Panankamam Tank

Panankamam Tank (Sinhala: Panankamam Wewa; Tamil: Panankamam Kulam) is a reservoir situated in Panankamam village (ancient Pahangama) in Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka. 

History
This tank has been identified as the ancient Panagamu or Pasanagama tank built by King Dhatusena (455-473 A.D.) and restored by King Parakramabahu I [(1153-1186 A.D.) Nicholas, 1963]. An inscription of Mahinda IV (956-972 A.D.) in Vessagiriya Monastery mentions grants of fields at Pahangama (modern Panankamam) to Issarasamana Viharaya in Anuradhapura (Nicholas, 1963; Wickremasinghe, 1912).

The reservoir
The bund of the reservoir is about 4,900 ft. long and the water is extending in an area of about 150 acres at its full supply level (Arumugam, 1969). It has one spill and two sluices (Arumugam, 1969). It is fed by Paranki Aru stream. 

References
1) Arumugam, S., 1969. Water resources of Ceylon: its utilisation and development. Water Resources Board. p.308.
2) Nicholas, C. W., 1963. Historical topography of ancient and medieval Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series (Vol VI). Special Number: Colombo. Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch). p.81.
3) Wickremasinghe, D.M.D.Z., 1912. Epigraphia Zeylanica: Being lithic and other inscription of Ceylon (Vol. I). London. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon. p.39.

Location Map
This page was last updated on 3 June 2022
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