The history of the chola trade hubs in the Indian Ocean – tracing its tides

The tracing of the tides of the History of Chola Maritime power helps us to understand the early maritime activities, trade route and the spread of culture of the Chola who had participated in these activities. Tamil Nadu boasts a long coastline with numerous ancient ports like Kavirippatinam (Poompuhar), Nagappatinam, Korkai, Alagankulam, Gulf of Mannar and Periyapattinam, which were critical hubs for transoceanic trade and commerce for their path to become a Great Empire. The Cholas gave priority to gain control over critical trade routes and straits, specially the strait of Malakka and Palk Strait. The main objective of this research is to analyze the trade expansion of the Cholas through these Ports and Straits. The Cholas were well aware of their strategic importance for their economic expansion. These routes were significant as merchant guilds and ships from Arabia, Europe and America frequently past through them. The Cholas also sought to impose taxes on ships passing though these straits. Further, these ports were not only used for the trade activities, but also for the war with other states. To write this article, I have followed the historical and descriptive methodology. I have consulted mainly the secondary sources from books, journals and other article

The impact of gender in political activities- a study based on Sri Lanka

This study investigates the impact of gender on political activities in the Republic of Sri Lanka. It aims to determine the extent to which gender influences political participation, representation, and the nature of political policy-making processes. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach based on quantitative and qualitative data, data on electoral participation and representation at various levels have been analysed, and conclusions have been drawn from politicians, activists, and citizens. Primary data for this were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and discussions, while secondary data were obtained from previous election result reports, newspapers, and magazines. This study highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by different genders in political participation within the Sri Lankan landscape, and the findings of the study can contribute to an understanding of how the political sphere can be shaped in the future

Spatial and temporal patterns of dengue cases in Western Province, Sri Lanka from 2013-2023: a GIS based approach

Dengue fever is a major global and local public health concern, primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. As a tropical country, Sri Lanka is currently experiencing significant impacts from the disease. The simultaneous circulation of all four viral serotypes (DENV-1, 2, 3, and 4) since 2000 has resulted in a hyperendemic situation in the country in recent years. The Western Province has consistently been a hotspot for Dengue outbreaks over the past decade. This study aims to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of Dengue cases reported in the Western Province from 2013 to 2023 using Geo spatial analyses. Weekly Dengue data from Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions were used in this descriptive study. In this study, time series and regression analyses were conducted to examine the temporal distribution of Dengue cases, while spatial patterns and regional risk areas were identified using Moran’s I spatial autocorrelation analysis and hotspot mapping techniques in ArcMap 10.8. Trend analysis was also carried out to recognize the future trend of Dengue cases at the district level. Findings revealed significant variation in both temporal and spatial distribution of Dengue cases. Colombo District reported the highest number of cases, with a consistent pattern of higher incidence in urban areas across all three districts Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara. Moran’s I and Hotspot analysis revealed a clustered case distribution, especially in areas marked by unplanned urban development, high population density, and poor waste management. Time series analysis indicated both positive and negative reporting trends in Colombo and Kalutara MOH divisions. However, it is noteworthy that all MOH divisions in the Gampaha District demonstrated exclusively positive trends in timely case reporting. Trend-based projections further suggest the emergence of future hotspots, particularly in expanding semi- urban regions. The findings underscore the need for targeted vector control measures, urban planning reforms, and sustained public health interventions to mitigate the effects of virus transmission in Western Province

Spatiotemporal variation of land surface temperature and urbanization indicators in the Bandarawela Divisional Secretariat Division, Sri Lanka

Anthropogenic activities contribute prominently to the natural environment, particularly to vegetation cover and land surface temperature (LST). The present study examines the spatiotemporal variation in LST and its associated urbanization indicators, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Urban Heat Index (UHI), and urban hotspot distribution of the Bandarawela Divisional Secretariat Division, Sri Lanka. The remote sensing data gained from Landsat 5 for 2005 and Landsat 8 images for 2015 and 2025, and geospatial analysis by ArcGIS, were conducted to examine temporal changes. The results demonstrate as, the Land Surface Temperature (LST) values decreased from 16.83–31.69°C in 2015 to 16.72–30.41°C in 2025 but the 2005 was ranged from 8.31 – 31.43°C, and there is a significant increase in the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), from 0.133 in 2015 to 0.235 in 2025, indicating substantial urban expansion during the study period. Conversely, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) shows as 0.657 in 2005, but there is a slight decrease, from 0.598 in 2015 to 0.592 in 2025, reflecting minimal vegetation loss. Likewise, the urban heat island (UHI) effect exhibited a notable reduction, with values dropping from 11.68 in 2015 to 0.81 in 2025. However, the findings show an increasing trend in annual maximum and minimum temperature distribution in the area. These findings suggest an improvement in microclimatic conditions despite ongoing urban growth. The spatial distribution of urban hotspots also shifted, highlighting dynamic changes in land use patterns, particularly within the urban core of the study area. These findings indicate the complex interplay between environmental forces and urbanization that focuses on integrating ecological issues into sustainable urban planning. The research area is a developed tourist resort by virtue of having benign climatic conditions all year round. Nevertheless, recurring changes in land use and urban sprawl can pose threats to the tourism industry. Therefore, the enforcement of comprehensive urban planning regulations is essential to ensure a sustainable and resilient future

