IPKF Memorial in Colombo Sri Lanka (කොළඹ ඉන්දියානු සාම සාධක හමුදා ස්මාරකය)

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The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was a military contingent sent by the Indian government to Sri Lanka as part of efforts to intervene in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The civil war, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, was fought between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Terrorist group, a separatist militant organization fighting for an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

The IPKF’s involvement in Sri Lanka was primarily aimed at enforcing the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, which was signed between the governments of India and Sri Lanka in July 1987. Under the accord, the Sri Lankan government agreed to devolve some powers to the provinces and grant autonomy to the Tamil-majority areas in the north and east of the country. In return, the LTTE was expected to lay down its arms and participate in the political process.

The IPKF was deployed to Sri Lanka in July 1987 with the primary objectives of disarming the LTTE, facilitating the withdrawal of Sri Lankan military forces from the north and east, and maintaining peace and stability in the region.

However, the IPKF’s mission in Sri Lanka was a disaster, with some comparing it to the US involvement in Vietnam. The LTTE refused to disarm and instead engaged in violent clashes with the IPKF. The IPKF faced fierce resistance from the LTTE and suffered significant casualties during its operations in Sri Lanka.

The IPKF’s presence in Sri Lanka was also met with opposition from some segments of the Sri Lankan population, particularly Sinhalese nationalist groups, who viewed the Indian intervention as interference in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.

Ultimately, the IPKF’s mission in Sri Lanka ended in failure, and the Indian government withdrew its forces from the country in March 1990. The civil war in Sri Lanka continued for nearly two more decades until the Sri Lankan military defeated the LTTE in May 2009, effectively ending the conflict.

The magnificent IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) Memorial constructed by the Sri Lanka Navy located in Jana Kala Kendraya premises near the parliament complex, commemorates the soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force who lost their lives during Operation Pawan, which was part of the efforts to intervene in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The monument was built in 2008, one year before it decisively defeated the LTTE. Lt General Kalkat was invited for the inaugural by the Lankan government, which promised to send a chartered aircraft to fly him and the families of the war dead for the ceremony, but the Indian defence ministry prohibited him from travelling effectively sabotaging the unviling. Thus this monument is still left without an official unveiling date.

The memorial pays tribute to the 1155 Indian soldiers who served in the IPKF and made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection for their families, fellow soldiers, and visitors.

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Map of Elephant Pass War Memorial

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Travelling Directions to Elephant Pass War Memorial

Route 01 from Colombo to Elephant Pass War Memorial

Through : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Anuradhapura – Vavunia
Distance :355 km
Travel time : 7-8 hours
Driving directions : see on Google map

