Mavil Aru Amuna and the Reservoir : A Landmark for Resiliency of the People of Sri Lanka

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Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) Slice Gate
Photo by Lasitha Prabhash

The ancient Mavil Aru Reservoir, built around the 3rd century CE, supports regional paddy cultivation. Historically abandoned, it was successfully rebuilt in 1949. Its closure by the LTTE in 2006 sparked a major military campaign, which saw the end of the LTTE, the ruthless terrorist organization fighting a guerrilla war with the government of Sri Lanka for 30 years.

Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) is a small ancient reservoir located near Somapura within the historic Seruwawila Viharaya region. According to local tradition, the origins of the reservoir date back to the 3rd century CE, when King Mahāsena (276–303 CE) constructed a canal known as a Gal Ela—presently called Kallar Ela—to convey water from the Mahā Villuwa (Mavil Aru) Reservoir to another reservoir in Seruwila. This irrigation scheme was intended to support the cultivation of paddy fields throughout the region.

Fall of the Rajarata Civilisation

Following the collapse of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom after the invasion of Kaliṅga Māgha in 1215 CE, many Sinhalese inhabitants migrated to other parts of the island. The destruction and neglect of reservoirs and irrigation networks during this period contributed significantly to the depopulation of the area. By the late nineteenth century, the region was sparsely inhabited, with only small communities of Muslims and Tamils engaged primarily in chena cultivation.

Rebuilding of Mavil Aru Reservoir

In 1928, the British Governor Herbert Stanley initiated an effort to restore the Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) Reservoir. Laborers from Jaffna and Batticaloa were employed for the project, which aimed to expand rice production to support the growing plantation Tamil population that had been brought from India. However, the restoration attempt was unsuccessful, and the project was eventually abandoned by the colonial administration.

Twenty-one years later, in 1949, the newly established government of independent Sri Lanka launched a renewed programme to reconstruct the Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) Reservoir. The project was completed successfully, enabling the irrigation of vast tracts of previously uncultivated land. Agricultural settlers from many parts of the country were granted land, and new settlements were established. Thereafter, the reservoir continued to provide water to the surrounding paddy fields and remained largely unnoticed beyond the local farming communities that depended upon it.

The Mavil Aru Crisis and Its National Significance

Within weeks of 21 July 2006, Mavil Aru became a household name throughout Sri Lanka. During a period of mutual ceasefire, the LTTE terrorists closed the Mavil Aru sluice gate, preventing water from flowing into Kallar Ela. This action deprived approximately 15,000 farming families in the areas of Kallar, Seru Nuwara, Seruwila, Dehiwatta, and Nīlapola of their irrigation water supply.

After repeated but unsuccessful attempts to persuade the LTTE to reopen the sluice gates, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces launched a military operation to regain control of the Mavil Aru area and restore access to the irrigation system. What began as a limited operation soon expanded into a major military offensive. The campaign continued until 16 May 2009, when Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced the military defeat of the LTTE terrorist outfit following the destruction of its leadership and fighting capability.

Legacy

Today, the Mavil Aru sluice gate stands as a significant landmark and a symbol of the resilience and determination of the people of Sri Lanka.

Mavil Aru (Mavil Oya) Slice Gate after liberation by the armed forces

Also See

Map of Mavil Aru Reservoir and the Sluice Gate

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Travel Directions to Mavil Aru Reservoir and the Sluice Gate

Route from Trincomalee to Mavil Aru Reservoir and the Sluice Gate

Though : Kinniya – Somapura
Distance : 57 km
Travel time :1.5 hours
Driving directions : see on google map

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