Saturday, 20 July 2019

Ambagaspitiya Ambalama

By Lanka Pradeepa July 20, 2019 No comments

The Ambagaspitiya Ambalama (Sinhala: අඹගස්පිටිය අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest in the village of Ambagaspitiya in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. The site can be reached by travelling along the Yakkala - Radawana road about 4.7 km distance from the Yakkala junction.

Ambalama

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 structure

The Ambalama has been built by erecting twelve granite pillars. Connecting these twelve pillars, a short wall goes around the structure. On the inside, around the Ambalama, are seats fixed to the short wall. The seats are made in two levels probably due to the caste differences that prevailed at the time of its construction. The entrance is set at the northern side of the Ambalama.

The pillars are octagon in shape with four-sided medial panels. Several rock carvings are also found on some of the pillars. The pillar capitals are made of wood and decorated with Pekada carvings. The four-sided roof with an elevated middle portion is paved with semi-cylindrical roof tiles (Sinhala Ulu).

A protected monument

The Ambagaspitiya Ambalama at the 3rd-milepost of the Yakkala - Radawana road in Ambagaspitiya village in Palle Tuttiripitya Grama Niladari Division in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Mahara is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 22 November 2002.