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Degaldoruwa Pitiye Devale (දෙගල්දෝරුව පිටියේ දේවාලය)
Pitiye Deviyo is a powerful protector deity of Dumbara who had once defeated the deity Natha Deviyo who had fled in fear of him after a brief battle. The people of Dumbara fear and respect him as he is believed to protect the land, the crops, and the people who live in the area. He provides the rain on time for cultivation and dry weather for harvesting. […]
Tissamaharama Uduvila Gangarama Viharaya (තිස්සමහාරාම උඩුවිල ගංගාරාම විහාරය)
Despite the Uduvila Gangarama Viharaya temple's recent developments, there are still a few relics of the monastic complex from the Pre-Christian era. Near the stupa, you'll find a cluster of undressed stone pillars that once supported an ancient building. Additionally, the top portion of a massive Yupa Gala, and Gal Chatra is found nearby […]
Archaeological Ruins at Tissamaharama Poththewelagala Aranya Senasanaya (පොත්තේවෙලගල ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය)
The Poththewelagala Ruins are located in a scrub jungle, 2 kilometers southeast of Tissamaharama. The site can be reached from a gravel road 3.3 km down the Kirinda-Sithulpawwa Road. A black archaeology board by the roadside marks the direction of this gravel road. After driving 1 kilometre along this road and passing a model village, you will arrive at the ruins. […]
Tissamaharama Uddhakandara Rajamaha Viharaya (උද්ධකන්දර රජමහා විහාරය)
Uddhakandara Rajamaha Viharaya is a new temple in Tissamaharama built on an ancient monastic site going back to the pre-Christian era. The original temple is believed to have been built by regional king Mahanaga, the brother of King Devanmpiyatissa (250-210 BCE) who fled the Anuradhapura kingdom. […]
Thambarawa Wewa & Pre Historic Burial Site (තඹරව වැව හා ප්‍රාග් ඓතිහාසික සුසාන භූමිය)
Thambarawa is a small ancient reservoir situated 8 km southeast of Tissa, on the western border of the Yala National Park. The area is partly paddy fields and covered in forest on the southern side. The reservoir was restored for the last time in 2023. The bund of the Thambarawa Wewa is 640 meters long with spills on both sides of the bund. […]
Handapangala Wewa Reservoir (හඳපානාගල වැව ජලාශය)
Handapangala Wewa is a picturesque and peaceful haven located in the Wellawaya area popular among the travellers and photographers for the abundant elephants in the area especially during the dry season. The bund of the Handapanagala Wewa is 3600 feet (1.1 km) long and 19 feet (5.8 m) high. At full capacity, the water covers 450 acres and holds 5000 acre feet. […]
Empilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Reservoir (ඇඹිලිපිටිය චන්ද්‍රිකා වැව ජලාශය)
Empilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Reservoir, located in the Ratnapura District bordering Hambanthota District, is one of the largest reservoirs constructed after Ceylon gained independence. Chandrika wewa today is a magnet for the tourists and pilgrims to Kataragama seeking the scenic route rather than than the Southern Expressway. […]
Udawalawe Reservoir and the Dam (උඩවලවේ ජලාශය සහ වේල්ල)
The Udawalawe Reservoir, located in the Ratnapura and Hambantota Districts of Sri Lanka, is one of the country's largest and most significant water bodies. It was constructed in 1963, primarily to support agriculture and irrigation in the surrounding regions, which include Udawalawe, Embilipitiya, and Hambantota. […]
Hurulu Wewa Reservoir (හුරුළු වැව)
Hurulu Wewa ancient reservoir, originally known as Challura Vapi, was one of sixteen reservoirs constructed by King Mahasen, the renowned Sinhalese monarch who ruled over Lanka from 276 to 303 CE. The reservoir lies on Yan Oya in the remote village of Yakalla, between Anuradhapura and Habarana off Ritigala. […]
List of Adhigars of the Kandyan Kingdom (උඩරට රාජධානියේ අධිකාරම්වරු)
The title of Adhigar (Adigar) in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka referred to a high-ranking official or noble who held significant administrative and judicial authority. In Sinhala, he is called the Adhikaram. The position was one of the most powerful in the Kandyan court, second only to the king himself. Adhigars were entrusted with overseeing various aspects of governance, including implementing laws, administering justice, and managing royal affairs. […]
Diyawadana Nilames of Kandy Dalada Maligawa
Diyawadana Nilame’ has the custody of the key to the first casket out of the seven golden caskets where the Sacred Tooth Relic is enshrined, as he is the lay custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This position is recorded in the ‘Dathuwansa’, the chronicle of tooth relic, as ‘Dhathurakkadikari’. […]
Wendaruwa Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya (වෙඬරුව කිරිවෙහෙර රජමහා විහාරය)
