Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice (මාදුරු ඔය ඉපැරණි සොරොව්ව)

54 years ago1 month ago04 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(6 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)

Ancient Maduru Oya Sluice dating back to 1st century BC

Sri Lanka is well known for its ancient hydraulic civilization and major irrigation works constructed since the 3rd century AD. Some of these structures are often quoted as technically parallel to modern engineering designs and constructions. The ancient Maduru Oya sluiceway is one such structure.

When Canadian engineers were working on the new reservoir and excavating to assess the sluice location point the ancient sluice appeared. The officers of the Archaeological Department have unearthed it completely and restored it.

Comparing with the remains of ancient sluices in Sri Lanka. the Maduru Oya ancient sluice possesses some salient features. One such feature is its twin inlet conduits, dressed with stone slabs enclosed in a massive corbelled arch shaped brickwork. Covering stone slabs with brickwork is a common construction pattern in ancient sluices, but this corbelled arch shaped brick enclosure is only limited to Maduru Oya sluice.

The central pit which lies 34.77 meters from the entrance forms special interest as its right wall has a peculiar terracotta design of a drummer and four female dances in low relief. Such a feature has not been located from any other sluice in Sri Lanka.

The Maduru Oya Sluice made up of stone slabs and bricks, is about 30 feet (9.1 m) high, 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and 219 feet (67 m) long. Professor Senarath Paranawithana believes that this sluiceway was built by King Kutakanna Tissa (42-20 BC). Carbon dating carried out in the USA has also placed the period to the 1st century BC. However, the popular local belief is that the original dam here was built before the arrival of Vijaya by the Yaksha Tribes around the 6th century BCE.

Note:

Access to the Maduru Oya Dam is restricted to the general public due to security reasons. Since the ancient sluice lies close to the dam access to this too is restricted. You need to obtain permission from the Mahaweli Authority prior hand which you need to present to the Army checkpoint.

History of the Ancient Maduru Oya Sluice

View of the Maduru Oya Dam from the access road

References

Wikramagamage, C., (2004). Heritage of Rajarata: Major natural, cultural, and historic sites. Colombo. Central Bank of Sri Lanka. pp 256-257.

Also See

Map of Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Travel Directions to Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice

Route from Colombo to Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice

Through : Kandy – Mahiyangana
Distance : 260 km
Travel time : 36 hours
Driving directions : see on google map

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Kanugala Sri Pushparama Purana Tampita Viharaya (කණුගල ශ්‍රී පුෂ්පාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya is built on a wooden platform on six large granite stumps. A wooden ladder with 5 steps leads to the verandah of the vihara-ge. the walls of the inner chamber is adorned with clay figures of deities by the entrance. […]
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya (අත්තනගල්ල රජමහා විහාරය)
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the most famous ancient royal temples in Sri Lanka lying close to Gampaha, 48 km away from Colombo. […]
Detiyamulla Sri Jettatissa Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Ruins (දෙටියමුල්ල ශ්‍රී ජෙට්ඨතිස්ස රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා නටඹුන්)
A large temple complex now reduced to granite pillar stumps and foundations has been preserved at this temple. Number of such buildings and few artifacts of the by gone era can be seen at this temple. […]
Lankagama Sangili Palama / Hanging Bridge (ලංකාගම සංගිලි පාලම)
Lankagama is a remote village on the boarder of Sinharaja Rain Forest which is considered the last village before Sinharaja.This village is bordered by the Sinharaja Rain Forest from north and Nilwala River from the south. Beyond the Nilwala River lies the Nilwaligama and the Dellawa Forest Reserve. A Sangili Palama (hanging bridge) connects Lankagama and the Nilwaligama across the Nilwala Ganga. […]
Ulapane Fool’s Bridge / Upside Down Bridge (උලපනේ මෝඩයාගේ පාලම / උඩ යට පාලම)
Built in 1904 by the British, the uniqueness of this steel bridge is the side arches generically found on steel bridges are built at the bottom of the bridge giving it a look of a bridge built upside down. […]
Ruwanwella Sangili Palama (රුවන්වැල්ල එල්ලෙන පාලම / සංගිලි පාලම)
The Ruwanwella Suspension Bridge across Kelani River at Ruwanwella is believed to be the longest of its type in Sri Lanka. Built in 2007, this foot bridge connect the Ruwanwella town with villages such as Nikawalamulla and Kurupaththa. The bridge is 550 feet (170 meters) long […]
Girisiri Darshanarama Purana Tampita Viharaya / Batuwita Viharaya (ගිරිසිරි දර්ශනාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය / බටුවිට විහාරය)
Batuwita is a small village between Urapola and Amirthigala in Kirindiwela in the Gampaha District. Hidden away in Batuwita lies an ancient Tampita Viharaya in Girisiri Darshanarama Purana Tampita Viharaya also known as Batuwita Viharaya. […]
Mahakumbukgollewa Sri Dalada Tampita Viharaya (මහකුඹුක්ගොල්ලෑව ශ්‍රී දළදා ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Mahakumbukgollewa is an ancient village between Medawachchiya and Vavuniya in the Anuradhapura district. The Sri Dalada Viharaya at Mahakumbukgollewa hides a ancient Tampita Viharaya from the Kandyan Era. […]
Korasagalla Koranaka Sandagala Rajamaha Viharaya (කොරසගල්ල කොරණක සඳගල රජමහා විහාරය)
Korasagalla is an ancient village on the Thalawa road few kilometers away from Kakirawa. History of the Koranaka Sandagala Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya in Korasagalla is believed to go back as far as the reign of king Kawanthissa. It is also said that when the king Dutugemunu was bitten by an cobra, he was treated by snake venom specialists from the Korasagalla […]
Korasagalla Wewa Biso Kotuwa Ruins (කොරසගල්ල වැව බිසෝ කොටුව)
Korasagalla is an ancient village on the Thalawa road few kilometers away from Kakirawa. History of the Koranaka Sandagala Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya in Korasagalla is believed to go back as far as the reign of king Kawanthissa. […]
Namalpura Sri Vishuddharama Tampita Viharaya / Madawala Tampita Viharaya (නාමල්පුර ශ්‍රී විශුද්ධාරාම ටැම්පිට විහාරය / මඩවල ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya of the Sri Vishuddharama Tampita Viharaya (Madawala Tampita Viharaya) lies in the remote village of Namalpura 17 kms away from Habarana. […]
Mahadivulwewa Ancient Tampita Viharaya
Mahadivulwewa Tampita Viharaya lies close to the desolated Mahadivulwewa reservoir, lying about 8 km inwards from the Ritigala - Galenbindunuwewa road. Deserted and neglected, this ancient complex also consist of a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. […]

References

Also See

Map of Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice

Travel Directions to Maduru Oya Ancient Sluice

Share this:

Like this:

Leave a ReplyCancel reply