Delft Island

 

About the Island

Name                     –       Delft

Other Names          –       Neduntheevu  (நெடுந்தீவு)

Length                    –       8 km

Maximum width     –       6 km approximately

Area                        –       50 km²

Island shape            –       Roughly Oval-shaped

                        

Delft is an island in the Palk strait, Northern province Sri Lanka which is called as Neduntheevu in Tamil. This belongs to the Jaffna district and the ethnic group here is Sri Lankan Tamil. The Tamil word Neduntheevu is means that the big island. This is the largest island in the whole archipelago of Sri Lanka. It was named 'Delft' by Rijckloff van Goens who is a Dutch Christian priest. A statue of him can be seen as he passes the main naval base. Delft is a flat Island which has swamps. The island is surrounded by Shallow water. The soil here is composed of sand, coral and limestone. Several natural lakes can be found in the interior of the island. Free-roaming horses, herds of cattle and goats live in the island, also home to migratory birds. Palm trees are abundant throughout the island and there are several species of flowers that are endemic to the island.

The population is about 5,000 and their main livelihood is fishery. Their lands are separated by coral reef walls, which are called Irish wall. These are made by placing coral reefs one on top of the other. The island has several government agencies such as a post office and a local Council. A branch of 'Bank of Ceylon' is also available and there is also infrastructure such as water and electricity. Delft is administered by the Sri Lanka Navy.

 

How to get there

Delft island can be reached from the Kurikadduwan jetty and buses run from Jaffna to the jetty.  Boat transportation service is available from the Jetty to the island. A free boat transportation service is provided by the Road Development Authority and the "Vadatharaki" and "Kumuduni" passenger vessels are special. There is also a private boat transportation service here. You must pay money and buy a ticket to travel on them. There is also a Boat that can carry vehicle such as motorbikes. It usually takes about an hour and a half to reach Delft from the Jetty. A bus service has been provided for passenger arriving in the island. Vehicles such as a safari jeep, tractor and three-wheeler can be booked by paying and visit in them.

There are low-cost accommodations which has limited facilities , guest houses provided by the relevant authorities and can be stayed by renting. There is also a luxury hotel in Delft Island called the Delft Samudra Hotel. Accommodation can be booked at this hotel through the booking.com .

 Places to visit

Growing Stone

This stone is about 5 feet high from the ground. The islanders believe that this is a gradual growth, and they perform various rituals for this stone.

 

Queen’s Tower

This was built by the Dutch during their rule in the island, also known as Quindah Tower.  The tower is a 23 feet (7.01 meters) high building made of finely limestone blocks and it was used as a navigation point or a lighthouse by Dutch and British.

Baobab Tree

This is also known locally as the elephant-tree. This is a plant which is native to Ethiopia. The Baobab tree, believed to have been brought to South Asia by Arab traders, is believed to have been planted on the Delft Island during the Dutch period. Today, the tree here is very large and has a large hollow within its trunk that can be easily assemble of few people.

Ancient Horse Stables

Horses were first brought to the island by the Dutch. Thousands of horses have been bred and sold to ships which passing through sea route of the island. These horses were gradually transformed into wild horses as the Dutch left the country. This ancient horse stable was built by the Dutch which has 64 pillars. The stable was used to house horses that had been bred and prepared for sale. 

 Amazing Banyan Tree

The branches of the tree cover a large area and form a canopy. It is difficult to find mother plant of this amazing tree. The people of delft also perform various ritual for this Banyan tree and there is a Hindu temple built for it nearby.

 

Adam’s Footprint

This is also known as the Giant’s footprint and Hanuman’s footprint. This footprint is long about 1 meter (40 inches). It is believed that this must have belonged to someone who is tall about 13 meters.

 

Dutch Fort

It is also known as Portuguese fort which is built by the Portuguese. The fort was built with two floors after the Dutch conquered Delft Island, and the ruins of the Dutch fort can still be seen today.

Old Dutch Hospital

The old Dutch hospital on the island has recently been preserved , subject to archaeological approval. The old walls are made of coral and lime mortar. The tiles used for the roof were manufactured in the year 1865.

Colonial Pigeon Cage

The height of this pillar is about 4 meters, and it is said that there are about eighty chambers. During the Dutch rule, pigeons were used to exchange messages. Once the message was tied to the pigeon's leg, the pigeons were well trained to carry the message to their destination. The cage was built near the court complex.

Ancient Court Complex

This court was started by the Dutch and later maintained by the British. This building bears the mark of the British Crown and below it is marked as 1905. The ruins of the court complex can be seen behind the Dutch hospital.

In addition, the ruins of Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas can be seen. According to Buddhist chronicles, during the Anuradhapura kingdom, there were several Buddhist temples in Delft Island. Today, there are ruins of three stupas on the Northwest coast of Delft. The main stupa is located on a high platform. The ground walls of these are being renovated.

An excavation by the Maritime Archaeological Unit in 2003 uncovered the first three inscriptions. One of the inscriptions is in Brahmi letters and the other two are in Tamil letters. The shallow sea near Delft Police Station is ideal for swimming. Several wells with clean water have been constructed at the same place for bathing in fresh water after sea bathing. Beach camping can also be done by informing the Navy Base and the Delft Police. It is a great privilege to be able to see beauty of Delft Island. Come and experience the beauty of this paradise.