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Parakrama Samudraya, the massive reservoir built by King Parakramabahu (1153-1186 CE) is surrounded by a large amount of ancient ruins, some well-known and others lesser known to the general public.
The name “Parakrama Samudraya” translates to “Sea of Parakrama” in English, reflecting the grandeur and vastness of the reservoir. Parakrama Samudraya originally consisted of five large reservoirs separated by smaller dams to reduce the pressure on the main dam. Many smaller tanks have been built around the main tank to feed these primary tanks and to take in excess water.
During the reconstruction of the Parakrama Samudraya in the latter half of the 19th century, the water that was supposed to flow to the Thopa Vawa started flowing to the Bhu Wewa. To control this, the engineers constructed a temporary dam to block the water flowing to the Bhu Wewa. Kalahagala Wewa and Bhu Wewa were cut off from the Parakrama Samudraya by this road, which was made permanent by this temporary dam.
The tank’s capacity has been further reduced as a result of the new reconstruction process’s disregard for the majority of the ancient technology used in its construction. The Parakrama Samudraya dam is currently 40 feet (12.2 meters) high and 8 ½ miles (14 kilometers) long. The body of water covers 5350 acres with an average depth of 25 feet. Over 18,000 acres of paddy land are supported by this reservoir.
The ancient sluice gates of Parakrama Samudraya are an important engineering feat that allowed King Parakramabahu the Great to control the water flow of the reservoir and distribute water for irrigation in a systematic manner. The sluice gates were designed to regulate the water levels in the reservoir, prevent flooding during the rainy season, and supply water to the surrounding agricultural lands during the dry season.
There is a massive sluice gate built of large blocks of stones hidden from the public close to the Giritale-Polonnaruwa road. The Slice Gate now stands on the dry ground during most of the year and is about 12 feet in height. Two openings at the bottom allow the water into the slice gate.
This slice gate is located in front of the Archaeology Department Holiday Bungalow, on the opposite side of the road but hidden from view due to the thick thicket between the structure and the road.
Also See
Map of Ancient Sluice Gate of Parakrama Samudraya
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
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Driving Directions to Polonnaruwa Sacred City
The modern town of Polonnaruwa is also known as New Town, and the other part of Polonnaruwa remains the ancient royal city of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.
| Route from Colombo to Polonnaruwa Sacred City | Route from Kandy to Polonnaruwa Sacred City |
| Through: Central Highway—Kurunegala—Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 230 km Travel Time: 5 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps. | Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps. |
| Route from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa Sacred City | Route from Batticaloa to Polonnaruwa Sacred City |
| Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time: 2 hours Driving Directions: See on Google Maps. | Through: Maradankadawala–Habarana Distance: 103 km Travel Time : 2 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps. |
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