meaning sentry turret in Sinhalese which once existed at Kaldamulla.