Dharga Town received its name from the shrine of Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magodoomy (Rali).

[2] The first Sri Lankan Muslim settlement was established at Berbereen (Beruwala), which was named in honour of Abu Yusuf al-Barbari, the Berber traveller who founded the city.

[3] After a speech from Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, leader of the Bodu Bala Sena, a local mosque was stoned by a mob.

[4] Subsequently, a two-day period of unrest occurred, resulting in widespread destruction of mosques, homes, and businesses and a total of four fatalities and eighty reported injuries.

[13] Sinhalese and Tamils make up the rest (including Seenawatha 765-A and Welipitiya 768-A)[14][further explanation needed] The B157 Aluthgama – Mathugama road provides a key transportation route to and from the town.