Rathmale Ambalama

The Rathmale Ambalama is an old wayside rest in the village of Rathmale in Matara 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 at Ratmale is believed to be constructed in 1908 (the date is found inscribed on a stone plate fixed in the ground floor of the Ambalama), as a resting place for wayfarers (Wikramaratne, 2015).

The structure

The Ambalama has been constructed as a two storey structure. The upper floor is built with a wooden floor and a staircase made of wood is said to be there to reach it (Wikramaratne, 2015).

A protected monument

The doss house (Ratmale Ambalama) in Rathmale village in the Grama Niladhari Division of Bambarenda South in Dikwella Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 16 August 2013.

References

1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary No: 1823/73. 16 August 2013. p.5A.
2) Wikramaratne, I., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Matara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-54-2. p.63.

Location Map

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