Aparekka Explained

Official Name:Aparekka
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Aparekka in Sri Lanka
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Sri Lanka
Subdivision Name1:Southern
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Matara District
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:1.755
Population As Of:2000
Population Total:1,036
Timezone:Sri Lanka Standard Time
Utc Offset:+5:30
Coordinates:5.9926°N 80.6156°W
Elevation M:25
Postal Code Type:Post code
Postal Code:81032

Aparekka is a village in Matara District in Southern Province of Sri Lanka.

The 2011 Sri Lankan census lists the following Grama Niladhari divisions within the Devinuwara Divisional Secretariat:[1]

History

An Attani-type pillar inscription belonging to the 10th century A.D. was discovered near the Sepalikarama Viharaya at Uda Aparekka.[2] It records a grant made to a procession by a king-styled Abasalamevan Mapurmaka. A document belonging to the reign of King Bhuvanaikabahu VI mentions the name Aparekka as a village endowed by the king to a Buddhist monk named Anuruddha Sami. Also, Aparekka is mentioned as Averaca in a letter shared between King Rajasinha II and the Dutch.[3]

Aparekka appears in the 1911 Ceylon Census as Uda (Upper) Aparekka, population of 1,059 in 1901 and 1,194 in 1911 and Palle (Lower) Aparekka, population of 2,109 in 1901 and 2,332 in 1911.[4] The Ceylon Blue Book of 1920 lists separate vernacular schools for boy and girls.[5] In 1935 geologist J.S. Coats discovered hexagonal corundum crystals associated with feldspar and biotite in the area.[6]

Etymology

Although the reliability is low, some believe that the name Aparekka came into usage during the time of King Dutugemunu.[7]

Transport

Aparekka is located on the Meddewatte - Kekanadure - Yatiyana Road (B284). It is immediately to the south of the Aparekka interchange.

Education

The following three schools are listed for Aparekka in the Devinuwara education division in 2020:[8]

Nearby, Kokawala Central College is listed under Kokawala, Kekanadura.[9] President Sirisena attended its centenary celebrations held on 11 March 2019.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sri Lanka Census of Population and Housing, 2011: Population by GN division and sex 2012 . 31 December 2023 . Linked from statistics.gov.lk/Population/StaticalInformation/CPH2011#gsc.tab=0 . Sri Lanka Department of Census and Statistics . 132.
  2. Web site: 20 November 2023 . Uda Aparekka Sepalikaramaya . 2024-02-17 . www.lankapradeepa.com . English.
  3. Correspondence between Raja Sinha II and the Dutch . 1904 . Ferguson . D . 166-276 . 17 February 2024 . The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 18, No. 55.
  4. Book: Census of Ceylon, 1911 - Town and village statistics . Ceylon. Dept. of Census and Statistics . 1912 . Denham . E. B. . Colombo . 148–149 . 5 December 2023 . Internet Archive.
  5. Book: The Ceylon Blue Book for 1920 . 1921 . L10, L11 . en . Ceylon .
  6. Book: Keller, P. C. . Gemstones and their Origins . 2012-12-06 . Springer Science & Business Media . 978-1-4684-6674-4 . en.
  7. Book: Vanarathana, K. . 1994 . Thihagoda Sri Rohana Sanga Sabha Mulasthanaya . 955-9325-00-0 . si. 161-163.
  8. Web site: 2020 . List of Provincial Schools in Southern Province 2020 . 30 December 2023 . Ministry of Education . Entry nos. 477, 478, 479 . y.
  9. Web site: 2020 . List of Provincial Schools in Southern Province 2020 . 9 January 2024 . Ministry of Education . Entry no. 545 . y.
  10. Web site: Jayasekera . Sandun A . 13 March 2019 . disciplining children Role played by teachers has changed: President . 2024-01-09 . www.dailymirror.lk . English.