Kuttam Pokuna
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka Ancient Heritage City
Your base for exploring this tourist attraction is the ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. For tourist information about Anuradhapura, go to Anuradhapura Travel Guide. To prepare for a trip to Sri Lanka, read also the Sri Lanka Travel Guide. Looking for budget accommodation? Use AsiaExplorers Budget Accommodation Guide, the no-frills website to cover your budget accommodation needs.
The Kuttam Pokuna, which means Twin Ponds, is a beautiful set of bathing ponds located in Abhayagiri, in northern Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. These ponds were built in 6th-8th century Anuradhapura. If you look at these two seemingly identical ponds of Kuttam Pokuna carefully, you would realise that one is larger than the other (by about 12 m in length). Nevertheless, the ponds of Kuttam Pokuna are positioned in such a way that they appear almost the same. Although the design and lines of the Kuttam Pokuna are simple, the effect is nothing less than impressive.
The Kuttam Pokuna is one of the ancient sites that I visited together with a small group of members of AsiaExplorers when we explored the ancient city of Anuradhapura. I find that the Kuttam Pokuna is one of the loveliest ancient architectural wonder. Not only is it functional, but it was also built with an eye for beauty.
The Kuttam Pokuna Twin Ponds in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
The Kuttam Pokuna was built as the bathing ponds for the monks of Abhayagiri Monastery in northern Anuradhapura. Water is carefully channelled to gush out of a lion's head, and through a sophisticated system of filtration. At the far end of the Kuttam Pokuna ponds is a system to trap mud and dirt. Water flows into a pit, where the mud and dirt sinks to the bottom. It ensures clean water flow into the Kuttam Pokuna ponds.
The monks perform their ablutions under the protective gaze of a five-hooded naga, the cobra believed to bring good fortune. Steps leads down to the two ponds while around them are shallow pools to cool off one's feet befond diving into the ponds. The Kuttam Pokuna demostrates not only great engineering feat by also workmanship and artistry of the ancient Sinhalese builders.
Kuttam Pokuna Photo Gallery
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Anuradhapura Travel Guide
Explore the places of interest in Anuradhapura. Click to view list.
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