The tanks and reservoirs of the dry zone

This section of our trek has been dominated by walking alongside two main tanks or what we might call reservoirs. Tanks in Sri Lanka were hand built from the 4th Century BC and they are a massive feat of engineering. The lengths of the tanks vary in size but one of those we walked past today was 12.3km. We passed Parakrama Samudra tank, as we were walking out of Polonnaruwa, and then Minneriya tank as we were heading towards Habarana. In fact the place we’re staying at in Habarana tonight and tomorrow night is situated right on the edge of the Minneriya tank.

The tanks are a hugely important irrigation system for the north central dry zone of Sri Lanka. A key Buddhist belief is that humankind needs to live in harmony with its surroundings so the ancient kings ordered tanks to be built in order to support climate harmonisation. The couple of thousand tanks dotted around were designed as a cascade irrigation system, which worked by blocking via a dam in one place to create flooding in another, thereby creating a second reservoir. This enabled humans, wild animals and crops to have sufficient water during the dry seasons.

Click here for an interesting 3 minute YouTube video about the significance of the water heritage of ancient Sri Lanka and here for an article on the tank cascade system if interested in learning more about this subject.

Below some of the interesting wildlife we saw today.

Fundraising update

We hope you’re enjoying reading our trekking blogs about our immersive experience in Sri Lanka. We’re doing this to raise funds to support women impacted by sexual violence and for families living in rural areas in Sri Lanka. We’ve now raised just shy of £19,000 ie; 95% of my £20,000 target and we’re hoping to reach this goal by the end of our trek on 9th April. Thank you to everyone who’s sponsored us, which has been so encouraging, and all of you who have supported this cause in so many ways.

I’m also writing these blogs to showcase some of the unique off-the-beaten-track experiences available to anyone who comes to Sri Lanka, in addition to the guidebook Top 10s. Sri Lanka desperately needs its tourists back which it lost during the recent political unrest in the country and due to Covid.

Still walking

We’ve spent another day just walking. Check out our video edited by Ian Nelson, Kiran’s lovey husband.

If you missed yesterday blog please scroll down to view it – it’s all about what we did in Polonnaruwa.

Next up: Climbing Sigiriya Rock, the 5th Century fortress in the sky.

Further sponsorship – if you’d like to help me to help those in need in Sri Lanka at this difficult time, whilst being assured every penny will go to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link. Don’t forget that if you’re a tax payer to declare gift aid when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know of anyone or any organisation who may have an interest in this cause please share this blog link with them.