Wegiriya Ambalama

Photo credit: Google street view

The Wegiriya Ambalama is an old wayside rest situated in Udunuwara 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 at Wegiriya, as mentioned in its one of the rafters, has been built on 13 January 1925 by a doctor named Jinadasa (Dasanayaka, 2018).

The structure

The four large pillars at the corners of this Ambalama are about 10 ft. tall and made out of stone (Dasanayaka, 2018). By connecting these pillars, a short wall prepared for sitting runs around it. However, the heights of this wall differ in each direction and this is probably due to the caste differences that prevailed in the society at the time of its construction. The four-sided roof with an elevated middle portion is paved with Calicut tiles.

References

1) Dasanayaka, R., 2018. Ambalama saha samajaya (In Sinhala). S. Godage & Brothers.  p.103.

Location Map

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