An island built on water

Once known as a “hydraulic civilisation” Sri Lanka can draw from its roots to help conserve this vital resource

There can be few countries that have a more intimate relationship with water than Sri Lanka. Prof. J.B. Disanayaka dubbed the island a “hydraulic civilisation”. Indeed, its ancient heritage of tanks, channels and irrigation systems is unmatched anywhere in South Asia. Water flows through Sinhalese and Tamil culture as a purifying and fertile force, washing away dirt, grime and sin and giving life to the earth. What makes this relationship extraordinary is that 70 percent of the country is actually semi-arid. The cultural reverence for water is in part, therefore, a response to its scarcity. Its very preciousness has elevated it to become a central element of our cultural, spiritual and physical lives.

It was King Parakramabahu who in the 12th Century remarked that not a drop of water should drain to the sea without being put to productive use. And he put his money where is his mouth was by bankrolling some of the most extensive water management systems ever seen at that time. The ambitious tanks and water systems he commissioned are still visible today and cannot fail to impress visitors. Parakramabahu laid the foundations of modern Sri Lanka’s food security, allowing the island culture to develop into the one of the most sophisticated in the region. Little wonder that Sri Lankans began to revere water as the key resource underpinning every aspect of their lives.

Water was vital for crops – especially rice. But its role in island ritual went far beyond its mere utility. Ritual cleansing with water is an integral part of both Buddhist and Hindu religious practice across South Asia. Pilgrims visiting major Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka, for instance, almost always bathe before entering holy places. Water is involved in many religious ceremonies as well. The feet of Buddhist statues, for instance, are washed on certain occasions to invoke His blessings for rain. Monks also have many rituals associated with or involving water. When chanting pirith, for example, groups of monks may hold a sacred thread originating from a pot of holy water. The Sacred Tooth Relic, has long been associated with water and rainfall. On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and flagrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.

Hindus also have a profound relationship with water. Ritual ablutions also accompany many Hindu ceremonies. At Hindu weddings water is poured on the hands of the couple to bless them. This not only symbolises