The image house of Wendaruwa Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya is a rectangular Kandyan-style building with a verandah supported by 16 evenly spaced wooden pillars. The pillars are carved with alternating square and cylindrical sections, though these sections are plain and lack any decorative design. The pillars rest on a wooden frame constructed with large wooden beams placed atop the half-height outer wall of the image house. […]
Dimbulagala Dewagala Archaeological Ruins (දේවගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
These ruins are scattered across a rocky hill that stretches approximately 800 meters from north to south. The hill is surrounded on all sides by farmland. An irrigation canal and a paved road run along the eastern slope, making the western slopes the most accessible route to approach the rock by a vehicle. […]
Ambastala Dagaba (Sela Chethiya) and the Vatadage (අම්බස්තල දාගැබ)
Climbing up the 1,840 steps of Mihintale, this is the first relic which comes to view once you reach the upper terrace of Mihintale Complex. Ambastala Dagaba (also called Sela Chethiya) believed to be built by by King Mahadatika Mahanaga (09-21 AC) on the exact place where the great Mahinda Thero met the King Devanampiyatissa. […]
Indikatu Seya Monastery Complex at Mihintale (මිහින්තලේ ඉඳිකටු සෑය ආරාමය)
Indikatu Seya is a monastery complex lying within the lager Mihintale Complex. A stone parapet encloses the monastic establishment identified as the Indikatu Seya monastery. According the legend the smithy instruments and tools used in the construction of Mihintale Monastery is enshrined in this stupa. […]
Prehistoric Minihagalkanda in Yala (ප්‍රාග් ඓතිහාසික යාළ මිනිහාගල්කන්ද)
Less than two miles along the coast from Pillinnawa modera, towards Pothana, is a ridge that rises steeply above the shore. At the base of the cliff are rocks eroded into the shape of a man, which gives the cliff its name Minihagalkanda (miniha-gal-kanda). […]
Deegavapi Rajamaha Viharaya (දීඝවාපි රජමහා විහාරය)
Deegavapi is one of the 16 places which has been blessed by the Buddha's presence. Buddha was invited to Kelaniya by Mani Akkika of Naga Tribe, ruler of the Kelaniya region on his second visit to Nagadeepa. On the 8th year of attaining nirvana Buddha decided to visit Sri Lanka for the third time specially to Kelaniya. During this visit he came to Deegavapi with 500 Arhaths and spend time meditating. […]
Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya (මහියංගන විහාරය)
The god had the hair-relic secured in a golden reliquary and enshrined it in a small tope (Mahiyangana Viharaya) 10 ft. high and 24 ft. in circumference (Mhv. 1:36). It is the first cetiya in Sri Lanka, built during the life-time of the Buddha. All other cetiyas were of later construction. […]
Ruins of Kiribath Vehera of Ancient Anuradhapura
Kiribath Vehera is situated in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura between the Vijayarama Ruins and the stone bridge over the Malwathu Oya. The remains of this dilapidated stupa partially restored by the archaeology department and rarely visited by the pilgrim is 30 feet in height and the circumference is 425 feet. […]
Dakkhina Stupa / Dakshina Stupa (දක්ෂිණ ස්තුපය)
Dakkhina Stupa (Dakshina Stupa) is a large brick mound structure , probably an unfinished stupa lying close to sri maha bodhi. Untill recently this site was mistakenly identified as tomb of Elara. […]
Lankaramaya in Anuradhapura Kingdom (අනුරාධපුර රාජධානියේ ලංකාරාමය)
The Lankaramaya stupa was built on the 1st century BC by King Vattagamini Abaya (Walagamba). The ancient name of this temple is “Silasobbha Khandaka Cetiya” […]
Anuradhapura Mirisawetiya Dagaba (අනුරාධපුර මිරිසවැටිය දාගැබ)
Mirisawetiya Dagaba has been built by King Dutugamunu (161-137 BC) and this belongs to Mahavihara Complex. King Dutugamunu is the great king who defeated the Tamil invaders who ruled the country for 30 years and brought the country under one ruler. […]
Aluth Herathgama Upathissaramaya Purana Tampita Viharaya
The Tampita Viharaya at Aluth Herathgama is built on 10 stone pillars with an average height of 51cm. The building does not have a circumambulating path generally found in such structures. The inner image house is 2.95 meters long and 2.36 meters wide. The whole structure is 3.94 meters and 2.36 meters wide. […]
Sangamiththa Stupa of Ancient Anuradhapura (අනුරාධපුර සංඝමිත්තා ස්ථුපය)
About one hundred thirty meters to the east of Thuparama Dagoba lies a small stupa identified as the Sangamiththa Stupa. It is said in ancient chronicles that the king Uttiya enshrined the ashes of Arhath Sangamitta Theri to the east of the Thuparama stupa. Archaeologists believe that this is the stupa mentioned in the chronicles. […]
Padalanchana Chethiya of Ancient Anuradhapura (අනුරාධපුර පාදලාඤ්ජන චේතිය)
According the Great Chronicle Mahavamsa, Buddha has placed his foot print at the site of Padalanchana Chethiya rising to the air to return to India after his 3rd visit to Sri Lanka. […]

Also See

Map of Elephant Pass War Memorial

Travelling Directions to Elephant Pass War Memorial

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