Lanka Excursions Holidays - Kandy
Sri Lanka travels with Nuwan
  • Home
    • payments
  • Tours
    • ready-made tours
    • tailor-made tours >
      • tailor-made
    • Excursions
    • day-excursions food-safaris >
      • Negombo Food Safaris
      • Sigiriya Food Safari
    • Classic Tours >
      • 3 days 2 nights
      • 4 days 3 nights
      • 7 days tour
      • 8 days tour
    • your-price-choice
    • Outdoor Anuradhapura
    • Sri Lanka Transport Service
    • 7 days with 4 hikes
    • 10 days with 7 hikes
    • 15 days with 3 surf beaches
    • 15 days with 7 means of travel
    • Bentota beach holidays
    • Nilaveli beach holidays
    • 4 weeks honeymoon tour
    • Terms
    • Services
    • Tripadvisor
    • Cambodia
    • Nepal
    • deutsch
    • по-русски
  • About
  • Info
    • Where is Sri Lanka >
      • Names of Sri Lanka
    • Regions >
      • Cultural Triangle images
      • Central Highland images
      • Western Plains images
      • Southwest Wet Zone images
      • Deep South images
      • Eastern Shores images
      • Northern Province images
    • Sri Lanka off the beaten path >
      • highly recommended
      • around Colombo
      • around Yapahuwa
      • around Anuradhapura
      • around Jaffna
      • around Trincomalee
      • around Polonnaruwa
      • around Sigiriya
      • around Kandy
      • around Nuwara Eliya
      • around Arugam Bay
      • around Hambantota
      • around Bentota
      • all over Sri Lanka
    • Things to do
    • Slide Show >
      • Famous Places Slide Show
      • Less-known Sites Slide Show
    • Directory
  • Mihintale
    • Mihintale attractions
    • Guesthouse Rooms
    • Rent my Villa
    • Activities around Mihintale
    • Hiking in Mihintale
    • Mihintale-sightseeing
    • Picnic at Kaludiya Pokuna
    • car
    • Day trips by car
  • Culture
    • Food >
      • Rice
      • Breakfast
      • Kottu Roti
      • Pasta Sri Lanka style
      • Rice Noodles Sri Lanka style
      • Egg-fried rice Sri Lanka style
    • Tea
    • Ayurveda
  • Destinations
    • World Heritage Sites >
      • Anuradhapura
      • Polonnaruwa
      • Sigiriya
      • Dambulla
      • Kandy Sacred City
      • Galle Fort
    • Cities >
      • Colombo
      • Nuwara Eliya
      • Trincomalee
      • Ratnapura
      • Batticaloa
      • Kurunegala
      • Matale
      • Kalutara
      • Tangalle
      • Hambantota
      • Puttalam
      • Chilaw
      • Matara
      • Avissawella
      • Badulla
      • Tissamaharama
      • Kalmunai
      • Embilipitiya
      • Habarana
      • Kilinochchi
      • Pottuvil
      • Giritale
    • Sacred Places >
      • Kataragama
      • Mahiyangana
      • Seruwila
      • Somawathiya
      • Sita Eliya
      • Maha Saman Devale
      • Kelaniya
      • Munneshvaram
      • Kanniyai
      • Manavari
      • Adisham Hall
      • Karagahagedara
      • Madampe
      • Seenigama
      • Divurumpola
    • Ancient Temples >
      • Haththikuchchi
      • Ritigala
      • Yapahuwa
      • Wilandagoda
      • Thiriyai
      • Velgam Vehera
      • Medirigiriya
      • Sithulpahuwa
      • Pidurangala
      • Nalanda
      • Mulkirigala
      • Panduwasnuwara
      • Padeniya
      • Padavigampola
      • Namal Uyana
      • Arankale
      • Menikdena
      • Manakanda
      • Nillakgama
      • Panavitiya
      • Gadaladeniya
      • Lankatilaka
      • Embekke
      • Lahugala
      • Kudumbigala
