Kirinda Puhulwella Divisional Secretariat

Kirinda Puhulwella Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Matara District, of Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

Kirinda is an ancient area which is a new Divisional Administrative Division in Matara District. It was surrounded by small jungles, mountains in the past. Kirinda Division spread covering the north down part of the Naigalkanda, Wathukolakanda, Heellakanda, and the south down of the Kongala Mountain.

The division is included in the north of Gangabadapaththuwa. According to the ancient Administration. Twenty-five Grama Niladhari divisions are included in this division, to make easy administration, and also two divisions of Samurdhi and two divisions of registration of birth, marriage, and death are included in this division. The Defence is supplied by three police divisions. Kirinda “ Pradeshiya Sabha” is established to develop the infrastructures of the area and Kirinda is developing. It is important considering how got its name. With reference to the folk stories, there was a flower garden of a Suzerain of the area. So people named it Malwathugoda. As there were four Devala which people believed firmly, so got its name as Dewalamulla. Samanamulla got its name as Bhikkus/monks meditated in the area. As the same Gajamangoda got its name as poetess Gajamannona was boarded in this village to learn to create the poems under the Venerable Karathotanahimi. Puhulwella got its name as a golden pumpkin (Ranpuhula) which was floating on the water in the past. there was a field of “Kirindia” therefore Kirinda got its name.

Another point of view, At the second war, the Japanese aimed two bomb attacks on Sri Lanka. Therefore tout services pay special attention to foreign attacks. At one time, the friend soldiers could be able to know the word “Kirinda” by a radio message of enemy soldiers. The friend soldiers pay special attention to this. At that moment the governor sent out a group of (Negro) soldiers to Kirinda. They reached to Matara and inquired about “Kirinda” from a group of people. A man explained the way which leads to Kirinda. Then the army reached Kirinda. After that, the governor understood that the soldiers reached Matara- Kirinda. Because of the mistake of communication/ Misunderstanding. The only word Kirinda uses to both Matara-Kirinda and TissaKirinda. So the governor added “Kirinda” to Matara as Kirinda-Puhulella. The ancient Kirinda-Puhulwella division is between the north longitude 6 – 6.04 and the east latitude 80.30 – 80.42 in the map in inches. With reference to the land escape, it is the eighth between 200–700 in feet. It reaches 700 feet in height at Hettiyawala and Naigalkanda mountains. The normal temperature is 30 °C (86 °F). The annual rainfall is about 75 inches and the wetness is 75 inches.

At the present and in the past rural people did cultivation. The way of living based on the caste in the past. There was a small village of people who make clay works in “Kirinda Magin Ihala” division. Kirinda “Sarananda Lane” and Wawulanbokka areas were famous for Silver and Jewellery workings.

Villagers of the division spent a humble lifestyle in the past. Women wore aloth and a jacket and men wore cloth, the upper part of the body was open. And also put a towel the shoulder was special.

Important cash crops are cultivated in the division. Extra paddy. When SriLanka was ruled by the western rulers the coastal culture was destroyed little by little and Kirinda division was less of fluence. But they flunced to the economy of the division. As the result of Western influence, coconut, cinnamon, and rubber were cultivated by the villagers. And also the gamhoge, arecanuts, jackfruit breads were cultivated as domestic cultivations. The main water resource is several streams and canals. The Thambagalla ara dola, the Hawapenna dola, the Mulana dola, the Gona dola are the several cannels.

Kirinda is a multi-races division. it is important that the Sinhalese and the Muslims are living with mutual understanding and corporation. The Yonaka people came here as businessmen in the past. Some people of them got married with Sinhala women; because of this mixed cultural situation they became settlers of the division. The total population of the division is 22,036 in 2010 – women 11,146 and men 10,890. According to the spread of population, 21,268. are Sinhalese and 768 are Lanka Yonaka.[1]

Hospitals in the Division[2]

• Maththru Niwasaya (Maternity home) - Kirinda Puhulwella

Schools in the Division[3]

• MR/ Phulwella Navodya School
• MR/Kirinda Muslin Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/Kumbalgoda Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Karathota Kanitu Viduhala
• Hettiyawala East Maha Vidyalaya
• Hettiyawala West Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Heellakanda Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Dammullagoda Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Kirinda Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Dewalamulla Kanitu Viduhala
• MR/ Walakanda Maha Vidylaya