|
The ruined sluice of Panda Wewa |
Ruins of the Ancient Panda Wewa Reservoir (Sinhala: පුරාණ පඬා වැව නටඹුන්) are found scattered in the area near Detiyamulla and around the Kolamunu Oya Stream in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. The Ancient City of Panduwasnuwara is located southern end of this reservoir site.
History
The breached reservoir was known as Pandavapi in ancient times. It was already created before the establishment of the Dakkhinadesa by King Parakramabau I (1153-1186 A.D.) of Polonnaruwa (Parker, 1909). According to Parker, this tank which has a history running back to the pre-Christian era may be the first great reservoir ever constructed, if we omit from consideration the great lakes of Egypt, since they were merely immense natural hollows into which water was turned (Parker, 1909).
The historical resources state that King Dappula II (815-831 A.D.) of Anuradhapura built a hospital near this tank and that tank was later restored by King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) of Polonnaruwa (Nicholas, 1963; Parker, 1909). King Parakramabahu I repaired the Setthivapi tank (Hettipola tank: or Panda Wewa) as part of his plan of development of his principality of Dakkhinadesa (Nicholas, 1963). According to the view of eminent archaeologist S. Paranavitana, this was the first Parakramasamudda (not to be confused with present Parakrama Samudraya), also called Bana or Bana Samudra (Nicholas, 1963). The broken inscription of King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 A.D.) of four lines which is found engraved on a stone at the outlet of the low-level sluice of the breached tank indicates that this tank was completed during his reign (Parker, 1909).
The tank breached in the early years of the 19th century (Parker, 1909). Although King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798-1815 A.D.) of Kandy entrusted its repair to one of his chiefs, it couldn't fulfilled as he was recalled in 1815, before the work was begun due to the rebellion which ended with downfall of the Kandyan Kingdom (Parker, 1909). Since then, the tank remained useless state down to the present day (Parker, 1909).
A Protected Site
The Detiyamulla Panda Wewa lake’s stone outlet and ancient sluice situated in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 1,352 Ottegama, in the Hettipola Divisional Secretary’s Division are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government gazette notification, published on 6 June 2008.
Related Posts
Read Also
References
Books, Government Gazette Notifications, Journal Articles
1) 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.104.
2) Parker, H., 1909. Ancient Ceylon: An account of the aborigines and of part of the early civilisation. Luzac & Co. London. pp.353-360.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1553. 6 June 2008. p.532.
Location Map
Dynamic Google Map
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.