Oasis Damahana – Balangoda

The Helmalu paddy cultivation means; to preparation the ground  for cultivating paddy;
As steps by steps like ladders.

                     
                         The prepared land for paddy cultivation

 This preparation occurs in very slopy ground in hill areas.close to damahana E-village the villages
called mawelacan be seen the helmalu paddy cultivation system.

                     
                          Helmalu paddy cultivated from welange area.
      In this villege the people grow Tea for cash crops butthe paddy grows for day today home
consumption.Helmalu paddy cultivation is somewhat difficult task. Because the farmer has to prepare
many small beds.There fore the farmer has to spend 20-30 days finish one term.
But the farmers help each others and work in peace and to their task successfully.
The special thing in this systems are ploushing the paddy land by using cattle’s.The men can do
this with their own hands. In this occasion people use spring water.

                    
                        The anicut for gathering the water

This spring water is not enough for the large areas of paddy land.But there is a small stream flows through this
hamlet and peopleerected an anicut and use as a irrigation.In the past people cultivated two crops. But now a days the
 lack of rain and heavy drought people cultivate only one crop people grow vegetables in some parts
of the paddy lands.

                   
                    Growing paddy land
At present there are some great problems.
1.At the beginning of the stream people make large tank and distribute the water through pipes for
   drinking and bathing to another village called “welange” so there will be no water for “yala”season.
2.The anicut is ruined and water flows in vain.
3.The paddy lands that not enough water,people are going to grow Tea. So that in the near future
    we can see arrange tea of estates in these helmalu paddy lands These are the problems.

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