where is colombo located on the world map
Colombo Colombo (Sinhala: කොළඹ Kolamba, pronounced [ˈkəlɐmbɞ]; Tamil: கொழும்பு) is the commercial capital[3] and largest city of Sri Lanka. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million,[4][5][6][7][8] and 752,993[2] in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a popular tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a suburb of, Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of Western Province, Sri Lanka and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins.[9] It was the legislative capital of Sri Lanka until 1982.
Sri Lanka Matha There are differing accounts as to the origin of the Sri Lanka Matha. The most widely held view is that Sri Lankan composer Ananda Samarakoon wrote the music and lyrics to the song inspired/influenced by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.[1][2][3][4] A minority suggest that Tagore wrote the anthem in full.[5][6][7][8] Some have suggested that Tagore wrote the music whilst Samarakoon wrote the lyrics.[9][10] Samarakoon had been a pupil of Tagore at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.[11][12] After returning to Ceylon Samarakoon taught music at Mahinda College, Galle.[13][14] The song, which was then known as Namo Namo Mata, was first sung by students at Mahinda College.[15][16] After it was sung by the choir from Musaeus College, Colombo at a public event it became hugely popular in Ceylon and was widely played on radio.[17]