Sammanthurai (SL)

Tam: சம்மாந்துறை sammāntuṟai – Sin: සම්මාන්තුරේ sammānturē

Town, EP , Sri Lanka

Sammanthurai is a Muslim-majority town and was the birthplace of  of M. H. M. Ashraff who founded the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

Here are three possibilities:

  1. ‘Saman’s Port’. From ‘Saman’, one of the ‘protector gods of ancient Sri Lanka; and Sin/Tam: tara/tura/thurai, ‘seaport, harbour’.  
  2. ‘Jasmine Port’. From Sin: saman, ‘jasmine’; and Sin/Tam: tara/tura/thurai, ‘seaport, harbour’.  
  3. ‘Sampan Port’. From sampan, ‘a traditional Asian flat-bottomed boat with oars and masts’ (see Hambantota); and Sin/Tam: tara/tura/thurai, ‘seaport, harbour’.