Srilanka, Oct. 5 -- Deegavapi is a sacred Buddhist temple and an archaeological site in the Ampara district. The history of this sacred site goes back to the third century B.C.E. The name itself means Deega (in Pali - long) and Vapu (in Sanskrit - tank). Water reservoirs such as tanks were an important feature of the hydraulic civilisation in ancient Sri Lanka, and temples and cities were built around them.

In the third century B.C.E, the area was known as the district of Dighamandala or Digamadulla in Sinhala.

Entrance to the sacred siteEntrance to the sacred site The importance of Deegavapi is connected with legends about the visits to this site by the Buddha. It has also played a role in the political history of the region. In more r...