07/09/2026
“Pa Thatiya”(Traditional Sri Lankan Water Clock)
The term “pay thatiya” refers to the “Ghatika Yanthra” the traditional ancient Sri Lankan water clock consisting of a small vessel with a perforated bottom that sinks into a larger basin of water.The sinking time of the bowl is 24 minutes and considered as one hour as per ancient Sri Lankan times.
Buddhist Monks used it to ensure precise timing for canonical hours such as periods of chanting,meditation and community gatherings.
For Ayurveda medicine preperators,the clock was essential for monitoring the exact duration needed for boiling herbs .
Astrologers relied on it to calculate precise planetary alignments.