<P> Lanka first appears as one of the many names for the island, in the Dipavamsa . It was also the classical name bestowed on the island by the Ramayana, an ancient Indian Sanskrit epic poem, where the divine prince Rama rescues his wife beautiful Sita from the demon king Ravana in Lanka . </P> <P> Lak - diva in E'lu (old Sinhala) means the island of Lanka . Lak - vaesiyaa in Sinhala (the native language of the Sinhalese people, who make up the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka) means an inhabitant of the island of Lanka . Another traditional Sinhala name for Sri Lanka was Lakdiva, with diva also meaning "island". A further traditional name is Lakbima . Lak in both cases is derived again from Lanka . The same name could have been adopted in Tamil as Ilankai; the Tamil language commonly adds "i" before initial "l"., </P> <P> Another possible theory is that the name Lanka is derived from the Tamil word "ilanku" (இலங்கு), which means "to shine" or "to glitter", thus making Lanka a name that means "that which glitters". It earned this name on account of the glittering of the gold and gems found on its surface . </P> <P> At the time of Gautama Buddha in India, the founder of the Buddhism (the largest religion in Sri Lanka) 2,500 years ago Sri Lanka was known as Lankadweepa (dweepa means island). He is said to have visited the island . </P>

Where does the name sri lanka come from