TOWARDS OUR PLACES – Savakacheri

Towards our places
TOWARDS OUR PLACES – Savakacheri

Savakacheri is an area under the Thenmaradchi Divisional Secretariat in the Jaffna District in the Northern Province. It has old small villages around; Thondamanaaru, Kaythadi, Kodikaamam, Navathkuli.

It is believed here that perhaps the name Savakacheri came out because of the activity of related invaders have taken place here. The first war between the Sinhala forces and the Tamils took place at Savakacheri in the year 1450. When Chola King captured Pararasasekaran, a warrior named Paramanirubasingan rescued him from Chola King. Because of this Paramanirubasingan were gifted eight villages, incl. Savakacheri.

Savakacheri still stands up with its own Tamil identity after overcoming many invasion wars such as Chola, Javanese and Portuguese, Dutch, English and Sri Lankan military invasions.

Forests, coconut palms, fields, trees, grains, fruit trees, especially jackfruit, mango and banana are everywhere in Savakacheri.

Despite having many small ponds no irrigation projects have been done yet in Savakacheri. Today Savakacheri is becoming a thriving economic city of specialization but the rural economy is lagging behind. The people who depend on it are facing massive crisis in earning income. The country’s economy and inflation are causing further crisis.

The Sri Lankan army invaded and captured Savakacheri in the “Sooriyakathir” operation in 1995. Then in 2000 the LTTE withdrew Savakacheri during the Sri Lankan and LTTE negotiations.