Twin Ponds Anuradhapura is an amazing ancient Sinhalese architecture. These two ponds show the enormous skill of our ancient designers and architects. Twin ponds belong to the Anuradhapura kingdom and at the beginning, it constructed for sanitary purposes of the monks of ABHAYAGIRIYA monastery.
According to the archeologists, there was large number of ponds around the area in addition to the Twin Ponds. Only few of them are re-constructed such as the Twin Ponds Anuradhapura and ETH POKUNA (Elephant Pond).
Architecture of Twin Ponds Anuradhapura
According to the dimensions, those two ponds are not same. Those are different in sizes and in the design. North pond of the twin ponds Anuradhapura is a little small one. It lengthens 91 feet. Otherwise, the south pond is in 132 feet length. Both of these ponds are 17 feet in depth. In addition to that, the space between the two ponds is 18 feet. Furthermore, both ponds are 51 feet wide.
There was a plumbing system to this pond from a distant lake. Furthermore, there was a perfect drain system to remove the wastewater from these twin ponds Anuradhapura. If we concentrate on the draining system and water supply, we are able to see the enormous knowledge of our ancients.
Both twin ponds Anuradhapura have a short well-polished granite parapet wall around. Archeologists say that this is for the safety of the pond and avoiding of users slip and fall to the pond. Furthermore, we can see two staircases to get down into the twin ponds Anuradhapura. In fact, the north pond has 20 steps and the south pond has 18 steps.
Water Supply and Draining
We are able to see a combined canal system in between the twin ponds Anuradhapura. In addition to that, we can see a spout in one side of the small pond to supply water. Furthermore, there is a “BISO KOTUWA” structure combined to this spout to filter out the mud and partials come with the water. In addition to that, the drain line, which takes the water out, connected to the bottom of the small pond.
Anyone who is willing to study the ancient architecture in Sri Lanka must study the twin ponds Anuradhapura.
