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Kohomada from SRI LANKA

The partner from Sri Lanka is from Mahavilachchiya (Anuradhapura).

Email about local history


This is where Mahavilachchiya's (Anuradhapura) history begins. This huge water reservoir's history runs back to King Wasaba's time. King Wasaba is said to have built this reservoir, one of the biggest in Anuradhapura district. Prince Saliya is said to have stayed close to this reservoir after eloping with a low-caste beauty, Ashokamala. He hid in the thick jungle to escape from the king's wrath.

A few years ago some very old clay statues were found from a playground in the village. Archeologists say the statues belong to the time even before Buddhism came to Sri Lanka. Some age old stone carvings can be seen close to the Vilapaththu jungle but most of these have been destroyed by treasure hunters.

Email about farming

Mahavilachchiya is a farming settlement which was built in 1960s. Rice is the village people's staple food. So almost every family has a rice field. Though this is not a profitable crop, each farmer grows rice for the family needs.

Despite the heavy rains, the farmers in Mahavilachchiya have been able to get a good harvest from their pumpkin cultivations. Most of the farmers cultivate pumpkins in their rice lands now because it gives a better income than rice. These days huge loads of pumpkin are transported from Mahavilachchiya to Dambulla Economic Centre. Usually the middlemen make a big profit margin in the sales. Mahavilachchiya wewa [reservoir] provides water to the whole village for cultivation.

About the Jungle

Hena Cultivation is an informal way of farming. Villagers clear the jungle before the rain and cultivate grain, vegetables, etc. The crop is often destroyed by wild elephants and drought.

Vilpaththu National Park is one boundary for the village. Animals are elephants, deer, wild boars and leopards.


Read the WIZ information on SRI LANKA. Thanks to Nandasiri Wanninayaka of the Horizon School for the use of the photographs

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