Karawwa Ambalama (Sinhala: කරව්ව අම්බලම), is an old resting house situated at the Karawwa junction on the wayside of Horawela-Pitigala road in Galle District, Sri Lanka. Presently, it is used as a bus stop.
History
Ambalamas are traditional resting places built by locals to provide shelter for travellers journeying to far-off destinations. They served as communal hubs for gatherings, meetings, and public interactions. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Ambalamas were spread all over the country. The Ambalama at Karawwa junction is thought to be such a structure built in the past.
The Structure
This small Ambalama building is rectangular in shape and its roof is balanced on six square cement pillars. Connecting these pillars, a short wall runs around the structure. The roof is covered with calicut clay tiles (Rata Ulu).
A Protected Monument
The Karawwa wayside resting place and the premises in the extent of 0.28 perches situated in Karawwa village in the Grama Niladhari division No. 30 D of Karawwa in the Divisional Secretary’s Division, Niyagama is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 16 September 2023.
References
1) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Extraordinary. No: 2349/42. 16 September 2023. p.2A.
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.
