Panadura

Panadura පානදුර பாணந்துறை
City
Seal
Panadura
Coordinates: 06°42′48″N 79°54′15″E
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Western Province
District	Kalutara District
Division	Panadura Division
Government
• Type	Local Government
• Body	Panadura Urban Council
• Chairman	Nandana Gunathilake, (UNP).
Area
• City	7.00 km2 (2.70 sq mi)
• Urban	7.00 km2 (2.70 sq mi)
• Metro	44.00 km2 (16.99 sq mi)
Population
• Urban	30,069
• Urban density	4,296/km2 (11,130/sq mi)
• Metro	182,285
• Metro density	4,143/km2 (10,730/sq mi)
Language
• Official	Sinhala and Tamil
• Additional	English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (Time in Sri Lanka)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+5:30 (not observed)
Postal Code	12500
Area code	038

Panadura (Sinhala: පානදුර, romanized: Pānadura; Tamil: பாணந்துறை, romanized: Pāṇantuṟai) is a main city in Kalutara District, Western Province in Sri Lanka. It is located approximately 27 km (17 mi) south of Colombo. Panadura is surrounded on all sides by water; the Indian Ocean, the Bolgoda Lake and river is reason for that. Panadura is famed as the location of important events in the Buddhist revival movement of Sri Lanka. Panadura Beach is an attractive place for local and foreign tourists.

Panadura debate

The Panadura Debate, held in 1873, was the climax of the first phase of the Buddhist revivalist movement which began with the establishment of the Society for the Propagation of Buddhism at Kotahena and the establishment of the Lankopakara Press in Galle. The two key persons in the Panadura Debate were Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera and Father David de Silva, and the two key institutions were the Rankoth Viharaya and the Methodist Church of Panadura. It was the success of the Panadura Debate that prompted Colonel Henry Steel Olcott to come to Ceylon.

Demographics

Panadura is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city. The Sinhalese make the majority in the city. Muslims are the second largest group in the city. Buddhism is the largest religion in this city.Others include Sri Lankan Tamils, small numbers of Indian Tamils, Burgher and Malay.

Ethnicity in Panadura

Ethnicity in Panadura (2012)
Population			Percent
Sinhalese			71.03%
Muslims			28.70%
Sri Lankan Tamils			1.50%
Indian Tamils			0.50%
Others			0.30%

Source:statistics.gov.lk.

Transport

Road

Pandura is located at the junction of the A2 (Galle Road) and the A8 (Panadura-Ratnapura Road).

Rail

Panadura Railway Station

Panadura railway station is located to the west of the town, and is located on the Coastal line.

Bus

Due to Panadura being situated along Galle Road, it is serviced by many bus routes terminating at Panadura as well as ones heading further south.

Health care facilities

Domingo Dias Memorial Town Hall

"Kethumathi" (Sinhala: කේතුමතී කාන්තා රෝහල) is the fourth largest hospital in the country, dedicated for Obstetrics and Gynecology. It is situated at the centre of Panadura, 10 m (33 ft) from the A2 road. This hospital is a comprehensive with neonatal ICU and has a 300 bed capacity. A grade-1 Base hospital situated near the Panadura police station facing A2 road. Apart from this there are wide range of health care facilities run by the Government. There is an Ayurvedic Treatment Centre in Pallimulla, Panadura.

Public and private schools

• Royal College Panadura
• Agamathi Balika Vidyalaya Panadura
• Sri Sumangala College Panadura
• Sri Sumangala Balika Maha Vidyalaya
• St. John's College Panadura
• Lyceum International School Panadura
• Leeds International School Panadura
• Walana Mahanama Maha Vidyalaya
• St. John's Girls' School Panadura

• Bauddhaloka Maha Vidyalaya Panadura
• Good Shepherd Convent Pandura
• Panadura Balika Vidyalaya Panadura
• Nalluruwa Siri Seevali Maha Vidyalaya
• St Anthony’s Boys School
• St Anthony’s Girls School
• Pinwatta Maha Vidyalaya
• Jeelan Central College (National School)
• Jeramies Dias Kanishta Vidyalaya
• Kuruppumulla Sri Prakrama Vidyalaya
• Dibbedda Gunawardena Kanishta Vidyalaya
• Upadya Kanishta Vidyalaya
• Bekkegama Kanishta Vidyalaya
• Methodis’t Primary School
• Malamulla Maha Vidyalaya
• Thotawatta Al Fahriya central Muslim madya maha vidyalaya
• Ikra international College
• House Of Scholars
• Ambalanduwa Ilma Muslim Vidyalaya

Architecture

Post Office

One of the oldest and most representative buildings in Panadura is the Post Office in Galle Road. The Domingo Dias Memorial Town Hall dating from 1927 is used for concerts and exhibitions.

Notable individuals

• Celestina Dias - Entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Prof.Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera - Sri Lankan academic, scholar and diplomat
• Dr.Premasiri Khemadasa - Music director, composer
• Arthur V. Dias - A planter by profession he is known as "Kos Mama"
• Dr.Nalin de Silva - Theoretical physicist, philosopher and a political analyst.
• Prof.Ravindra Fernando- Forensic Pathologist, Toxicologist Physician, author and academic.
• Leslie Goonewardene (MP)- One of the founders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
• Wilmot A. Perera - Statesman and Diplomat
• Prasanna Vithanage - Film Director
• Ravindra Pushpakumara - International Cricketer
• Charitha Buddhika - International Cricketer
• Chamara Silva - International Cricketer
• Don Anurasiri - International Cricketer
• Dilruwan Perera - International Cricketer
• Akila Dananjaya - International Cricketer
• Mohomed Dilshad -first class cricketer

External links

• Article on Colonel Olcott, Panadura and the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka