Padaviya Wewa and ancient Inscription

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(28 votes, average: 3.14 out of 5)

About - Padaviya Tank — About – Padaviya
Photo by : Harsha Soysa

Situated on the northeastern edge of the North Central Province, Padaviya Wewa Reservoir is one of two prominent ancient irrigation reservoirs in the region—the other being Vahalkada Wewa Reservoir. Padaviya has long drawn greater attention, traditionally believed to be the largest reservoir built in ancient Sri Lanka.

During the period when the country was under the British Empire, several British colonial officials visited the site and were awed by its scale. Governor Sir Henry Ward described it as the “most gigantic of all works,” estimating it required a million workers over 10 to 15 years. Sir Emerson Tennent admired the ingenuity of its sluice, calling it a “remarkable work” for both scale and engineering. Henry Parker of the Irrigation Department conducted a thorough inspection in 1886, offering a detailed technical record.

Builder of Padaviya Reservoir

According to Pujawaliya, the Padaviya Wewa reservoir was constructed by King Saddhatissa (137–119 BCE). According to Henry Parker, however, this lake was built in the latter half of the third century CE, which would place its construction during the reign of King Mahasen (276–303 CE). One argument supporting this view is that irrigation technology in Sri Lanka may not have been sufficiently advanced prior to the Common Era to construct a reservoir of such magnitude. Brohier also inclines toward this hypothesis.

In contrast, Dr. Paranavithana identified this reservoir with Danavapi, said to have been built by King Moggallana II (535–555 CE) in the sixth century, as mentioned in the Culawamsa. Unfortunately, no definitive inscriptions relating to the original construction of this lake have been discovered in the area. The plaques found near the lake and its associated ruins state that these structures were made during the reign of King Mahasen.

A stone pillar inscription found on the Bund reads:

“By Sri Parakrama Bahu, the Sovereign Lord of Sri Lanka, who is concerned with doing good to the world, has this been constructed.”

Although King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186) is credited in this inscription, the prevailing archaeological consensus is that he renovated or expanded a pre-existing and more ancient structure.

Engineering Marvel

Padaviya Wewa is built across the Ma Oya. Its ancient Bisokotuwa (sluice gate chamber), located 2,000 feet east of the spillway, features a 10.5 s ft. stone tower with twin tapering conduits 160 feet long. The structure ends with afive-headed cobra carving—a motif seen in many reservoirs. Elephant-head stonework adorns the sluice’s upper walls, and a 1,000-foot rock outcrop on the western edge forms the natural spillway. The rock bed aligns with the reservoir’s full supply level, indicating precise ancient planning.

Historical Background

Padaviya was once part of the Pacinadesa, or Eastern Province, of the Rajarata Kingdom. The early name Padinnoru likely derives from Pācina-nagara (Eastern City), later becoming Padavi Rata or Padavi country. Initially uninhabited in early centuries, the area eventually developed as a religious, administrative, and commercial hub.

The reservoir holds around 85,000 acre-feet of water, making it the second largest in the Anuradhapura District. The bund is built in two segments, divided by the Deiyanne Kanda hill, which rises 350 feet above sea level.

The reservoir sources water from Makunu Oya (west) and Mora Oya (east), with a stone diversion structure—originally called Vannadi Palama, now Gal-Bamma—diverting additional flow from the Kivul and Ma Oya rivers.

Religious and Commercial Importance

Padaviya was an important religious center. The nearby Puravidya Kele (archaeological forest), Ashvaya Bandi Kanda, and Buddangala stand as surviving vestiges of its ancient sanctity. Among the ruins are a dagoba with balustraded steps, standing and seated Buddha statues, and the Moragoda inscription of King Kassapa IV (898–914), which records land grants made to a monastery sustained by irrigation from the reservoir.

The area also contained Hindu shrines, including lingams and a kneeling bull sculpture identified as Nandi. A Tamil inscription from the reign of Chola King Rajaraja I (1017–1070) documents donations made to a Shiva temple by officials and merchant guilds, illustrating the region’s religious plurality and its administrative role during the Chola period.

Commercially, Padaviya had developed into a flourishing town between the 11th and 13th centuries, centred on an eight-acre (approximately 3.2-hectare) walled enclave containing stone-built structures and active mercantile establishments. Inscriptions refer to Tamil merchant guilds such as the Cettis, Nanadesis, and Ainnurruvar. A record mentioning a guild of boatmen indicates that the town was connected to long-distance trade networks, possibly through Trincomalee (Gokanna). Another inscription refers to a tavalam (periodic fair), the tax revenue from which supported the town’s administration.

Decline and Restoration

Padaviya was abandoned following the collapse of the Rajarata civilization in the 13th century. The reservoir’s bund was breached in several locations and remained in a state of neglect for centuries. By 1931, the area supported only a minimal population.

It was not until the 1950s that Padaviya experienced renewed development under the Padavi Parakramapura and Padavi Sripura colonization schemes. These initiatives introduced new settlers, leading to the revival of agriculture and irrigation management. However, this progress was significantly disrupted during the civil conflict that lasted from the 1980s until 2009. Following the end of the war, the region has gradually begun to recover and resettle.

Padaviya Tank Pillar Inscription translation

Also See

Map of the Padaviya Wewa

Click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map

Show Location on Google Maps

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.