Awariyawala Ambalama

The Awariyawala Ambalama (Sinhala: ඇවරියවල අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest in the village of Awariyawala in Gampaha 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.

Although locals connect the history of Awariyawala Ambalama to King Walagamba (103 B.C., 89-77 B.C.) and his queen, it is believed to be a construction of the Kandyan Period (Dasanayaka, 2018). This Ambalama's structure is similar to those at Godamunna and Alikewala (Dasanayaka, 2018).

The structure

The Ambalama lies on a flat rock adjoining a small pond. The square-shaped structure is made of wooden pillars and balanced on a few stones on the ground. Presently, the roof is thatched with dry coconut leaves. Rohitha Dasanayaka in his book titled Ambalama saha samajaya mentions that there was an inscription (see below) on a decayed rafter of this structure (Dasanayaka, 2018).

Text: ශකාබ්දම් රුති සත්‍ය
Transcript: Shakabdam ruthi sathya
Translation: Saka Year 1762 (or 1840 A.D.)
Notes: This is an inscription written following the ancient Katapaya system.

Also, the following notes are found engraved on another pillar;

ගල් වල කැපූ දිනය (the date on which the stone pond was cut): 1983.2.27
උළු (roofing tiles): 1976.3.15

A protected monument

The Ewariyawala Ambalama situated in Awariyawala 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.