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Wahalkada Wewa |
Wahalkada Wewa (Sinhala: වාහල්කඩ වැව) is a shallow reservoir situated west of Yan Oya Reservoir in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka.
History
Wahalkada Wewa is believed to be the ancient Weeravapi tank, one of the 16 great reservoirs built during the time of King Mahasen [(276-301 A.D.) IUCN & CEA, 2006]. Historical sources indicate that this tank was restored during the reigns of King Agbo II (604-614 A.D.) of Anuradhapura and King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A.D.) of Polonnaruwa. Legends say that when Padaviya Wewa was the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka, it was referred to as the Maha Samudra (Great Sea) while the nearby Wahalkada Wewa was called Bena Samudra (Nephew's Sea).
By the 1950s, the area was densely forested. During the surveys around the ruined tank, two ancient Bisokotuwas, three old embankments with Ralapanawa and several other ruins were discovered. An ancient inscription belonging to the reign of King Udaya I (797-801 A.D.) of Anuradhapura was also discovered at Rambewa, near the northwestern corner of the tank (Nicholas, 1963). The tank was restored between 1970 and 1973 by the Irrigation Department (IUCN & CEA, 2006).
The Reservoir
The reservoir is situated in the northeastern dry zone in the Yan Oya Basin (IUCN & CEA, 2006). It has been built by blocking the Tavalam Helmillewa Oya, a tributary of Yan Oya that flows through a gap of about 100 m valley between Makini Kanda and Yakini Kanda. The water extends in an area of about 2,883 ha at its full supply level (IUCN & CEA, 2006).
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References
Books
1) IUCN & CEA, 2006. National Wetland Directory of Sri Lanka. IUCN Sri Lanka and the Central Environmental Authority. Colombo, Sri Lanka. ISBN: 955-8177-54-7. pp.302-303.
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.169.
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Attribution
To Whom
LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Mrs Badra Kamaladasa (Former Director General of Irrigation) for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.