      • Dambadeniya
      • Kiralagala
      • Kalupokuna
      • Degaldoruwa
      • Ramba Vihara
      • Medawala
      • Dadagamuwa
      • Buddhangala
      • Dematamal Viharaya
      • Pilikuttuwa
      • Dodanwela
      • Dimbulagala
      • Beligala
      • Bogoda
      • Barandiya Kovil
      • Kokabe
      • Divulwewa
      • Madagama
      • Pettagangala
      • Isenbessagala
      • Kuruwita
      • Koskandawala
      • Attanagalla
      • Alawwa
      • Awariyawala
      • Hanguranketa
    • Historical Caves >
      • Ridigama
      • Salgala
      • Veheragala
      • Wavulpone
      • Sankapala
      • Varana
      • Aluvihara
      • Anamaduwa
      • Aluthepola
      • Maligatenna
      • Divaguhawa
      • Batadomba Lena
      • Beli Lena
      • Pahiyangala
      • Maradankadawala
    • Giant Stupas >
      • Yudaganawa
      • Dedigama
      • Dighavapi
    • Rock Buddha statues >
      • Gal Vihara
      • Aukana Buddha
      • Sasseruwa Buddha
      • Buduruwagala
      • Dowa
      • Maligawila
      • Kushtaraja Statue
      • Thanthirimale
      • Bakamuna
      • Maboda Temple
    • Mountains >
      • Adam's Peak
      • Horton Plains
      • Pidurutalagala
      • Knuckles Range
      • Sinharaja
      • Haputale
      • Ella
      • Namunukula
      • Deanston
      • Ramboda
      • Ambuluwawa
      • Bible Rock
      • Medamahanuwara
      • Hunnasgiriya
      • Hakgala
      • Kadugannawa
      • Uda Pussellawa
      • Passara
      • Victoria Lake
      • Retiyagama
    • Waterfalls >
      • Bambarakanda Falls
      • Diyaluma Falls
      • Dunhinda Falls
      • St. Clair's Falls
      • Devon Falls
      • Bopath Falls
      • Dodam Falls
      • Mannakethi Falls
      • Aberdeen Falls
      • Lakshapana
      • Kirindi Falls
      • Bambarakiri Falls
      • Ravana Falls
      • Hunas Falls
    • National Parks >
      • Yala NP
      • Wilpattu NP
      • Maduru Oya NP
      • Gal Oya NP
      • Udawalawe NP
      • Minneriya NP
      • Kaudulla NP
      • Kumana NP
      • Bundala NP
      • Ussangoda
      • leopards
    • Activity Attractions >
      • Kandy Perahera 2019
      • Kithulgala
      • Pinnawela
      • Madu Ganga
      • Muthurajawela
      • Meetiyagoda
      • Rekawa
      • Induruwa
      • Brief Garden
      • Lunuganga
      • Gampaha
      • Kanneliya
      • Bodhinagala
      • Mahapalessa Hot Springs
      • Thoppigala
      • Rufus Kulam
      • Wewurukannala
      • Kalawewa
      • Kandalama
    • Beaches >
      • Beruwela
      • Bentota Beach
      • Balapitiya
      • Ambalangoda
      • Hikkaduwa
      • Unawatuna
      • Weligama
      • Mirissa
      • Dondra
      • Hiriketiya
      • Hoomaniya Blowhole
      • Kirinda
      • Okanda
      • Arugam Bay
      • Thirukkovil
      • Pasikuda
      • Thennadi Bay
      • Nilaveli Beach
      • Pulmoddai
      • Mannar Island
      • Kaplitiya Peninsula
      • Marawila
      • Negombo
    • Jaffna Peninsula >
      • Jaffna
      • Nallur
      • Kandarodai
      • Nilavarai
      • Point Pedro
      • Manalkadu
      • Naguleshvaram
      • Jambukola
      • Nainativu
      • Delft Island
      • Elephant Pass
    • top 20 attractions >
      • top 20 in Colombo
      • top 20 in Kandy
    • Sri Lanka off the beaten track
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • Reviews since 2020
    • Tripadvisor Reviews
    • Reviews 2015-2020
    • instagram
  • Contact

