Beminitiya Seya

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Beminitiya Seya, also known as the Great Famine, (103-89 BC), during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya, known as Valagambahu, was a period of over a decade in which ancient Ceylon's irrigation systems failed as a result of invasion, corruption and neglect. [1]

To expand agricultural production, the ancient Sinhalese deforested many surrounding areas. This led to increased erosion and drought in many of the "tanks," or man-made lakes that were used as reservoirs. The result was a time of hardship, compounded by foreign invasion, making this a grey region of Sri Lanka's history. The situation eased with the deaths of five warring princes and the return of King Valagambahu, who is regarded as one of Sri Lanka's greatest heroes.[2]


The famine is mentioned a number of times in the stories contained in "Sihalavatthu Pakarana", the oldest work of Ceylonese literature. It is related that at this time many monks left the island for India or the Maldives. [3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Our True Heroes [1]
  2. ^ Our True Heroes [2]
  3. ^ D. Amarasiri Weeraratne, Sihalavatthu Pakarana: Book of ancient Sinhala religious stories The Island, Thursday 07th December, 2001[3]
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