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

Aparekka
Village
Aparekka is located in Sri Lanka
Aparekka
Aparekka
Location of Aparekka in Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 5°59′33.38″N 80°36′56.29″E / 5.9926056°N 80.6156361°E / 5.9926056; 80.6156361
CountrySri Lanka
ProvinceSouthern
DistrictMatara District
Area
 • Total1.755 km2 (0.678 sq mi)
Elevation
25 m (82 ft)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total1,036
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time)
Post code
81032

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

  • Aparekka North (population 690)
  • Uda Aparekka East (population 1,303)
  • Uda Aparekka (population 1,664)
  • Palle Aparekka (population 936)

History

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An Attani-type pillar inscription belonging to the 10th century A.D. was discovered near the Sepalikarama Viharaya at Uda Aparekka.[2][3] It records a grant made to a procession by a king-styled Abasalamevan Mapurmaka.[2] 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.[2] Also, Aparekka is mentioned as Averaca in a letter shared between King Rajasinha II and the Dutch.[4]

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.[5] The Ceylon Blue Book of 1920 lists separate vernacular schools for boy and girls.[6] In 1935 geologist J.S. Coats discovered hexagonal corundum crystals associated with feldspar and biotite in the area.[7]

Etymology

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Although the reliability is low, some believe that the name Aparekka came into usage during the time of King Dutugemunu.[2]

Transport

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Aparekka is located on the Meddewatte - Kekanadure - Yatiyana Road (B284). It is immediately to the south of the  E01  Aparekka interchange.

Education

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

  • Aparekka Maha Vidyalaya
  • Aparekka Model School
  • Uda Aparekka Kanishta Vidyalaya, Uda Aparekka

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

References

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  1. ^ "Sri Lanka Census of Population and Housing, 2011: Population by GN division and sex 2012". Linked from statistics.gov.lk/Population/StaticalInformation/CPH2011#gsc.tab=0. Sri Lanka Department of Census and Statistics. p. 132. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Vanarathana, K. (1994). Matara pura vidyathmaka ithihasaya (in Sinhala). Thihagoda Sri Rohana Sanga Sabha Mulasthanaya. p. 161-163. ISBN 955-9325-00-0.
  3. ^ "Uda Aparekka Sepalikaramaya". www.lankapradeepa.com. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  4. ^ Ferguson, Donald (1904). Ferguson, D (ed.). "Correspondence between Raja Sinha II and the Dutch". The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 18 (55): 166–276. JSTOR 45384716. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  5. ^ Denham, E. B., ed. (1912). Census of Ceylon, 1911 - Town and village statistics. Colombo: Ceylon. Dept. of Census and Statistics. pp. 148–149. Retrieved 5 December 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ Ceylon (1921). The Ceylon Blue Book for 1920. pp. L10, L11.
  7. ^ Keller, P. C. (6 December 2012). Gemstones and their Origins. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4684-6674-4.
  8. ^ "List of Provincial Schools in Southern Province 2020" (PDF). Ministry of Education. 2020. Entry nos. 477, 478, 479. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. ^ "List of Provincial Schools in Southern Province 2020" (PDF). Ministry of Education. 2020. Entry no. 545. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  10. ^ Jayasekera, Sandun A (13 March 2019). "disciplining children Role played by teachers has changed: President". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 9 January 2024.