Panda Wewa
The First man made Reservoir in the World
Panda wewa is situated closer to Ancient Kingdom is Panduwasnuwara.
The area can be reached though Negambo - Chillaw side or from Kurunegala.
Although no direct mention has been found in the ancient texts which
could be used to find the origins of the tank, this is believed to be
the tank built by King Panduwasdeva (504-474 BC) in 450 BC for irrigation
as well as for daily use by the citizens of Panduwasnuwara.
The 14th centaury manuscript "Pradhana
Nuwarawal" provides
a detail description of the city built by King Panduwasdeva along with
the tank which he built. H. Parker, in his publication "Ancient Ceylon" in
1909, believes that 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.
Also he shows his amazement of ancient irrigation engineers ability
to control such a large volume of water the ability to build such a large
dam as early as 5th Century BC.
.... we must be prepared to admit that either brick-making or stone-cutting,
or both, as well as the art of building with those materials, were
sufficiently understood in Ceylon at that early period for the designer
to venture to construct a masonry outlet or, sluice for the purpose
of regulating the flow of the water and passing it out for the use
of the rice fields that would be cultivated lower down the valley by
its aid. Such a great body of water would never be retained for the
mere use of the inhabitants of the city; and the tank must have been
originally intended for irrigating rice lands in addition to providing
the people with a supply of water for drinking and bathing purposes. For
fulfilling such an object some kind of substantially built outlet at a
low level would be a necessity.
On the other hand, there can be no doubt that the arts of stone-cutting
and brick-burning were well advanced long before the erection of the
first dagabas, and the cutting of the earliest inscriptions and the
fronts of the cave shelters of the Buddhist monks, in the third century
B.C. No mere learners could have done the works in brick-burning and
building, and in stone-cutting, which are still preserved. King Pandukabhaya,
who probably became king at about the end of the fourth century B.C.
(that is, less than seventy years after Panduwasa Deva), certainly
formed a reservoir which had an embankment higher than that of Panda-waewa
..............
Also according to his publication, the tank was being
used use until 19th centaury ( for over 2300 years) until the bunt
was breached after a heavy rainy season. But after repairs to the breach,
even today this tank is being used to cultivate land around area.
Created : January 11, 2009
Updated :
January 11, 2009
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