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Nelumwewa Ambalama (destroyed) |
Nelumwewa Ambalama (Sinhala: නෙළුම්වැව අම්බලම), was an old resting house situated in Nelumwewa village belonging to the Bambarenda Central Grama Niladari Division in Dikwella in Matara District, Sri Lanka. The two-storied Rathmale Ambalama, another old wayside rest is located about 900 m west of this Ambalama.
History
Ambalamas are traditional resting places built by locals to provide shelter for travellers journeying to far-off destinations. They also 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 in Nelumwewa village was considered a structure built more than one hundred years ago (Wikramaratne, 2015).
The Structure
Although only a few side walls remain today, the original structure had been constructed on the verge of a paddy field. It was a small square-shaped building built with brick and mortar. Its roof, covered with calicut clay tiles (Rata Ulu), was balanced on four square brick pillars in the corners.
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References
Books
1) Wikramaratne, I., 2015. Pauranika Sthana Saha Smaraka: Matara Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). ISBN: 955-9159-54-2. p.64.
Location Map
Attribution
To Whom
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.