A walauwa or walawwa is a feudal/colonial manor house in Sri Lanka of a native headman. It also refers to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era.
The term walauwa is derived from the Tamil word valavu, which denotes a compound or garden, and by implication, a large house with aristocratic connotations. The pinnacle of walauwas in the Sinhala social stratum is the wasala walauwa. Wasala is derived from the word Wasasathana, meaning residence. In the Sinhalese social hierarchy, a wasala walawa would typically be the ancestral residence of a mudaliyar.
Walauwas vary in style, elegance and uniqueness depending upon the financial resources of the individual families and in the village or area's social structure. Most walauwas tend to incorporate aspects of traditional pre-colonial Ceylonese architecture, as well as Dutch and later colonial influences. A walauwa usually consisted of a cluster of buildings linked by verandahs, with an internal courtyard (medamidula), which separated the private life of the family from the headman's public duties.
The walauwa were traditionally associated with the homes of the courtiers (radala), members of the royal court in Kandy. It was displaced by their colonial equivalents following the dissolution of the Kingdom of Kandy by the British.
Kandyan Walauwas There were 19 main walauwas in the Kandyan Kingdom of Ceylon. These were (in alphabetical order):Sri Lanka Walauwa Directory by Dr Mirando Obeysekara (Samanthi Book Publishers) Arapola Walauwa (demolished) Dehigama Walauwa (demolished - Central Finance Building) Dullewe Walauwa (part of Queen's Hotel) Dunuwila Walauwa (currently Kandy Town Hall) Ehelepola Walauwa (fmr Bogambara Remand Centre) Ellepola Walauwa Eravwawala Walauwa Galpotthawela Walauwa Kapuwatte Walauwa Mampitiya Walauwa (Royal Bar and Hotel) Meegasthenna Walauwa Moladanda Walauwa Madugalle Walauwa (demolished) Molligoda Walauwa (demolished) Nugawela Walauwa (The Manor House)Carried on the wings of love.Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 25 June 2006. Pilamathalawa Walauwa (President's House) Ratwatte Walauwa (Chandra Silk House) Mullegama Walauwa (st Sylvester’s college)
Other Prominent Walauwas in Kandyan Kingdom
Angunawela Walauwa, PeradeniyaKing Wimaladharmasuriya of Kandy by Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando, pages 133, 174 Deldeniya Walauwa, YatinuwaraTribute to the life of a friend and a hero: Lt. General Denzil L. Kobbekaduwa by Sunil Keppetipola, Trinity College Worldwide Website, Retrieved on 25 June 2014 Elapatha Walauwa, RathnapuraIddamalgoda Kumarihamy, by Sepala Ilangakoon, Sunday Island features, Retrieved on 05 July 2014The Duke of Edinburgh in Ceylon: A book of elephant and elk sport, by John Capper and Vincent Brooks, pp.34,35&91 (British Library, Historical Print Editions) Maduwanwela Walawwa, KolonneArchitectural marvel of the Maduwanwela Dissawa era, by Gamini Punchihewa, Sunday Times Plus (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 05 July 2014 Mahawelatenne Walauwa, Balangodaලෝකයේ පළමු අගමැතිනිය බිහිකළ මහවලතැන්න වලව්ව , Lankadeepa (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 25 June 2014 Welivita waththe walauwa, Tumpane Paranagama walauwa, Paranagama, wettewa, Galagedara Ranwala Walauwa, Niyangoda Elapatha Walauwa, Rathnapura Amunugama Walauwa, Kobbekaduwa Thambagamuwa Walauwa, Ata Kalan Koralaya, Ratnapura
Sathara Korale Walauwas (Kegalle District) There were 30 main walauwas in the Sathara Korale of Ceylon according to the Sathara Korale Viththi Grantha. There were in alphabetical order;
Aludeniya Walauwa Aluth Nuwara Walauwa Araupala Walauwa Asmadala Walauwa Arrachchi Walauwa Athurupana Walauwa Baminiwaththa Walauwa Dodamthale Walauwa Edanduwawa Walauwa Mapitigama Mahawaththa Walauwa, Meedeniya, Kegalle Halagiriya Walauwa Handagama Walauwa Harigala Walauwa Kadigamuwa Walauwa Kappagoda Walauwa Kempitiya Walauwa Keppetipola Walauwa Kotagama Walauwa Kumbal Oluwa Walauwa Kumbaldiwela Walauwa Leuke Walauwa Madana Walauwa Mahanthegama Walauwa Makadawara Meddewatte Walauwa Molligoda Walauwa Malpandeniya Walauwa (Sriwardene Walauwa) Nawa Uhangoda Walauwa Polgasdeniya Walauwa Rankothdiwela WalauwaThe Date of Buddha's Death and Ceylon Chronology, By John M. Senaveratna, p. 193 (Asian Educational Services, India) Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon, by Arnold Wright, pp. 667-9 (Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Company) Udaththavan Walauwa Valimanne Walauwa Walgama Walauwa Athurupane Walauwa Meepitiya Kegalle
Sath Korale Walauwas (Kurunegala District)
