Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka AHANGAMA – By Dr. Nimal Sedera
Source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – November 2023
Ahangama is a famous place in southern Sri Lanka in Galle on the boundary of Matara District. Habaraduwa, Koggala and Weligama are places around Ahangama. Today, it is a key tourist destination.
Ahangama was significantly affected by the Tsunami in 2004. As it is situated by the sea, the naming is linked to an incident faced by travellers who were coming to Sri Lanka by boat in the olden days. For example, Galle and Dondra and many places in the south were natural harbours for arrivals.
The story is linked to a certain clan of traders coming from India called “Lamba Karna”. Lamba Karna meant “Long ears”. Even the Lord Buddha is from that clan. So, they were travellers from India and known to have come in a boat made of stone. There would have been some system of making such boats at that time. Boat shaped stone items as archaeological findings are on display at Mihintalawa even today. We can imagine it as a vessel with better safety.
The sail of this ship got damaged on the way and the ship was floating in the area waiting for help. It is said that the passengers prayed to a God by the name “Weeramunday” to save their lives. However, the boat got gradually drifted to the southern sea and they spotted the land. They, in happiness, supposed to have shouted “AANNAGAMA”, meaning, there the village. It is believed that the name
AHANGAMA came into existence from that day.
Dr. Nimal Sedera
Dr. Nimal Sedera is a journalist, poet, motivational speaker
and an author of over 70 books
