Jaya Ganga Full Movie In Tamil Dubbed Free Download
Magnhild Lachowicz
Introduction: The first ancient historical record of any type of irrigation work is accredited to an inscription left by King Eannadu of Shirpurla in Southern Baby- lonia, in the ancient Kingdom of Mesopotamia, who had ruled in 4000 BC, and who mentions his construction work of several canals, one of them being known as Lummadimshar, at the side of which he made a reservoir, the first ever on record.
Although the contribution of the migrant Aryans to the Indus Valley civilization has been considered negligible, it is conjectured that they did contribute considerably to the natural aspect of this cultural growth, as there seems to be valid reasons to believe that it was the Aryans who introduced the chariot, the horse and the plough, the last named of which may have considerably changed the cultural pattern of cultivation, as well as their flood irrigation method of cultivation. They have also apparently, had their bronze-smiths who produced tools and weapons that were much superior to those of the previous Harrapan culture.
Thus, it can be conjectured that these Gangetic settlers in North India, may have had some acquaintance with this type of flood irrigation, before they arrived in Ceylon ca 500 BC. Nevertheless, there are no records to indicate that these Aryans brought with them a knowledge of the construction of reservoirs, which as believed by Henry Parker (1909), was neither required, nor made use of in the districts inhabited by their ancestors in India. Although it has been considered possible that the Sinhalese acquired a knowledge of the art of reservoir construction in Southern India, the credit of its further development and extension in the island was due to some of the earliest Sinhalese rulers and their anonymous advisers and engineers.
In fact, the nature of flat plains around the sites of ancient cities of Southern India could not have facilitated the construction of reservoirs with high embankments as observed in the hydraulic civilization of ancient Sri Lanka, and there is no evidence of any such works.
Discussing the ancient models of irrigation, Henry Parker (1909), the British engineer in Colonial Ceylon, states that two different systems were in vogue, depending on the specific circum- stances in each case. In one method the water was impounded in reservoirs from which it was gradually passed out either directly into the fields where it was wanted, or discharged by means of excavated channels down which water flowed into the fields.
In the second method, part of the water flowing down the river was turned into large, excavated channels which conveyed the water to more distant lands or reservoirs by the construction of temporary dams, or permanent masonry dams across rivers below, in order to divert into them a large quantity of water that could other- wise be secured, when the flow of water to rivers begin to diminish.
According to Parker (1909), the first reservoir ever made with an embankment of importance, which required special acquaintance with the principles of reservoir construction, would have been either the Pandawewa (Pandi-vapi), in the North-western Province or the Abhayawewa in the city of Anuradhapura.
Henry Parker (1909) as well as R. L. Brohier (1965), had not only shown the highest regard to ancient folklore and traditions, but also paid homage to the ingenuity and veracity of the system of indigenous wisdom and method of knowledge transfer, a unique South Asian tradition that made it possible not only to transliterate the great philosophy and teachings of Lord Buddha, but also chronicle and narrate the historical evolution of Sri Lanka. It is this tradition that facilitated and guided in many instances the investigations into the ancient hydraulic and engineering feats of the country.
The description that follows is based on the narratives of R. L. Brohier (1965), and that of Architect Udula Bandara Awsadahami (2007), both of whom had taken a close look at this magnificent engineering marvel.
The Kala Oya drains the water from the northern most regions of the central hills and travels a distance of about 100 miles carrying a total annual run-off of 860,000-acre feet of water from a watershed of about 1000 square miles.Along its route, it is said to have served more than 300 small tanks of various sizes with an ingenious network of canals, one set of which served the two tanks, Kalaweva and Balaluwewa. The Kalaweva is located on the right side of the Kala Oya, while Balaluwewa is on the left side, the two tanks being separated by a corridor (land mass) of about half a mile in breadth.
The King also ensured that the overflowing water from this large lake should ultimately be carried in a giant 40-foot-wide cross-basin canal, the Yoda Ela, a distance of 54 miles to Anuradhapura, to replenish and ensure adequacy of water in the city reservoirs.
Brohier (1965) states, that it verily baffles understanding of how a canal of this magnitude could have been planned and executed over such a difficult terrain nearly 1500 years ago. This canal, also known as Jaya-ganga, meanders over the first 17 miles at an unbelievable gradient of no more than 7 inches to a mile. Thereafter it is led in deep gorges across saddles between water- sheds.
