Ma'am, my I approach you humbly and speak in your presence? You commented to me that the capital of Sri Lanka was still Colombo. Please, let's do some close reading: In my email I wrote: " In 1977, the legislative and judicial capitals of Sri Lanka were moved from Colombo (which outgrew its use) to the city of Kotte, why? Because it was the last capital of Sinhalese rule before Portuguese domination - Kotte (Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte) was the capital of Sinhalese kings from 1415 until 1565. " Please note "legislative and judicial capitals of Sri Lanka" and "were moved from Colombo (which out grew its use) to the city of Kotte". Does this say that Kotte is now the capital of Sri Lanka? Is it false that in 1977 the legislative and judicial capitals were moved to Kotte? Because you are so much more knowledgeable than me, and it is so very wrong for me to disagree with you, I know that you have to be correct -- so I went to do some checking and prove myself wrong, I found the following: Please note: Sunday Times Mirror Magazine ,26th April 1998 A new Parliament By Uncle DCR The new Parliament complex at Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is one of the most picturesque sights in the outskirts of Colombo. Sixteen years ago, on April 29, 1982, the new complex was opened by President J. R. Jayewardene. The occasion was marked with the issue of a 50 cent stamp depicting an aerial view of the complex. The need for a new Parliament arose when it was realised that with the increase in the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) there was not enough accommodation in the old Parliament at Galle Over the years, the number of MPs had steadily increased. The State Council (1931-1947) had 61 members (50 elected, 8 nominated by the Governor & 3 Officers of State - the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary & the Legal Secretary). When the House of Representatives replaced the State Council in 1947, there were 101 MPs - 95 elected & 6 appointed by the Governor-General. The number increased to 157 (151 elected & 6 appointed) in 1960 and to 168 in 1977. From 1989 the number has risen to 225 (196 electd & 29 nominated from the National List.) While the need to build a new complex was being discussed from the early 1970s, it was after the Jayewardene Government was set up in July 1977 that it was decided to locate the new Parliament at a suitable site in Kotte. An island in the historic Diyawanna Oya was chosen. The reputed architect Geoffrey Bawa was selected to design it. The Japanese firm Mitsui Ltd was chosen as the builders. The site chosen was a marsh. It was dredged to form a large man-made lake with a wide shore, later to be thickly wooded with indigenous trees. The new Parliament buildings stand on this island and the approach is across a great causeway and forecourt to the bronze doors in the entrance arcade. Then up the ceremonial stairs leading through the silver doors to the central core of power - the Chamber - within the main pavilion with its balconies and galleries, rises three storeys above the two levels of tiered terraces within which are the administrative offices and committee rooms. The huge copper roofs of the pavilions, large and small, supported by the traditional patterns of timber and stone columns have an echo of the monastic and royal buildings of the distant past. The lobby walls are decked with murals painted by Dr. Manjusri, the famous Sri Lankan painter. Banners and Standards used in ancient times adorn the Chamber. The new Parliament has brought back the glory that Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte once enjoyed as the country's capital (1411 to 1568). Parakramabahu VI founded the Kotte kingdom giving it supremacy over the subject kingdoms in the country. His 55 year reign was a golden era of poetry and literature. With the advent of the Portuguese (1505) resulting in constant harassment, the kingdom was shifted from Kotte to Udarata (Kandy) and in 1597 the city was finally abandoned and its temples, buildings and monuments were razed to the ground by the Portuguese. Opening the new Parliament complex, President Jayewardene said: "In this Temple of Democracy let us so conduct ourselves for the welfare of the many that generations yet unborn may say that within this Chamber our words and conduct represented our finest hours." ALSO NOTE: *The capital designate of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, a suburb of Colombo *With Sri Lanka's independence in 1948, Colombo had sufficient administrative and commercial buildings to become the country's capital. Within a few decades, the buildings had been outgrown, and Colombo was unable to absorb the increasing demand for new administrative building. *Land expansion was thought possible in Kotte through the reclamation of large tracts of marshland. *The city of Kotte, which was known historically as Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, was the capital of Sinhalese kings from 1415 until 1565, when it was abandoned in favor of Colombo. Encircled by lagoons, rivers, and swamps, it provided excellent natural defenses. Its proximity to the port of Colombo also made it a suitable choice for the capital. *Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte was chosen because the city was the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom before Portug uese domination *The majority of the parliamentary buildings at Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte are on a reclaimed swamp area of Lake Diyawanna Oya. The National State Assembly building is on an island in the lake. The new parliamentary building was opened on April 29, 1982, and the relocation of government offices began in 1983.By 1988 the ministries of education and local government had been relocated to Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte. *Named for the 15th-century Sinhalese capital, Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte is a modern planned to wn with a large administrative complex, residential zones, and public housing. *It is estimated that it will take 20 years to move all of the government offices from Colombo (except those connected with trade and commerce, which will remain in the former capital). ----------------- Again, I do so humbly apology for not bowing down to your obviously superior knowledge and understanding on all of these such issues. I deeply appreciate that you took the time and the energy to correct such an unworthy person as I am as compared to you. Nicole
