Abhayavapi

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Abhayavapi (अभयवापी) is an ancient reservoir in Sri Lanka built by King Pandukabhaya who ruled in Anuradhapura from 437 BC to 367 BC, after constructing the city Anuradhapura. This is now popularly known as Basawakkulama tank which is not the original name.

Variants

• Abhayavapi (अभयवापी) (लंका) (AS, p.28)
• Abhayavapi (Sinhalese: අභයවාපි)
• Abhaya Wewa (Sinhalese: අභය වැව)
• Basawakkulama/Vasawakkulama (वसवककुलम्) (Sinhalese: බසවක්කුලම)
• Abhayatank/Abhaya-tank (Mahavansa/Chapter 10)

In Mahavansa

Mahavansa/Chapter 10 mentions the Consecration of king of Sri Lanka Pandukabhaya, foundation of Anuradhapura city and Abhaya-tank. ....When he was thus left victor in battle, Pandukabhaya went thence to the dwelling-place of his great-uncle Anuradha. The great-uncle handed over his palace to him and built himself a dwelling elsewhere; but he dwelt in his house. When he had inquired of a soothsayer who was versed in the knowledge of (fitting) sites, he founded the capital, even near that village. Since it had served as dwelling to two Anuradhas, it was called Anuradhapura, and also because it was founded under the constellation Anuradha.

When he had caused the (state) parasol of his uncles to be brought and purified in a natural pond that is here, Pandukabhaya kept it for himself and with the water of that same pond he solemnized his own consecration; and Suvannapali, his spouse, he consecrated queen. On the young Canda, even as he had agreed, he conferred the office of his chaplain and other appointments on his other followers according to their merits.

Because his mother and he himself had been befriended by him, he did not slay the king Abhaya, his eldest uncle, but handed over the government to him for the night-time: he became the `Nagaraguttika' (Guardian of the City). From that time onward there were nagaraguttikas in the capital. His father-in-law also, Girikandasiva, he did not slay but handed over to this uncle the district of Girikanda. He had the pond' deepened and abundantly filled with water, and since he had taken water therefrom, when victories (for his consecration), they called it Jayavapi. He settled the yakkha Kalavela on the east side of the city, the yakkha Cittaraja at the lower end of the Abhayatank. The slave-woman who had helped him in time past and was re-born of a yakkhini, the thankful (king) settled at the south gate of the City. Within the royal precincth he housed the yakkhini in the form of a mare. Year by year he had sacrificial offerings made to them and to other (yakkhas); but on festival-days he sat with Cittaraja beside him on a seat of equal height, and having gods and men to dance before him, the king took his pleasure, in joyous and merry wise.

He laid out also four suburbs as well as the Abhaya-tank, the common cemetery, the place of execution, and the chapel of the Queens of the West, the banyan-tree of Vessavana and the Palmyra-palm of the Demon of Maladies, the ground set apart for the Yonas and the house of the Great Sacrifice; all these he laid out near the west gate.

अभयवापी

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ... अभयवापी (लंका) (AS, p.28) महावंश [10, 88] में उल्लिखित स्थान वर्तमान वसवककुलम् है। इसे सिंहल नरेश पांडुकाभय ने बनवाया था।