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he twin pond is so
called because the two ponds are constructed to from s single pond with two
units. The name by which the pond is known now is of recent origins. We have no
information either about the date of its construction or about its old name. On
architectural grounds we can safely assign this structure to a period between
the eight & tenth century. The conservation of these ponds was undertaken
by the department of archaeology in the years 1949 & 1953.
It is believed that
twin ponds were used for bathing purpose by the monks inhabiting the Abhayagiri
Vihara of the two ponds before the southern on. Fine architectural differences
confirm this point. It seems that after the construction of the southern pond
as attempt had been made to join them. The two ponds varying in size and
architectural details are harmonized to make up a composite place of artistic
creation.
In the northern pond a
staircase consisting of twenty stone steps with a simple balustrade is found.
The southern pond has only eighteen such steps broken into three stages with an
equal number of balustrades. The northern pond has only two flights of stone;
where as the pond in the south has three. In size to the northern pond is
smaller than the other.
The purnaghatas the
pots of plenty are also different from each other. The northern pond measures
91 feet long & the southern pond 132 feet long. The width of the two ponds
remained 51 feet. The depth is 14 & 17 feet respectively & the ponds
are separated from each other by 9 feet the supply of water to the two ponds
first floes into an enclosure built above the level of the ponds. The water
then flows into the smaller pond through the mouth of a makara. The large pond
in the south draws its water from the smaller through a duct below ground level
connecting the two ponds.
The water of both ponds
drains out from a point at the bottom of the smaller pond. The five hooded
cobra figure which is seen under the makara figure is a unique piece of
sculpture. The other figure of the cobra is found neat the water supply to the
northern pond. The twin pond is undoubtedly the best surviving examples of
landscape architectural in ancient Sri Lanka.
