The 2 ponds dating from the 8^th or 9^th Century were constructed for the bathing of the Abhayagiriya Bhikkhus. Water for the ponds were brought from the Bulankulama / Puliyankulama Tanks, passed trough a de-silting, purifying process and sent to the ponds.

These ponds would have been used by the senior monks of Abhayagiriya Monastery as there is a large pond called Et-pokuna where more than 2000 Bhikkhus could use it at a time for bathing.

There is another theory that these ponds would have been used by the King, whose Royal Palace was very close to the ponds. No bathing pond used by the King is not found close to the Royal Palace.