Kaudumunna walawwa (Belonged to a relative of Ehelepola Adigar) Bogollagama Walauwa Katupitiya Walauwa Gopallawa Walauwa Dangolle Walauwa, Boyagane Palipana Walauwa Balalla Walauwa Moragollagama Walauwa Rekawa Walauwa Ralapanawa Walauwa Moonemalle Walauwa Sirigala Walauwa Galabada Walauwa Dodamkumbura Walauwa Singhagiriya Walawa Welagedara Walauwa Weththewé Walauwa Gajamadaara Walauwa Peragasela Koralé Walauwa Galwarama Walauwa Mahagedara Walauwa Ihala Walauwa (boyawalana) Wele Walauwa (boyawalana) Boyawalana Walauwa Monnekulamé Walauwa Kalalpitiyé Walauwa Galgomuwé Walauwa Madhurawé Walauwa Rathmale Walauwa Wadigamangawa Walauwa Wewelwala Walauwa Godawita Walauwa Kadurugashena Tennakoon Walauwa Hunukumbure Walauwa Udugama Walauwa Athapaththuwe Walauwa Gajamadaara Walauwa Wedande Walauwa, Demataluwa
Prominent Colombo Walauwas built in early 1800's
Wasala Walauwa (Belonged to the Tillekeratne Abeyesekere family. Notable occupants were Gate Mudaliyars Don Johannes Tillekeratne Abeyesekere and his son John Abraham Tillekeratne Abeyesekere, Colombo Mudaliyar at the time of his death in 1911) Atapattu Walauwa, Kotahena (Belonged to Senewiratne Perera Wijegoonewardene. Notable occupant was Mudaliyar Henry Aloysius Senewiratne Perera Wijegoonewardena, Atapattu Muadaliya Colombo) Malwatte Walauwa, Grandpass (Belonged to Gomis Abeyasinghe Weerakoon family. Notable occupants were Mudaliyars Simon Gomis Abeyasinghe Weerakoon and his son Gerard Gomis Wijayesinghe Weerakoon, Basnayake Mudaliyar)
Prominent Low-Country Walauwas
There have been a number of other prominent, well known walauwas in the southern areas of Ceylon, outside the Kandyan Kingdom. These walauwas comprised a mix of Sri Lankan, Portuguese, Dutch and English architecture.
Amarasuriya Walauwa, Unawatuna Amerasinghe Walawwa, Habaraduwa Amerasinghe Waluwwa, Unawatuna Atapattu Walawwa, Galle‘Enthusiast’s guide’ to unique Sri Lankan real estate , The Nation (Sri Lanka), 07 July 2014 Bagatale Walauwa, Colombo 3Now a showcase of fabulous mansions by Padma Edirisinghe, Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 25 June 2014112th death anniversary of C. H. de Soysa, patriot and philanthropist unequalled, by Dr. K. N. M. D. Cooray, Infolanka Features (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 25 June 2014 Bethme Walawwa, Wehalla Boralugoda WalawwaVivienne - The making of a rebel, by Buddhika Kurukularatne, The Island (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 29 June 2014 Bothale Walawwa, MirigamaSenanayake Family, Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy, Retrieved on 25 June 2014Tracing the background of one of the most families in Sri Lanka by H.M. Thanuja Hitibandara, The Nation (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 05 July 2014 Chevaliar Walauwa, Moratuwa Closenberg Walauwa, Galle Gandhara WalauwaThe Perera-Abeywardena family , De Fonseka family on the web, Retrieved on 05 July 2014The chieftains of Ceylon, by J. C. Van Sanden, pp.9, 31 & 78 (Navrang) D' Anderado Families , De Fonseka family on the web: sources of information, Retrieved on 05 July 2014 Horagolla Walauwa, AtthanagallaNilaperumal aka Kalukapuge, Sri Lankan Tamil/Sinhalese/Burgher Family Genealogy, Retrieved on 05 July 2014 Ihala Walauwa, Kotte Jayasinghe Walauwa, Ekala Kataluwa Atadahewatte, Obeyesekere Maha Walawwa Kalutara Maha WalauwaThe case of Manuel Dias Andrady , De Fonseka family on the web, Retrieved on 05 July 2014Description of the Great and Most Famous Isle of Ceylon, by Philip Baldaeus, pp. 678-9 (Asian Educational Services, India) The Varnakula Addittya Arasanilaitta De Fonseka family of Kalutara , De Fonseka family on the web, Retrieved on 05 July 2014 Kandawala Waluwa, Ratmalana Kotalawala Walawwa Maha Kappina Walauwa, BalapitiyaEhelapola the great by Dr. Mirando Abeysekere, The Island (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 06 July 2014 Mahawelatenne Walauwa, Balangoda Mandiyagoda Rathnasinghe Walauwa, Beliatta Moratuwa WalauwaPhilanthropist and Patriot; Charles Henry de Soysa, by Wimalasiri A. Fernando, The Island: Features (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 07 July 2014The Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges - Moratuwa: The seeming endlessness of the Soysa legacy by Malathi Perera, Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 07 July 2014 Matara Maha Walauwa Nakulugamuwa Walawwa, Beliatta Obeyesekere Walawa, Colombo 7 Pahala Walauwa, Barrack Street, Hambantota Pattikara wasala walauwa, wadduwa Punchi Kachcheriya walauwa, Pothupitiya Ratnagiri Walawwa, Boralesgamuwa Regina Walauwa, Colombo 7 Susew Walauwa Molligoda Udaha Walauwa, GalkissaDe Saram Family, Sri Lanka Burgher/Sinhala Family Genealogy, Retrieved on 10 July 2014 Uda Waluwa, Barrack Street, Hambantota Wasala Walauwa, PanaduraIs G. L. playing Puran Appu or Moratu Saman?, Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 08 July 2014 Wasala Walauwa, Terrace Street, Hambantota Wickramasuriya Walauwa, KathaluwaThe chieftains of Ceylon, by J. C. Van Sanden, p.32 (Navrang) Wickremasuriya Family, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Family Genealogy, Retrieved on 09 July 2014
Decline and current states