Walauwa or walawwa is the name given to a feudal/colonial manor house in Sri Lanka of a native headmen. 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 Tamil vaasal, which means an entrance. 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 20 main walauwas in the Kandyan Kingdom of Ceylon. These were (in alphabetical order): 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) Allepola Walauwa Eravwawala Walauwa Galpotthawela Walauwa Kapuwatte Walauwa Mampitiya Walauwa (Royal Bar and Hotel) Meegasthenna Walauwa Moladanda Walauwa Madugalle Walauwa (demolished) Molligoda Walauwa (demolished) Niyarepola Walauwa (Manor House) Nugawela Walauwa (The Manor House) Pilamathalawa Walauwa (President's House) Ratwatte Walauwa (Chandra Silk House) Nugegoda Walauwa Angammana Walauwa Galagoda Walauwa
Other Prominent Walauwas in Kandyan Kingdom
Aluth Walauwa, Katugastota
Angunawela Walauwa, Peradeniya
Deldeniya Walauwa, Yatinuwara
Elapatha Walauwa, Rathnapura
Maduwanwela Walawwa, Kolonne
Mahawelatenne Walauwa, Balangoda
Welivita waththe walauwa,Tumpane
Meeduma Walauwa, Rambukkana
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) The Sathara Korale of Ceylon had 30 main walauwas, according to the Sathara Korale Viththi Grantha. They are listed alphabetically after each other.
Aludeniya Walauwa
Aluth Nuwara Walauwa
Araupala Walauwa
Asmadala Walauwa
Arrachchi Walauwa
Athurupana Walauwa
Baminiwaththa Walauwa
Dodamthale Walauwa
Edanduwawa Walauwa
Mapitigama Mahawaththa Walauwa, Meedeniya, Kegalle
Malpandeniya Walauwa
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
Nawa Uhangoda Walauwa
Polgasdeniya Walauwa
Rankothdiwela Walauwa
Udaththavan Walauwa
Valimanne Walauwa
Walgama Walauwa, Walgama, Rambukkana
Athurupane Walauwa Meepitiya Kegalle
Sath Korale Walauwas (Kurunegala District)