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The Putuhapuwa Ambalama (Sinhala: පුටුහපුව අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest situated in Teldeniya 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 Putuhapuwa Ambalama is believed to be one such structure built in ancient times.
The structure
This Ambalama is primarily made out of granite blocks. The roof which has a complex shape is held by fourteen pillars fixed in two tiers of squares (ten pillars in the outer square and four in the inner square). Connecting the pillars in the outer square, a short wall runs around the building. The top part of the roof is covered by Calicut clay tiles (
Rata Ulu) while the lower part is covered with semi-cylindrical clay tiles (
Sinhala Ulu).
A protected monument
The Putuhapuwa ancient Ambalama situated in the Grama Niladhari Division, Putuhapuwa in the Divisional Secretary's Division, Medadumbara is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government notification published on 30 September 2022.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary. No: 2299/60. 30 September 2022. p.2A.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 10 April 2023
