No. 9.— 1856-8.] ibeigation works of pabakbama bIhu. 125 



ACCOUNT OF THE WORKS OF IRRIGATION 

 CONSTRUCTED BY KING PARAKRAMA 

 BAHU, CONTAINED IN THE SIXTY- 

 EIGHTH AND SEVENTY-NINTH 

 CHAPTERS OF THE MAHA- 

 WANSO, WITH INTRODUCTORY 

 REMARKS. 



By Louis De Zoysa, Mudaliyab. 



The following extracts from the Mahawaiiso, having reference 

 to works of Irrigation executed in the reign of Parakrama 

 Bahu I., (A. D. 1153—1186), may not prove altogether devoid 

 of interest, in connection with the very able and interesting 

 Papers on the subject of ancient irrigation in Ceylon, recently 

 published by order of Government. The Sovereign alluded to 

 is the celebrated Parakrama Bahu the Great, the constructor 

 of the " Sea of Parakrama," the invader of India and Burma ; 

 and whose reign Mr. Turnour characterizes as " the most martial, 

 enterprizing, and glorious in Sinhalese History." 



The first extract is the 68th Chapter of the Mahawaiiso, 

 and contains an account of the efforts made by Parakrama 

 Bahu to promote the cultivation of rice, on his assuming the 

 government of the Pihiti-rata* under the title of Mahddi 



* The ancient divisions of Ceylon were •.-—Pihitl-rata, bounded on 

 the west, north, and east, by the sea ; on the south by the Mahaweli- 

 ganga, and Deduru-oya rivers ; it was also sometimes called Rdja-rata 

 as the ancient capitals were situated in it : Ruhu?iu-rata, bounded on the 

 west and north by the Mahaweli-ganga, and Ka]u-ganga (or Kalutara) 

 rivers, and on the east and south by the sea. The mountainous portion 

 of it was called Malaya-rata : Mdyd-rata, bounded on the north by the 

 Deduru-oya, on the east by the Mahaweli-ganga and the mountains, on 

 the south by the Kalu-ganga, and on the west by the sea."— Tumour's 

 Ceylon Almanac, 1834, p. 57. 



