Sorabora Wewa is a popular travel destination in the Uva province of Sri Lanka. It is a large reservoir located near Mahiyangana town in the Badulla district. The reservoir was built by a giant called “Bulatha” in the 2nd century BC. A stone sluice gate can be found at Sorabora Wewa. The structure is unique to this tank, and you can’t see it in any other reservoirs in the country.
Location
The distance to here from Kandy is about 78 km, and the distance from Colombo is about 195 km. First, you need to reach Mahiyangana town, and then you should select Girandurukotte Road to reach the destination. The distance from Mahiyangana is about 6 kilometers. You can easily go there in your own vehicle. Nice Park is available for visitors. You can hire a tuk if you are using public transport. From the park, you have to walk a few meters to see the reservoir.
Reservior Sorabora Wewa
This is also known as “Horabora Wewa.” The dam measures 485 meters in length and 20 feet in width. The entire tank covers 4.5 square kilometers. The water in the tank is used for paddy cultivation to the extent of 2000 acres. This is formed by ‘Diyawanna Oya.” Some people use this tank for fishing activities. You can also observe the forest cover surrounding the reservoir. It seems large and generates beautiful images to capture with your camera. The reservoir is also known as the “Binthenna Sea.”
Bisokotuwa is a structure that is used in the many tanks in Sri Lanka to control the water pressure in a tank. That structure, however, is not visible in Sorabora wewa. Instead of Bisokotuwa, the giant “Bulatha” has used a special structure called “Sorowwa.” The builder has cut a natural rock to form a canal, which has been used as sluice gates in the tank. The width of the canal is about 5 feet.
History of Sorabora Wewa
Sorabora Wewa history takes us to the King Dutugemunu region (161–137 BC). King Dutugemunu had stayed in Mahiyangana before he attacked the Anuradhapura Kingdom. The area was known as “Binthenna” at the time. In that time period, King had a worker supply beetles from the region. Who is the man that we earlier mentioned as “Giant Bulatha”. The duty of the Bulatha was to collect beetles from his area and supply them to the king.
He lived in a small village in the Udadumbara area called “Kiripattiya.” It was a mountain village, and Bulatha had to walk many kilometers to meet the king. During that time, he got the idea to build this reservoir after finishing his daily duties. Every day, he worked for a few hours and finished the reservoir entirely on his own. After seeing this massive work, King Dutugamunu appreciated Bulatha the Giant and then appointed him as a general for his army. History says that Bulatha was a powerful man with massive energy.
Final Words
Sorabora Wewa is a great travel destination for those who love to visit the Uva province of Sri Lanka. It’s a valuable historical place that shows the ancient technology of the Sinhalese. You can bathe safely at the bottom of the canal. You can walk along the dam and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area. Hotels and many shops are available around the reservoir for your needs. This is not an ideal place for camping.
Other places to visit in the Mahiyangana area include:
- Rathna Ella Waterfall
- Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya
- Dambana Wedda Village
- Wasgamuwa National Park