Improving university students’ comprehension of English literary texts: a digital dive

Improving university students’ reading comprehension in English literary texts is a crucial aspect of their academic development. By implementing innovative strategies, educators can enhance students’ ability to understand and analyze complex literary works. Apart from traditional methods, incorporating creative ones, especially computer technology-base methods such as multimedia presentations and software in the classroom can make learning process more dynamic and enjoyable for students. These approaches not only help the students grasp the nuances of English literature but also foster a deeper appreciation for the subject matter. Further, through these efforts, students can develop the necessary skills to navigate and interpret English literary texts with confidence and proficiency. Having understood this fact, the researcher of this study develops a student-friendly digital tool, called ‘Reading Comprehension Skiller’ to enhance the university students’ comprehension of English literary texts. This research was descriptive and qualitative; and twenty students from first year in Language Department at Eastern University, Sri Lanka (EUSL) were the participants, who underwent a traditional pretest and an innovative post-test (i.e. with the developed tool). Analysing the result of both tests, a high progress was observed in the post test than the pre-test. Thus, the study concludes that the students at EUSL can become more proficient and insightful readers to greater extent by demonstrating the potential of digital technologies than using the traditional reading practices. Further, this innovative approach not only makes the students get benefitted academically but also cultivates a lifelong love for literature and learnin

The need for an annotated bibliography on the history of Sri Lankan Muslims: descriptive perspective

Sri Lankan Muslims are a scattered community with a concentrated majority in the eastern province. They, too, live in the major cities and villages in the Southern part of the island. Several books record their arrival and habitation in history. In particular, the Muslim Religious and Cultural Department has compiled the Sri Lankan Muslim history district-wise. Some other books have been published by individuals from place to place. However, the history of Sri Lankan Muslims should be recorded in a separate edition from a new perspective. A holistic view is also needed about the history of Sri Lankan Muslims. It is not possible to find sufficient information about the books so that this study will serve as the basis for research on Muslims. To achieve these goals, the opinions and books that emphasize the need for this study to be carried out on a descriptive basis are the sources of the study. The sources of study are interviews and books. To search for historical books of Sri Lankan Muslims without missing anything. This is the biggest problem in this study. If, as far as possible, the books that tell the history of Sri Lankan Muslims can be organized and compiled into a proper history, it will contribute significantly to the existence and peaceful coexistence of Sri Lankan Muslims

Electoral literacy and political participation in multi-ethnic societies of Sri Lanka: a case study in Trincomalee District

The inequality in political participation at different levels of social structures is generally considered a ‘democratic deficit’. As a number of studies suggest, in most cases, the disengaged citizens in electoral processes are disproportionately poor, less educated, and younger. There is no doubt that a lower level of women's and youth participation in electoral processes creates negative consequences for a substantive democracy. It has widely been noted in the public debate of electoral democracy in Sri Lanka during the last few years that women and youth were often alienated from the political system. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to investigate electoral behavior and electoral literacy in Sri Lanka’s multi-ethnic societies. The research focused on four selected Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions in the Trincomalee District. The research employed mixed methods in order to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. Therefore, it was effectively combined qualitative methods, including focus group discussions and expert interviews, with quantitative research methods involving a structured questionnaire. This study explored critical themes, including the awareness of Local Government Election Act No. 16 of 2017, women’s representation through the 25% quota, youth participation in politics, and democratic accountability under the PR system while the findings reveal a mix of progress and challenges: Public awareness of the Local Government Election Act No. 16 of 2017 reveals mixed perceptions while recognized as progressive legislation, its complex nature and implementation challenges have limited its effectiveness. The 25% female representation quota represents a landmark achievement toward gender-inclusive governance, though cultural resistance persists. Youth representation faces similar challenges, with widespread recognition of young leaders' potential contrasted against entrenched systemic barriers limiting their participation. The Proportional Representation system, while theoretically inclusive, suffers from public distrust due to its complexity and perceived weaknesses in accountability mechanisms. Recent political developments signal potential for transforming passive voters into engaged citizens, though this requires an innovative institutional framework to collaborate across state and private sectors in collaboration with civil society in redefining Sri Lanka's political culture

