Daulagala Ambalama

Daulagala Ambalama is an old wayside rest in the village of Daulagala in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

History

Ambalamas are traditional resting places built by locals to accommodate wayfarers who were travelling to distant places. They were also used as a place for people to gather, hold meetings and serve as a public place in society. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Ambalamas were spread all over the country. The Ambalama located in Daulagala is said to have been constructed in 1914 by a person named Nugawela Manamperi Chandrasekara Wasala Mudalilage Kuda Bandara Diyawadana Nilame (Abeywardana, 2004; Rajapakse, 2016).

The structure

The Ambalama has been constructed by erecting four granite pillars fixed to a foundation. The roof is paved with Kandyan Period clay tiles and supported by the four granite pillars. Several decorations are found carved on the wooden rafters.

A protected monument

The old Ambalama situated in Daulagala village in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Udunuwara is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 30 August 1974.

References

1) Abeywardana, H.A.P., 2004. Heritage of Kandurata: Major natural, cultural and historic sites. Colombo: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka. p.85.
2) Rajapakse, S., 2016. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Mahanuwara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN:955-9159-34-8. p. 66.
3) The government gazette notification. No: 8-826. 30 August 1974.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 2 January 2022
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map