Kandy
Kandy (Sinhala: මහනුවර Mahanuwara, ⓘ [mahanuʋərə]; Tamil: கண்டி Kandy, ⓘ [ˈkaɳɖi]) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka.[1] The city is situated in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.[2] Historically the local Buddhist rulers resisted Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial expansion and occupation.
For other uses, see Kandy (disambiguation).
Kandy
මහනුවර
கண்டி
கண்டி
14th century
1469
28.53 km2 (11.02 sq mi)
500 m (1,600 ft)
125,400
4,591/km2 (11,890/sq mi)
Kandyan
Etymology[edit]
The city and the region have been known by many different names and versions of those names. Some scholars suggest that the original name of Kandy was Katubulu Nuwara located near the present Watapuluwa. However, the more popular historical name is Senkadagala or Senkadagalapura, officially Senkadagala Siriwardhana Maha Nuwara (meaning 'great city of Senkadagala of growing resplendence'), generally shortened to 'Maha Nuwara'. According to folklore, this name originated from one of the several possible sources. One being the city was named after a brahmin with the name Senkanda who lived in a cave nearby, and another being a queen of Vikramabahu III was named Senkanda, and after a coloured stone named Senkadagala. The Kingdom of Kandy has also been known by various names. The English name Kandy, which originated during the colonial era, is derived from an anglicised version of the Sinhala Kanda Uda Rata (meaning the land on the mountain) or Kanda Uda Pas Rata (the five counties/countries on the mountain). The Portuguese shortened this to "Candea", using the name for both the kingdom and its capital. In Sinhala, Kandy is called Maha Nuwara, meaning "Great City" or "The Capital", although this is most often shortened to Nuwara in daily use.[3]
Kandy Municipal Council
මහනුවර මහ නගර සභා
Four years
1865
41
Economy[edit]
It is the second-largest city in the island and the capital of Central Province. Many major corporations have large branch offices in Kandy and many industries including textiles, Sri Lankan gemstones, furniture, information technology, and jewellery are found there. Many agriculture research centres are located throughout the city.
Health care[edit]
The National Hospital, Kandy is the second-largest medical institution in Sri Lanka, established and administered under the purview of the Ministry of Health, which remains a key hospital maintained by the Sri Lankan Government.[20]
The Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya is one of the prime tertiary care hospitals in the country, located along the A1 highway connecting Kandy and Colombo, near the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya.
The Dental Hospital Peradeniya and Sirimavo Bandaranaike Children's Hospitals are located adjacent to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital.[21]