Panavitiya - most beautiful Ambalama, traditional Sri Lankan rest hall

Sri Lanka's Ambalamas are small open halls that served many different puposes in historical times and are still in use as as tea break hut of farmers. Panavitiya’s Ambalama is the most beautiful one due to excellent woodcarvings. The protected archaeological site is almost never visited by foreigners.
Panavitiya Ambalama in Kurunegala District
The Ambalama of Panavitiya was built in the 18th century and is restored by the Archaeological Department, as this is actually the most important monument of its kind. This is to say: If you want to see a Sinhalese Ambalama, Panavitiya is the best choice. It’s a particularly beautiful example of the wooden architecture of the Kandy era and richly adorned with carvings. Actually, if you want to see Kandyan style woodcarvings outside the hillcountry, Panavitiya again is the best choice.
Panavitiya Ambalama in Sri Lanka
board of the Archaeological Department at the Panavitiya Ambalama

Structure of the Panavitiya Ambalama

The foundation is a 4m long and 3m wide. The base is made of stone. There are four granite chunks on the edges, in between the floor is filled with rubble.

Cross planks are drawn between the outer two rows of wooden pillars that support the roof. The cross planks also serve as benches, allowing people to be grouped around a the center of the hall.

The tiled roof of the Panavitiya Ambalama was constructed or reconstructed more recently, only some fragments of the original roof remained in situ. But all 26 wooden pillars of the Panavitiya Ambalama still originals. They are strikingly and extraordinarily richly decorated, considering that this was only a small rural refuge and not a sanctuary or a palace building. Actually, Panavitiya’s wood carvings are even more beautiful than those in Kandy. Archaeologists consider them second in quality only to those of Embekke, the temple having Sri Lanka’s most famous wood carvings.

The most lovely carvings of Panavitiya are those on the nine inner pillars. The capitals are among the best specimen in the Kandyan style found anywhere in Sri Lanka. Cubic extensions to all four directions show a lotos blossom on each of the undersides. The capitals of the outer corner pillars are the most intricately caved ones.

In addition to the common lotus motif, the panels at he columns show deer, two fighting snakes, dancers, acrobats, two women greeting each other and two men talking to each other. Find images further below.

What is an Ambalama?

Ambalamas are open pillared halls. Actually, they form a significant part of traditional folk Sinhalese culture in early modern times. In the Kandy period, they served as a resting places, refuges and free overnight accommodations along pilgrimage routes. Many pilgrimages were multi-day peregrinations requiring affordable overnight stays. To a certain extent, Ambalamas can be called the models of the – much more comfortable - British resthouses which provided accommodation for colonial officers at day-stages (for then horse-drawn carriages) along major roads on the island. Today, many Ambalamas are just bothies at bus stops.

Ambalamas were places of communication, they were meetings points of different groups of pilgrims, facilitating the interregional spread of news this way. Apart from serving as pilgrim rests, they also were used by local farmers for a midday snap protected from sun exposure.

Furthermore, Ambalamas served local community as a kind of courtroom for arbitral tribunals. Disputes between conflicting parties could be resolved in a civilized manner without a judge's decision. Tax collectors moving from village to village also settled down at Ambalamas to collect taxes from the local community in the respected wooden hall. All in all, an Ambalama formed a small cultural and administrative center just outside the village, being a more peaceful place than a market hall in the center.
Kandyan lotus capitals in the Panavitiya Ambalama
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
ceiling of the Panavitiya Ambalama in Kurunegala District
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of acrobats
acrobats
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a Kandyan dancer
Kandy dancer
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a man dressed in the Kandyan style
man in Kandyan dress
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a woman serving a man
woman serving a man
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of chatting women
chatting women
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of chatting seated men
chatting seated men
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of monkey
monkey
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a lion
lion
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a gajasinha
gajasinha
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of a flower
Panavitiya Ambalama geometric woodcarving
Panavitiya Ambalama woodcarving of cobras
Panavitiya is not far from the Negombo-Kurunegala road (B308) used by many guests when travelling from the airport to the Cultural Triangle. Panavitiya is just four kilometers northeast of Dambadeniya. The small but noteworthy Ambalama of Panavitiya is situated within paddy fields.
Sri Lanka destinations A-Z
Sri Lanka's Travel Regions
Picture
What guests write about us
You can Leave a comment ...
Why travel with Lanka Excursions Holidays?

+ We are a local agency owned and run by Sri Lankans, not part of international holdings
+ We are well known for our direct and personal relationships with travellers 
+ We facilitate authentic meetings with locals who are not from the tourism sector 
  + We follow a strict policy not to push guests to visit shops and shops and shops
+ We have an unrivalled expertise to show you places off the beaten path
+ We provide genuine information instead of clichés and tourism industry slogans

Our ambition is to provide high-quality information in preparation of your Sri Lanka holidays ... and even more superb travel experiences
Lanka Excursions Holidays office hours 8.00 to 9.30 p.m. daily (except from June Fullmoon Day)

AIRBNB SUPERHOST
First House Mihintale
Rooms in Mihintale
First House Mihintale
87, Missaka Mawatha, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka.
0094 71 6097795

  • TripAdvisor
Lanka Excursions Holidays

921/A Peradeniya Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
Tel 0094 71 6097795
lankaexcursionsholidays@gmail.com
  • TripAdvisor

all rights reserved, © 2016 Lanka Excursion Holidays