Madakalapu

Madakalapu, or Batticaloa, lies beside a long lagoon on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast. Its sheltered waters and routes inland made it an important outlet for the kingdom of Kandy, which sought access to the sea while Portuguese forces occupied much of the western coast. Rice, areca nuts and elephants were among the products of the surrounding country.

In 1628 the Portuguese commander Constantino de Sá built a fort on Puliyantivu island in the lagoon. Kandy opposed the loss of this important port. In 1638 Dutch forces attacked and captured the fort in cooperation with the Kandyan king. The Dutch later withdrew and returned, seeking to control trade and collect revenues from the area. The fort’s lagoon setting gave it natural protection and made it a contested gateway between the island’s interior and the Indian Ocean.