Ambalama in Sri Lanka Ambalama (Sinhala: අම්බලම; Tamil: அம்பலம்), also known as Isimbuhal , Mawath Madu and Madam , is a traditional resting place built in Sri Lanka by locals to accommodate wayfarers
who were travelling to distant places (Abeyawardana, 2002). They were also used as a place
for people to gather, hold meetings and as a public place for state activities such as the collection of taxes, judicial inquiries etc. Sometimes, a Penthaliya/Pinthaliya (a water container) made of clay or
stone is kept in front of the Ambalama for the convenience of the
travellers (Abeyawardana, 2002; De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). Etymology & early references The word Ambalama is used in the Sinhala language to mean a building of simple construction built to provide a resting place for wayfarers (Godakumbure, 1993). In the Tamil language, the word Ambalam is used to denote an open space for
the use of public, abode, dwelling place, or village revenue office
(Godakumbure, 1993). In the Pali language, Amba…
