Sin: මාතර mātara – Tam: மாத்தறை māttaṟai
Matara SP ‘Great Seaport’ SP, Sri Lanka
From Sin: maha, ‘large, great’; and tara, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank, port, harbour’.
Matara was also known as Mahatota (Sin: tota, ‘ford, ferry, riverbank’) and Mahapattana (Sin: pattana, sea port, trading town).
Parts of the fort have survived along with other examples of Dutch architecture. The fort was at one time the second most important in the South.
Paravi Dupatha island temple is an offshore temple connected to mainland Matara by a cable footbridge.
The modern temple features an array of Buddha statues and a replica of the Sri Pada/Adam’s Peak footprint.
For related place names see Sri Lanka Place names.
Paravi Dupatha Island Temple (Matara) Hafiz Issadeen