Puliyanthivu () is an island of Sri Lanka and part of Batticaloa town. It has important infrastructures such as government buildings (District Secretariat. municipal council, post office, public library, teaching hospital, bus stand, etc.), banks, schools, worship places and places of historical importance, notably Batticaloa Fort.
Batticaloa historical book Mattakalapputh Thamilakam quotes from Swami Vipulananda that VeddaâÂÂs chieftain Puliyan ruled the area and his name later adapted to the island. Puliyanthivu literally means "island of Puliyan" (thivu means island). Also, the book quotes from Mahavamsa that there was a caste called Pulinthar, which could be the reason for the name of the island. As per the common naming norms of villages in Batticaloa, which are called by the name of tree or a pond, the island could have been named after the tamarind tree, as there were a lot of tamarind trees in the area. Tamarind is called "puli" in Tamil. Literally, it means "island of tamarind".
In the 11th century, one the minister among seven ministers of king Kathirsuthan of Chola dynasty was ruled the area, and the minister name was Pulimaran.