Elephant Pond (Eth Pokuna) | Anuradhapura

About this Attraction

Walking through the ancient city of Anuradhapura, I stumbled upon Eth Pokuna or the Elephant Pond. At first glance, its sheer size left me awestruck. This massive man-made pond, once used by monks of the Abhayagiri Monastery, seemed more like a small lake. Eager to learn more, I spoke with a local guide who had been explaining the history to a group of tourists.
The guide shared that Eth Pokuna is 159 meters long, 52.7 meters wide, and 9.5 meters deep, with the capacity to hold 75,000 cubic meters of water. Built during the height of Anuradhapura’s hydraulic engineering era, it served as a water reservoir for thousands of monks who resided in the monastery. What amazed me most was the underground canal system that connected the pond to the Periyamkulama Tank. Despite being centuries old, remnants of these channels still function, a testament to the advanced engineering skills of ancient Sri Lankans.
As I stood by the pond, imagining its use in ancient times, the guide explained how it got its name. It’s called the Elephant Pond not because elephants used it but because of its massive size, akin to the enormity of an elephant. This detail made me appreciate the thoughtfulness and scale of the work even more.
The tranquillity of the place was striking. Surrounded by lush greenery, with birds chirping in the distance, it felt like stepping into another era. Reflecting on the ingenuity and effort that went into constructing Eth Pokuna, I admired the ancient civilization that thrived here.
Leaving Eth Pokuna, I felt a deeper appreciation for Sri Lanka’s history and the brilliance of its ancient builders. This wasn’t just a pond but a masterpiece of design and purpose.

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