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For centuries Jaffna has been Sri Lan-
ka’s Hindu-Tamil cultural and religious
centre – especially during the Jaffna king-
dom, the powerful Tamil dynasty that ruled
from Nallur for 400 years beginning in the
13th century. But the Portuguese tried hard
to change that. In 1620 they captured Cankili
II, the last king (his horseback statue stands
on Point Pedro Rd, near the Royal Palace
ruins), then set about systematically demol-
ishing the city’s Hindu temples. A wave of
mass Christian conversions followed.
Following a bitter three-month siege, the
Portuguese surrendered their ‘Jaffnapattao’
to the more tolerant Dutch a few decades lat-
er, and Dutch Jaffna, which lasted for almost
140 years, became a major trade centre. Jaff-
na continued to prosper under the British,
who took over in 1795 and sowed the seeds
of future inter-ethnic unrest by ‘favouring’ the
Jaffna Tamils.
The city played a crucial role in the lead-up
to the war, and by the early 1980s escalating
tensions overwhelmed Jaffna; for two decades
the city was a no-go war zone. Variously be-
sieged by Tamil guerrillas, Sri Lankan Army
(SLA) troops and a so-called peacekeeping
force, the city lost almost half of its popula-
tion to emigration. In 1990 the LTTE forced
Jaffna’s few remaining Sinhalese and all
Muslim residents to leave. Jaffna suffered
through endless bombings, a crippling block-
ade (goods, including fuel, once retailed here
for 20 times the market price – one reason
so many residents ride bicycles) and military
rule after the SLA’s 1995 recapture of the town.
Then in the peace created by the 2002 ac-
cords, the sense of occupation was relaxed and
Jaffna sprang back to life: domestic flights be-
gan; refugees, internally displaced persons
(IDPs) and long-absent émigrés returned; and
new businesses opened and building projects
commenced. Hostilities recommenced in
2006 and tension continued through the end
of the war in 2009.
Today a sense of stability has returned and
a mood of hopefulness is evident across the
city. The population of the Jaffna peninsula,
however, is still well below its prewar figure.1 Sights
Jaffna is dotted with Hindu temples, easi-
ly identified by their red-and-white-striped
walls, ranging from tiny shrines to sprawl-
ing complexes featuring mandapaya (raised
platforms with decorated pillars), ornate
ponds and towering gopuram.
The city also has an abundance of church-
es, many located on shady streets east of the
centre. Commercial activity is crammed into
the colourful hurly-burly of Hospital, Kasturi-
ya and Kankesanturai (KKS) Rds.
If you can get your hands on some wheels,
Jaffna is perfect for bicycle rides.Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil HINDu
(Temple rd; donations accepted; h4am-7pm) This
huge Hindu temple, crowned by a towering
god-encrusted, golden-ochre gopuram, is one
of the most significant Hindu religious com-
plexes in Sri Lanka. Its sacred deity is Muru-
gan (or Skanda), and at cacophonic puja,
at 5am, 10am, noon, 4.15pm (small puja),
4.30pm (‘special’ puja), 5pm and 6.45pm,
offerings are made to his brass-framed
image and other Hindu deities like Ganesh,STAYING SAFE
Foreigners visiting the north and the towns of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu, Mannar and
Vavuniya no longer need to get permission from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence. Trav-
ellers will encounter the odd army checkpoint and road closure, and there are several High
Security Zones, including the area around Jaffna airport where access is tightly controlled.
At the time of research the situation on the ground was calm, but politically active locals
(and foreigners) still face state intimidation. Harassment, detentions and occasional disap-
pearances continue, and the root reasons for the civil unrest are far from resolved. Keep an
eye on regional news and politics.
Although NGOs have made enormous progress clearing land mines, some remain, along
with tonnes of unexploded ordnance. Walk only on roads or very well-trodden paths. Do not
wander on deserted beaches.
Locals may not want to speak openly about politics or the war; use sensitivity and tact.
Also be careful not to take photographs of soldiers, military posts or potentially strategic
sites like ports and bridges.
For two very different perspectives, try http://www.defence.lk and http://www.tamilnet.com.