Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

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උඩුනුවර වේගිරිය අම්බලම - Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama — උඩුනුවර වේගිරිය අම්බලම – Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

Indeed, Ambalama served as essential public resting places for pilgrims, traders, and tourists travelling across ancient Sri Lanka’s roads, often requiring several days of travel. These structures were strategically constructed along ancient routes to alleviate fatigue and provide shelter for weary travellers, enabling them to rest and spend the night comfortably.

The ancients held the belief that constructing Ambalams for the welfare of travellers was an act of charity, and defiling or damaging these structures was considered a grave sin. Additionally, Ambalams served as vital gathering spots for the local villagers, fostering community cohesion and interaction. These structures were often built under royal patronage or with the support of local nobles, leading to variations in size and artistic embellishments based on the wealth and influence of the patrons involved.

After travelling approximately 6 km on the Peradeniya-Gampola road, you will reach the Gelioya area. From Gelioya town, continue for about 3.5 km on Bouvelikada road until you reach Daskara village. To the left-hand side of Daskara village, you’ll find a road marked for Vegiriya Vegirikanda Rajamaha Vihara and Purana Natha Devale. After 850 meters on this road, you’ll come across Galkona Ambalama, situated near Galkona Purana Bodhiya. Continuing for another kilometre, you’ll arrive at Vegiriya Ambalama.

To construct Wegiriya Ambalama beams crafted from jackfruit wood are positioned atop four large square stone pillars, serving as the frame for the roof. The roof is then supported by these beams. Notably, one of the stones in the structure stands approximately ten feet tall. The rafters of the roof are intricately joined together using a wooden Madol Kurupawa, adorned with a carved lotus flower for decorative embellishment.

The walls of this Ambalama have been constructed as ledges to provide seating. The entrance is positioned to the south. In front of the entrance, the north wall stands approximately 3.0 feet high. The left wall measures about 2.5 feet high, while the right wall is approximately 1.5 feet high. The provision of seats at different heights is a characteristic often observed in Ambalams from the Kandy era. This seating arrangement reflects the traditional caste-based seating system prevalent during that time.

The roof of this Ambalama features a traditional upward bend in the middle, reminiscent of roofs found in the Kandy region. Calicut clay tiles adorn the roof, which may suggest a later repair or renovation.

Jinadasa, a skilled Ayurvedic Doctor from the area, has documented that this Ambalama was completed on January 13, 1925, as noted on a plaque located on the roof. Local elders recall that prior to the construction of this stone Ambalama, there was a wooden Ambalama at the same location.

References

අම්බලම හා සමාජය : ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පුරාණ පිළිබඳ ඓතිහාසික හා පුරාවිද්‍යාත්මක පර්යේෂණයක්, 2018. , 1. කොළඹ : සීමාසහිත ඇස් ගොඩගේ සහෝදරයෝ (පුද්.) සමාගම.

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Map of Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

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Travelling Directions to Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

Peradeniya to Udunuwara Vegiriya Ambalama

Via : Gelioya – Daskara
Total Distance : 13 KM
Travel Time : 30 Minutes
Time to Spend : About 15-30 Minutes
Driving Directions : View on Google Map

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References

Also See

Map of Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

Travelling Directions to Udunuwara Wegiriya Ambalama

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