The northern most part of the city of Colombo which was a very famous and elite residential area of the many Colonial rulers from the Dutch, Portuguese and British Empires on account of its vast green spaces and also proximity to the port of Colombo away from the bazaar towns. Aluthmawatte Road is an extremely long stretch of roadway that begins at the Pettah and stretches all the way north-eastwa
rds to meet Mattakuliya Center Road which in turn stretches further northwards towards the estuary of the Kelani River where it spills into the Indian Ocean. Muthuwella Mawatha, which eventually becomes Modera Street from where Madampitiya Road begins its eastward journey, also moves north-eastwards almost parallel to Aluthmawatte Road and takes a right angle turn to the left to cross Aluthmawatte Road at the point where Aluthmawatte Road extends to Mattakuliya Center Road. Vystwyke Road runs parallel to Mattakuliya Center Road, starting from Modera Street and ending near the Kelani Ganga estuary. Other streets of Modera are, Mosque Lane, Santha Santiago Mawatha, Church Lane, Temple Road, Whist Passage, St James Street, St Winifreds Lane, St Judes Mawatha, St Bridgets Lane, St Elmos Lane, Rajamalwatte Road, Hubert Place, St Johns Way, Dhawala Sinharama Mawatha, Sri Pannananda Mawatha, Mudalindu John Rodrigo Mawatha, & Dr S D Fernando Mawatha. The famous Elie House Park is located alongside Aluthmawatte Road. The town has a large percentage of Catholics, belonging to the Tamil and Colombo Chetty communities, and Muslims. The many street names that have links to Catholic Saints is proof of this. There are also many places of Catholic and Muslim worship in this locality. Mattakuliya has many streets of its own, some of which are Beach Park Road, 5th Lane, 6th Lane, 7th Lane, all close to the beachfront, St Mary’s Road, Mattakuliya Center Road, Church Lane, Zavia Lane, Mattakuliya Farm Road, Sri Wickrema Mawatha, Frensewatte Lane, Malwatte Lane, Rawatte Lane, Hendala Ferry Road which leads up to the estuary across which one could take a boat to Hendala. The Ekamuthupura Housing Scheme is also located in this area. Kelani Ganga Mill Road, Sri Kalyani Gangarama Mawatha are branches off Mattakuliya Church Road to the east by the Kelani Ganga. The National Aquatic Resource Agency (NARA) and the Sri Lanka Fisheries Training Institute are also located at Mattakuliya close to Crow’s Island along Nara Road by the seafront. Bodhiajaramaya is located on 5th Lane. The Matakkuliya Central Bus Depot is located alongside Hendala Ferry Road.
