Tissa Wewa is said to be the ancient Tissavapi tank built by Ilanaga. it is considered the first large tank built at Mahagama, the capital of Rohana.
Tissa Wewa (Tissamaharama) Not to be confused with Tissa Wewa, Anuradhapura Tissa Wewa (Sinhala: තිස්ස වැව) is a reservoir situated near Tissamaharama Viharaya in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. History
The reservoir is said to be the ancient Tissavapi tank built by Ilanaga [(33-43 A.D.) Arumugam, 1969; Nicholas, 1963]. Some believe that it was built by Mahanaga, the brother of King Devanampiyatissa [(250-210 B.C.) Abeyawardana, 2004]. However, it is considered the first large tank built at Mahagama, the capital of the principality of Rohana (Nicholas, 1963). Restorations The Governor of Ceylon Sir Henry Ward visited the site in 1859 and recommended the restoration of the reservoir (Abeyawardana, 2004). The present tank was restored in 1879 and improved in 1939, 1949, and 1955 (Arumugam, 1969).
Reservoir Except for the drainage from its own catchment area, a channel from the Ellagala Anicut of Kirindi Oya scheme supplies water to the Tissa Wewa reservoir (Arumugam, 1969). The bund of the reservoir is about 15 feet t…