Thus, apart from the technological inge- nuity of this complex hydraulic system, it con- forms and measures up to the best principles of ecology, whereby the canal, apart from conveying the surplus water from the reservoir system and the flood waters of the cross streams, scientifical- ly taps and drains optimally the precious resource from the sub-soil springs of the surrounding mi- cro-climatic ecosystem, while also ensuring least loss of water through surface evaporation. This traditional wisdom and knowledge system of our forebearers ensured the performance of such a multiplicity of service functions of reservoirs and cross-basin canal networks, that continues to baffle the present-day environmentalists, engineers, scientists, and development planners, many of whom were the participants in dismal reconstruction efforts of such hydraulic systems.
Kala Wewa and its waterway Yodha Ela (Jaya Ganga) is one of the most magnificent achievements of the ancient irrigation engineers of Sri Lanka. This reservoir was built by King Dhatusena (459-477 CE) as part of rebuilding the country after liberating it from South Indian invaders who had plundered the country for over 25 years.
This reservoir has a circumference of over 40 miles (65 km) and has a total area of 7 square miles ( 18.1 square kilometres) at full capacity. The ancient spill (pitawana) is measured to be 216 feet (66 meters) in width and 170 ft (52 meters) in length. For comparison, the width of the spill is more than three quarters the length of a soccer field! The spill was built using hammered Granite, a solid structure one could imagine. Each block of Granite is shaped precisely to fit its neighbour. The whole structure eventually acts like one huge rock.
Yodha Ela, an 87-kilometer canal was then built to bring water from Kala Wewa to the city of Anuradhapura. All three major reservoirs in the city of Anuradhapura (Abhaya Wewa, Tissa Wewa and Nuwara Wewa) and the Nachchaduwa Wewa Reservoir were fed by the Yodha Ela.
The gradient of Yodha Ela was measured to be 6 inches per mile. (1:10,000). Maintaining such a gradient is an extremely challenging task even for modern engineers who have access to laser-guided survey equipment. A few miles after leaving Kalawewa, the Jayaganga divides into two branches. One branch goes towards the Nachchaduwa reservoir while the other goes towards the Anuradhapura city reservoirs.
Many features have been added to the canal since its construction. King Parakramabahu who governed the country nearly 700 years after the Yoda Wawa, reconstructed the canal and added more feeders to the canal starting from thirty four reservoirs found between Kala Wawa and Thissa Wawa, re-naming it Jaya Ganga or the river of victory.
This tank situated 20 miles north west of the temple of Dambulla on the road to Anuradhapura, and which has hitherto attracted little notice, exhibits perhaps the remains of one of the greatest of the ancient great works of Ceylon. The circumference of the area of the tank, when the embankment was perfect, could not be less than 40 miles. The embankment, with the lateral mound of the Balalu Wewa is at least 10-12 miles long. The stone spill water in the broken bank of Kala Wewa is perhaps, one of the most stupendous monuments in the island, of misapplied human labour. The canal by which the waters of this tank were conducted to Anuradhapura, may still be partially traced : and in this vicinity the remains of the ancient fortress of the Wijitha are to be found.
King sent his army and Kadawara was brought before the king. The Kadawara revealed his story and the king asked him of any interesting thing he had seen while living in the jungle. Kadawa said, No sir, I have not seen anything interesting but in a brook somewhere in the jungle, water is being blocked by the flora called Kala that has been grown across that stream.
The king visited this place and realized that this was an ideal place for a reservoir and appointed Kadawara to oversee the maintenance of the tank once it was completed. One rainy day Kadawara noticed a tiny leak on the embankment. While waiting for the repairmen to come, he noticed that the leak increasing and to stop further damage he is said to have stuck his head into the leak saving the dam. He died of this incident and is said to be born as a deity still looking after this tank.
Legend says that King Dutugemunu built a temple embodying a winning post which used to inform the victory over Elara and this temple is believed to be the Vijithapura Rajamaha Viharaya. Although there is not much historical evidence, the temple is littered with old ruins which are believed to be belonging to the Anuradhapura Era.
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