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The Udumahana Ambalama (Sinhala: උඩුමහන අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest in Udumahana village in Kegalle District, Sri Lanka. The site is situated 0.4 km distance on the Mawanella-Thalagolla road leading from the Randiwela junction located on the Mawanella-Rambukkana road.
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 Udumahana Ambalama is said to have erected by a villager about 150 years ago for people who were on the pilgrimage to Aluthnuwara Devalaya and the Temple of the Tooth Relic (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009).
The structure
The Ambalama is square in shape. The pitched roof is held by 4 pillars, square at the bottom and cylindrical at the top (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). By connecting these pillars, a short wall runs around the building.
References
1) De Silva, N.; Chandrasekara, D.P., 2009. Heritage Buildings of Sri Lanka. Colombo: The National Trust Sri Lanka, ISBN: 978-955-0093-01-4. p.161.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 1 July 2022
