Eheliyagoda

Eheliyagoda

Eheliyagoda

Town in Sabaragamuwa, Sri Lanka

Eheliyagoda is a town in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. It is located approximately 72 km (45 mi) east of Colombo.

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The town is the centre of traditional gemstone mining[1][2] and rubber plantations.[3] Ekanite, a rare radioactive gemstone, was first discovered in Eheliyagoda in 1953 by F. L. D. Ekanayake.[4][5]

In 2018 Eheliyagoda was identified as a priority town, to be developed under the Small and Medium Town Development Programme being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. Proposed improvements under the programme include a public fair and play grounds.[6]

Transport

Eheliyagoda was one of the railway stations on the Kelani Valley line, when the narrow gauge railway line between Avissawella to Opanayake via Ratnapura was opened in 1919.[7] It was closed in 1976 when the branch line between Avissawella and Opanayake was shut down.[citation needed]

The town straddles the A4 (Colombo-Batticaloa) Highway.

Educational

The main schools in Eheliyagoda are:

  • Eheliyagoda National College (Est. 1904)[8]
  • Eheliyagoda Dharmapala National College(Est. 1926)

Religion

The main temples in the town are:

  • Pushparama Purana Viharaya
  • Madarasinharama Temple
  • Mahara Purana Viharaya
  • Sri Nagarukkarama Maha Viharaya
  • Ambanoluwa Rajamaha Viharaya

References

  1. [1]
    "Gemstone Mining Areas". National Gem and Jewellery Authority (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. [2]
    The Geology of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). National Museumes of Sri lanka. 1984. p. 243.
  3. [3]
    Dissanayake, D. M. A. P.; Gunaratne, P. K. K. S.; Wijesuriya, W. (2016). "Sri Lanka Journal of Food and Agriculture". Evaluation of Farmer Awareness on Rubber Cultivation and Production Technologies in Major Rubber-growing Areas of Sri Lanka. ISSN 2424-6913.
  4. [4]
    O’Donoghue, Michael (2012). Gemstones. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 191. ISBN 9789400911918.
  5. [5]
    Anderson, B. W.; Claringbull, G. F.; Davis, R. J.; Hill, D. K. (10 June 1961). "Ekanite, a New Metamict Mineral from Ceylon". Nature. 190 (4780). Nature: 997. doi:10.1038/190997a0.
  6. [6]
    "Eheliyagoda Town to be Developed as a major city". Government of Sri Lanka. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  7. [7]
    Wijesinghe, Magill (27 August 2017). "The Lost Glory of the KV Railway Line". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  8. [8]
    "Eheliyagoda NS is a bright spark in the Sabaragamuwa Province". The Sunday Times. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
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