Sin: මිරිස්ස – Tam: மிரிஸ்ஸ mirissa
‘Chilli Point’ SP, Sri Lanka
From Sin: miris, ‘chilli, pepper’.
This could easily be a place where chillies were grown and perhaps ground on the miris-gala, a stone mortar and pestle for grinding spices.
Mirissa is an important fishing area (tuna, mullet, seer fish, mackerel, butterfish), including bi-valve molluscs (oysters, clams, mussels), included in which is the Sin: mirissa, ‘cockle, whelk’ – another possible derivation.
Mirissa is also famous for its beach and spectacular coastline.
For related place names see Sri Lanka Place names.
Mirissa Beach: Aerial View dronepicr