Meepe Ambalama, also known as Meepe Wela Meda Ambalama (Sinhala: මීපේ අම්බලම), is an old resting house situated in the middle of a paddy field in Meepe village in Galle 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 Meepe is believed to be one such structure built about 200 years ago.
In the past, this Ambalama is thought to have provided shelter to devotees who came to visit nearby Piyadashyarama Viharaya. Over time, this had become a dilapidated structure but was restored in 2016 by the Department of Archaeology.
The Structure
This small Ambalama building is roughly square in shape and its roof is balanced on four cement pillars at the four corners. Connecting these pillars, a short wall runs around the structure. The roof is covered with semi-circular clay tiles (Sinhala Ulu).
A Protected Monument
The old Ambalama constructed on the Waguressa rock in the Meepe paddy fields situated in the Grama Niladhari Wasama No. 151/A, Meepe of the Habaraduwa Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 6 June 2008.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. No: 1716. 22 July 2011. p.511.
Attribution
#) LankaPradeepa.com extends its gratitude to Lalith Kekulthotuwage for providing the necessary photographs required for this article. All the photos are published here with the permission of the author.