Kondawattuwana Wewa and Monastic Ruins (කොණ්ඩවට්ටවාන වැව සහ බෞද්ධ නටබුණ්)

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Kondawattuwana Monastic Ruins directions board which is apparent is wrong

Some stone pillars at Kondawattuwana Monastic Ruins

An ancient building at Kondawattuwana Monastic Ruins

Situated on the Amapara-Inginiyagala the Kondawattuwana reservoir and the ruins scattered around are remnants of the once glorious Digamadulla kingdom.

The reservoir first built in the 1st-3rd century BC has been renovated recently to provide irrigation and drinking water to the villages nearby. The stone edict found near the reservoir dates back to the reign of King Dapulla the fourth of the 10th century AD and announces that irrigation water would be taxed, along with the paddy fields and that unlawful tapping of irrigation water was prohibited. The edict is evidence of the presence of a government-regulated irrigation system in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka in the days gone by.

True to the concept that closer to a wewa or a reservoir was a monastery in ancient times, the ruins of a monastery are found closer to the Kondawattuwana reservoir. Amidst the ruins of ancient buildings are the early replicas of the Lord Buddha’s Feet in circular and square forms, a rare artefact in Eastern Sri Lanka.

Kondawattuwana Pillar Inscription

The content of the pillar inscription at the Kondawattuwana Wewa reservoir is unusual as it provides the regulation of certain matters connected to the administration of a village named Aragam situated in the Hither Digamandulla, the revenues from which were enjoyed by the dandanayaka when the Generalslissimo, Sangva Rakus was holding that high dignity (Paranavitana, 1955).

The pillar was discovered in 1953 lying on the ground close to Kondawattuwana Wewa. Paranavithana assumes that this pillar had not been moved from its original position as there was no reason for it to be brought here from another location.

The pillar is square, 6 feet 7 inches in height and a foot wide at each side. The clumsily executed script is from the 10th century and generally resembles the numerous pillar inscriptions of King Kassapa V (Ranwella,2004). However both Prof. Paranavitana and Prof. Ranwella agree that King Abha Salamevan mentioned in the inscription is King Dappula IV.

Alternate names : Kondawattuwana, Kondawattuwan, Kondawattawana, Kondawattawan, Konduwattuwana, Konduwattuwan, Kondawuttawana, Konduwattawan,

References

Paranavitana, S. (1955) ‘KONDAVATTAVAN PILLAR-INSCRIPTION OF DAPPULA V’, in Epigraphia Zeylanica : Being Lithic and Other Inscriptions of Ceylon – Volume V (Part 1). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Department of Archaeology, pp. 124–141.
Ranawella, S. (2004) Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol V (part II). Colombo: Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka

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Map of Kondawattuwana Tank and Monastic Ruins

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Travel Directions to Kondawattuwana Tank and Monastic Ruins

Route from Ampara Town to Kondawattuwana Tank and Monastic Ruins

Through : Inginiyagala Road
Distance :5.5 km
Travel time : 10 mins
Driving directions : see on google map

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