[2] Once an important spice-trading centre, the town's name is derived from the Kalu Ganga ('Black River' in native Sinhala).

In the 11th century, the town was temporarily made a capital on the orders of a South Indian Prince.

The location also boast fortifications (Kalutara fort) dating back from the times when Portuguese, Dutch and British vied for control of the area.

The 38 m (125 ft) long Kalutara Bridge was built at the mouth of the Kalu Ganga River and serves as a major link between the country's western and southern border.

The other occasion was when the village of Yodunpahe or Pasyodune was cultivated by King Maha Parakumba between Kalutara and Bentara.

Kalutara is mentioned again during the journey of King Parakumba II, who came to worship at Benthota Galapata temple during the Dambadeni period, when the Rajarata kingdoms began to expand to the southwest.

During the Gampaha period, the Arya Chakravarthi kings of the Tamil kingdom of Jaffna passed Panadura and took the people to Kalutara.

Gampala And in the epic poems written during the Kotte eras, there are precious comments about Kalutara and the temple located there (Gangathilaka Viharaya-Kalutara Bodhi).

In each of these epic poems, it is mentioned that the location of Kalutara is right in the middle of Pothupitiya and Kalamulla villages.

Raigama converted to Catholicism because of Princess Bandara's visit to Tammi from the Palace of Yakunduwa, and acted in favor of the Portuguese, but later carried out an anti-Portuguese practice.

After the destruction of the Catholic church in Kalamulla by "Don Susev" of Hulsfdorp Mountain (Wulfandal), the assistant of prince "Vediye Bandara" in Kalutara, the arrival of anti-gal forces blocked the northern entrance of Kalamulla with thornbushes and the current Katukurunda is the same.

It was after the Portuguese era that the fierce caste wars that commemorated Kalutara city in history began.

During the Portuguese period, a large group of Salagama people landed from Madampe(Amabaangoda) and settled in Waskaduwa,Pothupitiya, Deshastra and Kalamulla.