Dharga Town

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Dharga Town
ධර්ගා නගරය
தர்கா நகர்
A Shrine at Dharga Town.jpg
Sheik Hasan Bin Osman Magdoomy (Rah) Dharga Mosque
Sri Lanka adm-2 location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Dharga Town
Location in Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°26′45″N80°00′09″E / 6.44583°N 80.00250°E / 6.44583; 80.00250
Country Sri Lanka
Province Western Province
District Kalutara District
Population
 (2012)
 • Total20,540
Time zone UTC+05:30 (SLST)
Postal code
12090
Area code 034

Dharga Town (Sinhala: ධර්ගා නගරය; Tamil: தர்கா நகர்) is a town located in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. [1] It is governed by the Beruwala Urban Council under the Government of Sri Lanka, and is close to Aluthgama and the tourist town Bentota.

Contents

Dharga Town received its name from the shrine of Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magodoomy (Rali). The Shrine was established around 1866 AD when the sheik was enshrined in his Home Town. [2]

History

The first Sri Lankan Muslim settlement was established at Berbereen (Beruwala), which was named in honour of Abu Yusuf al-Barbari, the Berber traveller who founded the city. The second Muslim settlement was established at Alutgamaweedia, which was subsequently renamed Dharga Town in the 1940's by its Muslim inhabitants. [3]

2014 Anti-Muslim Riots

In June 2014, a Buddhist monk and his driver was reportedly attacked by a Muslim individual. Following an inciteful rally from Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, leader of the radical Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena, a local mosque was stoned by a mob. [4] Subsequently, a two-day period of unrest occurred due to anti-Muslim violence, resulting in widespread destruction of mosques, homes, and businesses and a total of four fatalities and eighty reported injuries. [5] [6] Local police then imposed a curfew in the affected areas, restoring control. [4]

Education

Dharga Town hosts several educational institutions including three government Muslim schools: Zahira College, Al Hambra Maha Vidyalaya, and Aluthgamveediya Muslims Ladies National School. Zahira College stands as one of the oldest schools in the area. [7] Additionally, the town has two other government schools: KL-Pathirajagoda Preliminary School and Sri Gnanissara Maha Vidyalaya. [8] Among the private schools are Alif International School and Bambridge International School. [9]

Dharga Town is also home to Ilharul Islam Arabic College. An orphanage known as Isha Athul Islam Child Development Centre also operates in the area. [10]

Dharga Town is the location of one of the government's teacher-training colleges, named Dharga Nagar National College of Education. [11]

Population

Dharga Town has a population of 20,540, with the majority being Sri Lankan Muslims. [12] Sinhalese and Tamils make up the rest (including Seenawatha 765-A and Welipitiya 768-A) [13] [ further explanation needed ]

Infrastructure

The B157 Aluthgama – Mathugama road provides a key transportation route to and from the town. The town has a well-developed public transport system centered around buses, managed by both private operators and the government-owned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). The Aluthgama Bus Stand serves as the primary bus stand of the town. It is located along the B157 Aluthgama – Mathugama road . [14]

The Aluthgama Railway Station is located on the Coastal Line, connecting Colombo to Matara and Beliatta.

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References

  1. ↑ "Mycities.co – Dharga Town (Sri Lanka – Western) – Visit the city, map and weather". mycities.co. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Online edition of Daily News - Features". archives.dailynews.lk.
  3. ↑ "Brihist".
  4. 1 2 "Media Blackout On Aluthgama Situation: Police To Cover Mosques Island-Wide". Columbo Telegraph. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Colombage, Dinouk (18 June 2014). "In Pictures: Sri Lanka hit by religious riots". Al Jazeera English . Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Campbell, Charlie (8 August 2014). "How an Extremist Buddhist Network Is Sowing Hatred Across Asia". Time . Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Aluthgama Zahira College has great potential". 16 June 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023– via PressReader.
  8. ↑ "Schools in Dharga Town Archives". Lanka Numbers. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  9. ↑ School, Alif International (25 September 2022). "Alif International School". FAT.lk. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Child Development Centers – Probation Department WP
  11. ↑ Trainee Teacher Program at Dharga Nagar National College of Education (Vidya Peeta) – Sati Pasala
  12. ↑ Handunnetti, Dilrukshi (15 June 2016). "Sri Lanka: Muslims remember Buddhist hardliner attacks". Al Jazeera English . Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  13. ↑ DS Web Manager. "Beruwala Divisional Secretariat – Statistical Information – Page 2". ds.gov.lk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  14. ↑ "Aluthgama Bus Stand - Bus station in Aluthgama".
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