Beruwala

Beruwala (Sinhala:බේරුවල Tamil: பேருவளை) is a large town in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council.

It marks the spot for the first Muslim settlement on the island, established by a Somali Sheikh Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn.

[3][4] The first Muslim settlement of Sri Lanka was in Beruwala which is situated in the Western coastal area of the Island.

[5] Beruwala was named "Berbereen" in the past in honor of Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn who is also known as Shaykh Abu Barakat al Barbari, a Somali Muslim scholar and a traveler who founded the city.

[7] During the 10th century Prince Jamal-ud-din, the son of Sultan of Konya arrived in Beruwala to practice Unani medicine.

[9][10] Vathimi Raja was a son of Buvanekabahu I, who married a Muslim spouse from Beruwala, the daughter of one of the chiefs.

[11][9][12] Vathimi Raja was first seen by the Arab traveler Ibn Batuta during his visit to Sri Lanka in 1344 while Vathimi Raja's son Parakrama Bahu II (Alkeshwara II) was a Muslim while the lineage of Alkeshwara Kings was ended in 1410.

M. A Bakeer Markar was once the acting Head of State of Sri Lanka, for a brief period in 1981, when President J. R. Jayewardene and Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa left for England to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

Following the 2018 Local Authority elections, an independent alignment supported by former chairmen Mazahim Mohamed, Marjan Faleel MP and former chairman of Beruwala UC, and Milfer Caffoor former chairman of Beruwala UC won the elections.