King I
Parakramabahu built the lake during the Polonnaruwa era. The lake was created by
merging the three lakes known as ‘Thopa wewa’, ‘Dumbuthulu wewa’ and ‘Erabadu
wewa’. Sri Lanka was self-sufficient in agricultural production during the period
of construction of the lake.
There is a narrative about Parakrama Samudraya with the King I Parakramabahu. During the King Parakramabahu’s reign, the King decided to have the carts loaded with feeds from all over Sri Lanka discharged from Polonnaruwa. Carts arrived a few days after all the feeds were sold. This happened on a regular basis. The discharged carts returned to the Reign without being unloaded a few months later.
According to the historical revelations, it says, at the moment the King decided that Sri Lanka is currently self-sufficient. The Lake ‘Parakrama Samudraya’ provided invaluable assistance in achieving that goal. The surplus food was then exported. Polonnaruwa reigned under the three great kings: King I Vijayabahu, King I Parakramabahu and King Nishshankamalla. As a ruler, King Nishshankamalla established the majority of inscriptions in Sri Lanka. He was also involved in religious activities.
There were faraway incursions to Sri Lanka during the reign of King I Vijayabahu, and the King beat them off. As a result, it was not possible to build another lake other than this one in the Polonnaruwa era to the kingships.
Minneriya
During King Mahasen’s reign in Anuradhapura, the lake was constructed. The people turned their backs on the monarch because of his mismanaged reign. The queen and the mother of King Mahasen then warned the king to do something pleasing to the people of the kingdom. As a result, according to history, the king began to develop agricultural and irrigation lands in Sri Lanka by establishing and growing lakes.
The Mahaweli River’s sub rivers are still used to transport water to the lakes which were built by the King. People used to refer to Minneriya Lake as ‘Manahira waapi’ and ‘Minihiriya’ lake. Simultaneously King Mahasen also constructed the lakes of ‘Hurulu’, ’Mahakanadara’, ‘Mahagalkadawala’ and ‘Kaudulu’.
The canal
named ‘Elahera’, founded by King Wasabha, which was stopped up near the
Minneriya Lake, was extended to ‘Kanthale’ lake by King Mahasen.
Kala wewa
One of the supreme lakes was founded by King Dhaathusena in Anuradhapura Reign. According to the historical records, the lake was also called as ‘Kalaa Balalu wewa’. The lake called ‘Balalu’ was a small lake which was connected to the lake ‘Kalaa’ in the past. That’s why people called it ‘Kalaa Balalu wewa’. But now, there are no connected lakes and two lakes called ‘Kalaa’ and ‘Balalu’ are separated.
The world famous canal called ‘Yodha’, which was built by King Dhathusena also started from lake ‘Kalaa’ to the lake called ‘Nuwara’. The most important thing is the slope of the canal is one inch per one mile. That is revealing an important turning point of past Sri Lankans irrigational technology.
Nuwara Wewa
According to the historians, this lake also known as “Nakarawachi” was founded by King ‘1st Gajabahu’ who reigned from 114 to 136 (Years of Christianity) in the Anuradhapura kingdom. This was one of the major projects in Anuradhapura, supplying water to the locals. The other one was ‘Thisa’ wewa water supply project.
Yodha Wewa
King Dhathusena founded the lake in Anuradhapura Reign. Situated in the Semi-arid region in Mannar District.
Mahawilachchiya Wewa
King Wasabha built the lake in the Anuradhapura reign. The King was the pioneer who started to build the largest rivers in Sri Lanka.
Thisa Wewa
In the third year of the Christian era, King
‘Dewanampiyathissa’ constructed this.
“Thisa” Wewa was involved in major projects in Sri Lanka, including irrigational, agricultural and cultural projects.
Abhaya Wewa
According to the Mahawansa, the lake was
founded by King “Pandukabhaya”. The lake is also known as ‘Abhaya’ or
‘Basawakkulama’. The lake covered 205 acres in the middle of Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura Kingdom
|
KING |
LAKE |
|
King
Pandukabhaya(377-307bc) |
Abhaya(Basawakkulama)
and Jaya lake. |
|
King
Dewanampiyathissa (250-210bc) |
Thisaa and Walas
Lake |
|
King Saddhathissa
(137-119bc) |
18 number of lakes
including Peeliwaapi, Samanawaapi, Thalaththawaapi, Kulumbariwaapi,
Vihaarawaapi, Ibbalawaapi. |
|
King
ilanaga(33-43bc) |
Thissa and Durathisa
lake |
|
King Wasabha(67-111) |
11 number of lakes
Including Mahawilachchiya, Manaketi, Nochchipothana and Hiriwadunna lakes and 12 number of Canals
including Elahera canal. |
|
King Mahasen
(274-301) |
16 number of lakes
including Minneriya, Hurulu, Mahakanadara, Maaminiya, Maharathmale, Kaudulla,
Mahagalkadawala and Magalla lakes and Sabbathannatha canal, Niramulla lake,
Hulugalla lake, |
|
King 1st
Upatissa(365-406) |
06 number of lakes
including Thopa lake. |
|
King
Dhathusena(455-473) |
18 Number of lakes
including Kalaa, Balalu, Madathugama and Paanagam lakes, Yodha canal,
Maanaamaththa lake. |
|
King 2nd
Mugalan(531-551) |
Nachchaduwa
(Pathpahan) lake, Padawiya lake, Garitharawapi lake. |
|
King 1st
Agbo(571-604) |
Maamaduwa, Kurundu,
Siriwaddamanaka lakes, Thaththimurippu kulam lake and Minipe Canal |
|
King
2nd Agbo(604-614) |
Girithale and
Kanthale lakes, Haththota weir and canal. |
Polonnaruwa Kingdom
|
KING |
LAKE |
|
King 1st Wijayabahu
(1055-1110) |
Buduguna Lake, Reconstruction of lakes
that were ruined from war. |
|
King 1st
Parakramabahu (1153-1186) |
Parakrama samudraya, Baana
samudraya, Deduru oya development, Paanda Lake in Panduwasnuwara, Angamedilla
weir and canal, Gomathi canal. Kalinga weir and canal, |
|
King
Nishshankamalla(1187-1196) |
Paandiwapiya lake, Reconstruction
lakes |
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