Tour guide to Kilinochchi Sri Lanka !
About 350 km from Colombo and 86 km north of Vavuniya is Kilinochchi. Kilinochchi was founded in 1936 as part of a project to reduce overpopulation in Jaffna, 70 km to the north via Elephant Pass.
The town and the surrounding areas were one of the bitterest battlefields during the civil war. In 1990, the LTTE rebels took control of the town in 1990 when the Sri Lankan army retreated from its garrisons. The town was retaken by the army in 1996 but fell under the control of the rebels hardly two years later. From 1998 Kilinochchi was the administrative hub of the LTTE until 2 January 2009 when the army finally regained it after the Battle of Kilinochchi.
Tourist attractions in Kilinochchi
Water Tower Ruins
Located on town’s main road, the large water tower that supplied water to the city was exploded with dynamite on 31st December 2008 by the LTTE in their retreat. Today, its concrete carcass is maintained as a memorial to the battles that raged in the area.
The authorities have set up an Information centre for visitors complete with a souvenir shop maintained by the army that sells items like pens, hats, handmade baskets and postcards.
Underground LTTE Bunkers
On the Puthukudiyiruppu – Odusuddan Road lies a complex network of underground bunkers in the jungle that the LTTE constructed and used as an operations base. The network of tunnels and protective structures included underground hideouts that descend five stories below ground, arms sentries, watchdog kennels, armour-plated entries, kitchen, living quarters, etc.
On the road to Mullaitivu lies another underground bunker that was used by the LTTE to house meetings and discuss strategy. The rebels constructed it in a civilian zone and gave its exterior the look of an ordinary home in order to conceal it from aerial surveillance. Inside, you discover a two-storeyed underground bunker complete with all necessary amenities: lecture room, living quarters, generator and air-conditioning.
Places to visit around Kilinochchi
Elephant Pass
Elephant Pass is narrow causeway located on an isthmus that links the Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the island, some 15 km north of Kilinochchi on the A9 route. The pass has always been a strategic point for ages. The Portuguese built a fort in 1760 that was modified by the Dutch in 1776 and later by the British. During the civil war, the fort was totally destroyed as Elephant Pass was the scene of bitter battles (control of the Pass shifted from the Lankan army to the LTTE in 2000). Today, a monument erected by the Sri Lankan army to celebrate the 2009 victory can be seen here. Extensive demining projects have been carried out in the area ever since the end of the civil war.
Farah III shipwreck
On the shores of Karaiyamullivaikal village in Mullaitivu lies an interesting shipwreck of the Farah III. In December 2006, the Farah III, a Jordanian cargo vessel was en route from India to South Africa with 14,000 tons of rice when its engines malfunctioned and forced the crew to send out a distress signal and drop the anchors near Mullaitivu. The vessel was boarded by the LTTE who led the crew to the Red Cross but kept the cargo and the vessels. The Farah III was stripped of its generators, radio equipment and navigational equipment. Large parts of the body were converted to armour plates on LTTE vehicles.
Where to spot wildlife near Kilinochchi
Chundikkulam Sanctuary
21 km east of Kilinochchi is Chundikkulam Sanctuary, home and migrating ground for a large variety of water birds and reptiles. Established in 1938, the lagoon is also used for shrimp farming and salt production. Chundikkulam beach, lined with coconut trees and fishermen villages, has hardly any tourist facilities.
