The Suriyagoda Ilukthenna Ambalama (Sinhala: සූරියගොඩ ඉලුක්තැන්න අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest in Iluktenna in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. It is situated on the Aladeniya-Eriyagama road at the junction that runs towards the famous Suriyagoda Viharaya.
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.
As engraved on a stone slab of Ilukthenna Ambalama, this structure has been erected on 10 February 2451 B.E. (1907 A.D.) and hence more than 100 years old.
The structure
The Ilukthenna Ambalama is roughly a square-shaped structure built of brick and mortar. The roof which is covered with calicut clay tiles is held by 4 pillars at the corners. Connecting these pillars, a short wall goes around the structure. A hood has been attached in front of it with two pillars holding the roof.
Attribution
1) LankaPradeepa.com would like to thank Vishwa Sri Jayasinghe for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 4 April 2023
