Surrounded by jungle, the magnificent eth pokuna (elephant pond) is thought to be an ancient water storage pool for the Abhayagiri monastery rather than a swimming pool for pachyderms. However such is its scale – 159m long, 53m wide and 10m deep – a whole herd could undoubtedly bathe here.
Underground channels from the Periyamkulama Tank keep the pond topped up, and are still in working order – during very heavy rains water pours into the pond from inlets.
