Nuwara Wewa of the Ancient Anuradhapura Kingdom

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Sun setting over Nuwara Wewa of Anuradhapura
photograph by Clem.C licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Described in 1856 by Henry Ward, Governor of Ceylon, as a “marvellous work which must have occupied 50,000 men for many years” (Brohier, 1980), Nuwara Wewa of Anuradhapura is the largest of the three great man-made reservoirs in Anuradhapura, the other two being Basawakkulama (Abhaya Wewa) and Tissa Wewa. It is widely believed to have been constructed by King Vattagamini Abhaya (popularly known as King Valagamba) in the 1st century BCE. Later records identify Nuwara Wewa as Nakara Vapi during the reign of King Gaja Bahu I (113–135 CE), when it was enlarged and improved. During the reign of King Moggallana II (535–555 CE), a feeder channel was cut from Nachchaduwa Wewa (then known as Pattapasanavapi) to further increase its capacity (Arumugam, 1969).

Construction and Chronology

According to H. Parker (Ancient Ceylon, 1909), the size and style of bricks used in the embankment—similar to those in the Abhayagiri Stupa—suggest that the reservoir was built within the first two decades of the 1st century BCE. It was designed primarily for irrigation and to supply water to the monasteries and suburbs of Anuradhapura. Parker also notes that repairs were carried out in the 3rd and 5th centuries.

Engineering Features

Nuwara Wewa’s hydraulic system was highly advanced for its time. The reservoir originally had two sluices, each with a bisokotuwa (a unique Sri Lankan valve pit design). The low-level sluice featured a bisokotuwa measuring 11 feet (3.35 m) along the culvert and 15 feet (4.57 m) across, with walls 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) thick and 14 feet (4.27 m) high above the sill, lined with stone slabs. Two inlet and two outlet culverts, built of stone, were connected by a masonry wall. The inlet channel was paved and measured 71 feet 6 inches (21.8 m) long and 15 feet (4.57 m) wide, while the outlet culverts extended approximately 156 feet (47.5 m), covered with massive stone slabs. The high-level sluice had a brick bisokotuwa, 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) across and 7 feet 10 inches (2.39 m) along the culverts, with walls 3 feet (0.91 m) thick and 22 feet (6.7 m) high. All masonry was reinforced with a 2-foot (0.61 m) layer of clay puddle for waterproofing (Parker, 1909).

Embankment and Capacity

The embankment, or bund, of Nuwara Wewa is an impressive 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 37 feet (11.3 m) high. The water depth averages about 23 feet (7 m), and the reservoir covers an area of 3,180 hectares (31.8 sq. km), holding approximately 1,500 million cubic feet (42.5 million cubic meters) of water. A dam was also constructed across the Malwathu Oya to divert water into the reservoir. This dam, built with massive stone blocks, measured 33 feet (10 m) wide, 160 feet (48.8 m) long, and 8 feet (2.4 m) high. In 1873, most of these stones were removed to build a road bridge across the river. From the dam, a 40-foot (12.2 m) wide channel carried water to Nuwara Wewa, with a flood escape feature to return excess water to the river.

References

Brohier, R. (1980) Ancient irrigation works in Ceylon (1934). Colombo: Ministry of Mahaweli Development.
Arumugam, S. (1969) Water Resources of Ceylon: Its Utilisation and Development. Colombo: Water Resources Board, Sri Lanka.
Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka (no date) Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka. Available at: http://www.mahaweli.gov.lk/ (Accessed: 28 September 2014).
The Mahavamsa – Great Chronicle – history of Sri Lanka – mahawansa (no date) THE MAHAVAMSA | The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka. Available at: https://mahavamsa.org/ (Accessed: 28 September 2014).
Parker, H. (1909) Ancient Ceylon – An Account of the Aborigines and of Part of the Early Civilisation. London: Luzac & Co., H. (1909) Ancient Ceylon – An Account of the Aborigines and of Part of the Early Civilisation. London: Luzac & Co.

Also See

Anuradhapura – The city of the God Kings

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Traveling to Nuwara Wewa in Anuradhapura

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Bus

Anuradhapura can be conveniently reached by bus, train, or private transport. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses operate from the Colombo Fort Main Bus Station. In addition, luxury buses departing from various locations in Colombo travel via Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and Jaffna; these require advance online booking and generally operate overnight, arriving at their final destinations early in the morning.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Train

Five daily trains operate from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Anuradhapura. Typically, the first train departs at 9.40 a.m. and the last at 8.30 p.m. The journey takes approximately four to five hours, depending on the number of stops made by the particular service.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Car or Van

Anuradhapura can be accessed from Colombo via several routes, with the two primary corridors running through Puttalam and Kurunegala. The Puttalam route passes the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main approaches: the more commonly used route via Dambulla and an alternative route via Galgamuwa. Among all options, the Kurunegala–Dambulla route (Route 2) is the most frequently used.

Route 01 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route 02 from Colombo to Anuradhapura
Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route 03 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route from Kandy to Anuradhapura
Through : Katunayake Expressway – Narammala – Wariyapola – Padeniya – Thambuthegama Distance from Colombo: 203 km Travel Time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 136 km Travel Time: 3.5 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps