Warakapola
Warakapola (Sinhala: වරකාපොල; Tamil: வரகாபொல) is a town located 36 miles (58 km) northeast of Colombo along the Colombo-Kandy Road (A1 Road). It is situated in the Dedigama Electorate of the Kegalle District, which is part of the Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka.
Additionally, Warakapola falls under the administrative unit of the Warakapola Divisional Secretariat and the local governance of the Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha.
History
[edit]Pre-colonialism
[edit]Warakapola was part of Kiraweli Pattuwa, located in the Beligal Korale of the Dissava of Sabaragamuwa. This area was under the rule of the Kingdom of Kandy until it came under British colonial rule in 1815.
British Ceylon
[edit]During British Ceylon, the Kegalle District was subdivided into Paranakuru Korale, Galboda Korale, Kinigoda Korale, Beligal Korale, Atulugam Korale, Dehigampal Korale, Panawal Korale and Lower Bulatgama Korale.
Warakapola was part of Kiraweli Pattuwa, located in the Beligal Korale of the Kegalle District within the Sabaragamuwa Province. The population of Kiraweli Pattuwa, as recorded in 1871, is provided below.
| 1871 Population | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Gandolaha Pattuwa | 3,553 | 12.97% |
| Kandupita Pattuwa | 7,599 | 27.75% |
| Kiraweli Pattuwa | 12,187 | 44.50% |
| Otara Pattuwa | 4,047 | 14.78% |
| Beligal Korale Total | 27,386 | 100.00% |
Demographics
[edit]| 2012 Population | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhist | 102,661 | 90.81% |
| Islam | 6,326 | 5.60% |
| Hindu | 3,065 | 2.71% |
| Roman Catholic | 677 | 0.60% |
| Other Christian | 320 | 0.28% |
| Other | 7 | 0.01% |
| Total | 113,056 | 100.00% |
Warakapola Divisional Secretariat
[edit]Warakapola was initially part of the Chief Headman Division of Beligal Korale until 1941, when it was restructured as the Beligal Korale Revenue Office under the Headman (Change of Designation) Ordinance No. 11 of 1941.[3] Later, the Beligal Korale Revenue Office was divided into two: Warakapola Revenue Office (West) and Galigamuwa Revenue Office (East), effective from 1 June 1971. Subsequently, the Warakapola Revenue Office (West) was designated as the Warakapola Divisional Secretariat[4] under the Divisional Secretariats Act, No. 58 of 1992, effective from 1 January 1993.
Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha
[edit]Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha [5] established under the Pradeshiya Sabha Act No. 15 of 1987, is the largest Pradeshiya Sabha in the Kegalle District. Historically, the Dedigama area was governed by three separate local government institutions: the Warakapola Town Council, Dedigama Village Council, and Tholangamuwa Othara Pattu Village Council. These three institutions were amalgamated in 1991 to form the Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha.
The inaugural session of the Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha was held on 1 July 1991 at the Warakapola Town Hall. The Pradeshiya Sabha office was relocated to its current building, equipped with modern facilities, on 26 October 2020.
Neighbourhood
[edit]- Ambagala
- Ambepussa
- Dummaladeniya
- Etnawala
- Ganithapura
- Madeniya
- Mahena
- Mainnoluwa
- Medagoda (Horagolla)
- Niwatuwa
- Pilanduwa
- Thumbiliyadda
Education
[edit]Technical College
[edit]- Technical College - Warakapola
Central College
[edit]- Babul Hassan Central College - Medagoda, Warakapola
Madhya Maha Vidyalaya
[edit]Maha Vidyalaya
[edit]- Ambepussa Maha Vidyalaya - Ambepussa, Warakapola
- Etnnawla Maha Vidyalaya -Etnnawla, Warakapola
- Gamini Maha Vidyalaya - Dummaladeniya, Warakapola
- Mainnoluwa Maha Vidyalaya - Mainnoluwa, Warakapola
Vidyalaya
[edit]- Baudda Vidiyalaya - Pilanduwa, Warakapola
- Dummaladeniya Muslim Vidyalaya - Dummaladeniya, Warakapola
- Madeniya Tamil Vidyalaya - Madeniya, Warakapola
Kanishta Vidyalaya
[edit]- Mahena Kanishta Vidyalaya - Mahena, Warakapola
Health Services
[edit]Public Health Services
[edit]Hospitals
[edit]- Ayurvedic Hospital - Warakapola
- Base Hospital - Warakapola
Private Health Services
[edit]The following Medical Practitioners and Institutions are registered with the Private Health Services Regulatory Council of the Ministry of Health [6] to provide private health services.
Full time General Practices
[edit]- Dr.N.H.S.R.Fonseka - Dispensary & Surgery, Warakapola
- Dr.M.S.R.Mihilar - Central Clinic, Warakapola
Part time General Practices
[edit]- Dr(Mrs).D.S.N.Wijesinghe - Medical Centre, Warakapola
Full time Dental Surgeries
[edit]Part time Dental Surgeries
[edit]Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
[edit]- Globe House Medical Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd - Warakapola
See also
[edit]- Korale
- Warakapola Divisional Secretariat
- Dedigama Electorate
- Kegalle District
- Sabaragamuwa Province
- Sri Lanka
References
[edit]- ^ "Census and Statistics - Population by Paththuawa - 1871".
- ^ "Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka - Population by divisional secretariat division, Warakapola and sex- 2012".
- ^ "Headman (Change of Designation) Ordinance No. 11 of 1941".
- ^ "Warakapola Divisional Secretariat - Overview".
- ^ "Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha - Overview".
- ^ "Private Health Services Regulatory Council of the Ministry of Health – Registered Medical Practitioners and Institutions".