Oral history, historical aerial photography, and machine learning in Namibia and Sri Lanka

The use of historical aerial photography offers the potential to quadruple the time-depth of available geo-spatial mass data from 20 years to 80 years to assess past, present and future environmental and climate change. While satellite imagery only attained sub-1-meter resolution in the early 2000s, aerial photography with the same resolution had already become ubiquitous in the 1940s, covering all land territories across the globe at 5-10 years intervals. A huge challenge, however, is how to interpret the features visible on historical aerial photography because the environments depicted in the imagery have been dramatically transformed by development, population growth, and modernization. As a result, conventional ground truthing to assess what the features visible in the photographs represent in the real world is no longer possible. The authors propose to use a new historical ground truthing methodology using life history interviews to compile data on land use, climate, vegetation, and the environment contemporary to the times series of historical aerial photography for each case study. This methodology will allow more historically accurate interpretation of the aerial photography and facilitate developing machine learning data sets and culminate in the ability to machine-read historical aerial photography for a more comprehensive understanding of environmental and climate change from the 1940s through today

Researches of Tamil department at the south eastern university: an overview

Since the establishment of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka in 1996, special degreein Tamil was offered at the faculty of Arts and Culture. Any undergraduate pursuing a special degree in Tamil is required to submit an independent research in the final year. Accordingly, over 2 decades, students submitted many dissertations, yet information about their researches are not known by the public. Hence, the objectives of this study are to compile these researches and bring this knowledge to the society. Generally, language and literature reflect social, political and economic aspects of any society. Moreover, researches depicting literary personalities and other researches within Tamil literature were primarily conducted in Sri Lanka. Thus, this study will be helpful in offering thematic analysis of these researches conducted and compile all such researches. By doing so, it brings out the immense contribution made by SEUSL students specialized in Tamil for the development of Tamil language and literature. It will also be helpful for the Tamil literary enthusiasts to know the scope and gaps in Tamil language and literature for future researches. Dissertations submitted by the students specialized in Tamil were the primary sources for this study. Even though, Tamil unit of SEUSL has done numerous researches to enhance the field of Tamil language and literature, this study is limited to the dissertations of students specialized in Tamil

The role of Muslim nesan newspaper to the Islamic social renaissance of the 19th century

The late 19th century, under British colonialism, proved to be a time of significant change for various communities throughout South Asia. Tamil-speaking Muslims in Sri Lanka rapidly needed social changes and educational development to counteract colonial power together with Christian missionary outreach as well as homegrown stagnation. M.C. Siddi Lebbe established Muslim Nesan newspaper in 1882 which became the landmark event of the Muslim renaissance. This research evaluates how Muslim Nesan operated as an outlet for marginalized populations while it simultaneously became an intellectual illumination and cultural revitalization and political awareness force for Muslims. A historical thematic analysis of the newspaper demonstrates how its publication reshaped Muslim identity in contemporary times. During the late 19th century Muslim Nesan newspaper provided the essential platform that led to the social and religious awakening of the Muslim community. As leader M.C. Siddi Lebbe directed the publication to lead Muslim upliftment through education reform and social progress combined with religious restoration activities. Between 1882 and 1889 Muslim Nesan published a total of 48 issues containing articles about educational reforms and the empowerment of women along with economic development and religious guidance and antagonism against colonial powers and missionary interferences. Through active encouragement the newspaper worked to restore the community identity and resist cultural decay while fostering acceptance of modern knowledge and Islamic values. This study employs a mixed-methods methodology to evaluate the main objectives. The study primarily relies on secondary data, including earlier publications of the Muslim Nesan, relevant books and magazines that offer insights into the historical and cultural context of the time. Using descriptive analysis, the research examines main themes of study. The study highlights how the newspaper contributed to muslim community identity and resistance to colonial influence. The final discussion reflects on these findings an offers suggestions for further research on media – driven social movements in historical Muslim societies