Mahaganga

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Mahaganga (महागंगा) or Mahaweli River (महावेलिगंगा) is the longest river in Sri Lanka. . It is the chief river of Ceylon with the modern name Mahaveliganga.

Variants

• Mahaganga River महागंगा = Mahavelinganga महावेलिगंगा, लंका (AS, p.722)
• Mahavelingaga महावेलिंगगा दे. Mahaganga महागङ्गा (p.726)
• Mahaweli River
• Sinhala: මහවැලි ගඟ, literally "Great Sandy River";
• Tamil: மகாவலி ஆறு (Mahawali gangai),

• Mahavalukaganga
• Mahavalukanadi
• Mahaveliganga

History

It is a 335 km long river. It has a drainage basin of 10,448 km2 , the largest in the country, which covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island The real creation of Mahaweliganga starts at Polwathura (at Mahawila area), a remote village of Nuwara-Eliya District in bank Nawalapitiya of Kandy District by further joining of Hatton oya and Kotmale oya. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay. The bay includes the first of a number submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest deep-sea harbors in the world.

In Mahabharata

Mahaganga (महागङ्गा) in Mahabharata (XIII.26.20)

Anusasana Parva/Book XIII Chapter 26 mentions the sacred waters on the earth. Mahaganga (महागङ्गा) is mentioned in Mahabharata (XIII.26.20). .....By fasting for a fortnight and bathing in Mahaganga and Krittikangaraka, one becomes cleansed of all one's sins and ascends to heaven.

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Mahāgaṅgā (महागङ्गा).—A holy place. Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 25, Verse 22 says that abstaining from food for a fortnight after a bath in this place will secure admission to Svargaloka.

In Mahavansa

Mahavansa/Chapter 10 mentions The Consecrating of Pandukabhaya.....This safety-giving Abhaya had reigned as king in Upatissagama twenty years. Now a yakkhini named Cetiya, who dwelt on the Dhammarakkha-mountain near the pond (called) Tumbariyangana, used to wander about in the form of a mare.... The prince took a noose and came to capture her. When she saw him coming up behind her she fled for fear of his majestic aspect. She fled without rendering herself invisible and he pursued her swiftly as she fled. Seven times in her flight she circled round the pond, and plunging into the Mahaganga and climbing forth again to the shore she fled seven times around the Dhumarakkha-mountain; and yet three times more she circled round the pond and plunged yet again in the Ganga near the Kacchaka-ford, but there he seized her by the mane and (grasped) a palm-leaf that was floating down the stream; by the effect of his merit this turned into a great sword. He thrust at her with the sword, crying: I will slay thee. And she said to him: I will conquer the kingdom and give it to thee, lord! Slay me not! Then he seized her by the neck and boring her nostrils with the point of his sword he secured her thus with a rope; but she followed wheresoever he would.

Mahaganga in Theravada glossary of Buddhism

Mahaganga, Mahavalukaganga or Mahavalukanadi.— The chief river of Ceylon, the modern Mahaveliganga. Viewed from the city of Anuradhapura, the right bank was called paraganga and the left oraganga. The river was of great strategic importance, and is mentioned in various accounts of campaigns between opposing armies. It was always regarded as the boundary between North Ceylon, with Anuradhapura (and later, Pulatthipura) as the centre, and the South east province of Rohana.

Various fords on this river are mentioned in the books, the chief among these being Kacchakatittha, Ganthambatittha, Maharukkhatittha, Malagamatittha, Yakkhasukaratittha, Sarogamatittha, Sahassatittha and Suvannatthambhatittha. There were evidently other fords at the bends of the river with no particular names (e.g., Cv.lxxii.285).

The kings of Ceylon constructed various canals branching off from the river to help in their irrigation schemes. One such was the Pabbatanta Canal, built by Mahasena (Mhv.xxxvii.50); while the Aciravati, the Gomati, and the Malapaharani were constructed by Parakkamabahu I. (Cv.lxxix.51f). Dhatusena irrigated the surrounding fields by means of damming up the river (Cv.xxxviii.12), as did Sena II. by the construction of the Manimekhala dam (Cv.li.72). In the time of Parakkamabahu II. and, later, of Vijayabahu IV., great ordination ceremonies were held on the river at Sahassatittha (Cv.lxxxvii.72; lxxxix.70f), and again at Ganthambatittha in the time of Vimaladhammasuriya I. Cv.xciv.17; also Vimaladhammasuriya II. (Cv.xcvii.12).

The river rises in Samantakuta (Cv.c.82). The Mahanagavana of the Yakkhas, where, later, was erected the Mahiyangathupa, was on the right bank of the river. Cv.lxxxix.70; Mhv.Trs., p.3.

Source: 1. Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names, 2. https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahaganga

महागङ्गा नदी

महागंगा नदी (AS, p.722): लंका के प्राचीन बौद्ध इतिहास ग्रंथ महावंश (10,57) में उल्लिखित नदी।