Tissa Wewa is a reservoir in Tissamaharama, thought to have been constructed in the 3rd Century BC, either by
Mahanaga of Ruhuna
Mahanaga was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Ruhuna in the southern region of the island. He is the founder of the Ruhuna. The Kingdom of Ruhuna was in some periods a client state loyal to the King of Anuradhapura and in some per ...
or his successor
Yatala Tissa of Ruhuna
Yatala Tissa was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Ruhuna in the Southern region of the island.
The Kingdom of Ruhuna was a Sub kingdom loyal to the King of Anuradhapura
See also
* List of monarchs of Sri Lanka
The Sinhalese ...
, in order to irrigate paddy lands and supply water to the flourishing city of
Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama ( si, තිස්සමහාරාමය , ta, திஸ்ஸமஹாராம) is a town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.
History
It was the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3r ...
.
The lake was restored in 1871. The embankment (or bund) on the southern shore supports the Tissa-Kataragama road (B464), which is lined by old Indian rain trees planted by the British to provide shade.
[''The Rough Guide to Sri Lanka'', Gavin Thomas, Rough Guides, 2012, p. 185.]
References
{{SriLanka-geo-stub
Reservoirs in Sri Lanka
Bodies of water of Hambantota District
Lakes of Sri Lanka