Abhaya Wewa Explained

Abhaya Wewa
Sinhala; Sinhalese: අභය වැව
Location:Anuradhapura
Coords:8.3522°N 80.3882°W
Type:Reservoir
Date-Built:400 BC
Area:1235acres
Volume:133lk=offNaNlk=off
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka
Pushpin Map Alt:Location of lake in Sri Lanka

Abhaya Wewa (Sinhalese: Sinhala; Sinhalese: අභය වැව), historically Abhayavapi (Sinhalese: Sinhala; Sinhalese: අභයවාපි) or Bassawakkulama reservoir, is a reservoir in Sri Lanka, built by King Pandukabhaya who ruled in Anuradhapura from 437 BC to 367 BC, after constructing the city.[1]

It was constructed in 380 BC. The dam of the reservoir is 10 m high. The water of the reservoir is also accumulated in the Giritale and Kantalai.[2] Currently, the reservoir is about 255 acres. The embankment of the reservoir is about 5910 feet long and 22 feet high above the sill level of the sluice.[3]

Size

Area is 1235acres; the length of the Waw Kandiya (Sinhalese: Sinhala; Sinhalese: වැව් කන්ඩිය English: embankment) is 5910feet and height is 22feet. The width of the top of the embankment is 6feet to 8feet.[4] [5]

Purpose

Built inside the ancient Anuradhapura, it supplied water to the city population.[4] [5]

History

King Paduwasdeva of Sri Lanka, when married Subaddhakacanna from North India, and her seven brothers also came to Sri Lanka and established their villages. One of the brothers, Anuradha established Anuradhapura where he constructed the first reservoir. The reservoir was expanded by king Pandukabhaya. The reservoir was called Abaya Vapi at that time, in memory of one of King's uncles. The reservoir was used to feed the irrigation system.[3] [6] [7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anuradhapura Sri Lanka. Urlaub SriLanka. 2012-04-03.
  2. Book: CRC Press. 978-1-4822-6578-1. Novák. Pavel. Moffat. AIB. Nalluri. Chandra. Narayanan. RAIB. Hydraulic structures. 2017.
  3. Web site: Basawakkulama Wewa - First Reservoir to be in the recorded history of Sri Lanka. AmazingLanka.com. 2021-11-30. 2014-10-05.
  4. Web site: King Pandukabhaya (437 BC – 367 BC). 28 May 2008 . mahavamsa.org. 2012-04-03.
  5. Book: Brohier, R.L. . Seeing Ceylon. 1965 . Sooriya Publishers, Colombo. 2000 . 353–362. 4th.
  6. 0304-2235. 14. 47. 134–154. Modder. FH. ANCIENT CITIES AND TEMPLES IN THE KURUNEGALA DISTRICT. The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 1896.
  7. Wright. Henry-John. Protrusions on Stepped Spillways to Improve Energy Dissipation. 2006.