A History of Agriculture in India v2.c65.s3: Irrigation, Construction of Anantaraja Sagar or Porumamilla Tank, Cuddapah District
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c65.s3
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Irrigation, Construction of Anantaraja Sagar or Porumamilla Tank, Cuddapah District
v2.c65.s3.1
This tank was built about A.D. 1367, during the reign of Bukka I. An inscription dated A.D. 1369 on two stone slabs in a temple nearby states that the work of construction of the reservoir took two years, that one thousand labourers were employed, and a hundred carts were engaged in carrying stones to the site. This tank is situated about 3.2 km to the east of the village Porumamilla in Cuddapah District, in Andhra Pradesh. Its water-spread is about 41.4 km². It is a natural site for a reservoir. The earth dam that was constructed to form the reservoir is about 1,372 m in length. Its total length inclusive of the hills is 267 m. It is 45.7 m wide at the base, 3.7 m at the top, and is 10.0 m in height. It has two sources of supply, viz. the River Maldevi, and the other an artificial channel constructed recently. It was provided with four sluices, and the front slope was revetted with Cuddapah stone slabs.
v2.c65.s3.2
The inscription also gives general specifications for the selection of a tank site and its construction. It enumerates the following twelve requisites for a good tank. Firstly, a righteous king, wealthy, happy and desirous of acquiring fame. A person well versed in ‘pathas shastra’ (hydrology). Hard soil in the bed of the tank. A river with sweet water with a course of about 38.6 km. Two projecting portions of hills. Between these projecting portions of hills a dam built of compact stone, not too long but firm. The two extremities of the hills should be devoid of fruit-bearing trees. The bed of the tank should be extensive and deep. Presence of a quarry nearby, containing straight and long stones. Fertile, low and level land in the neighbourhood to be irrigated. A watercourse with strong eddies in the mountain region. Lastly, masons, skilled in the art of tank construction.
v2.c65.s3.3
The inscription also enjoins that the following six faults should be avoided: oozing of water from the dam; saline soil; location of site at the boundary of two kingdoms; high ground in the middle of the tank; scanty water supply and too extensive area to be irrigated, and too little land to be irrigated and excessive supply of water.’¹
v2.c65.s3.4
¹ Development of Irrigation in India, pp. 38, 39