‘Spring' to life in Kinniya Kinniya is one of the eleven divisions of Trincomalee District in Sri Lanka. It is located in the southern part of the district, about 16 km south of Trincomalee Town. Trincomalee District is the northernmost of the three districts in the Eastern Province. The division spreads over an area of 146.9 km, which is 5 percent of the land area of the district. Thus it is the second smallest division in terms of land area. In the North the division borders with the Thampalakamam Bay, in the West with the Thampalakamam Division, in the South with the Kantale Division and in the East with the Seruvila and Mutur Divisions (the Mahaweli Ganga forms the border) as well as with the Koddiyar Bay. There are 31 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions and 99 villages within Kinniya Division. Furthermore, it contains two local government jurisdiction areas: the Kinniya Urban Council (UC) area and the Kinniya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) area. The UC area contains about 17 GNs in the North of the division. The remaining area falls under the jurisdiction of the PS (14 GNs). The total population of the division was estimated at 75,507 persons (or 16,641 families) in 2005. Thus it is the second largest division of the Trincomalee district in terms of population. The average population density is 514 persons per km. Currently, Kinniya can be accessed from the A6 (Colombo-Trincomalee) using the B541 via Thampalakamam, or the A15 via China Bay and further via a newly built bridge between China Bay and Kinniya. This bridge is currently the longest bridge in Sri Lanka and was built with a financial assistance of 790 million rupees (about $6.87 million) from Saudi Arabia. Hot Springs Among the sights of the place are the seven hot springs of Kinniya, on the road to Trincomalee. About a mile on a side road branching from the main route, the springs are worth a visit. A high wall assembles all the seven springs in a rectangular enclosure. Each enclosed in a dwarf wall forms a well of its own. The water is mildly hot; the temperature varies but slightly in each. In effect, a public bathing resort, the use of the springs is controlled by the neighboring Mari Amman Kovil who holds the lease of the wells.
