Bothale Walawwa

Bothale Walauwa is situated on Meerigama Road in Bothale Ihalagama, Western Province, Sri Lanka.

History

• The large single storied house was built by Don Spater Senanayake in 1865 in his home village of Bothale. He was a successful entrepreneur having developed a successful business in graphite mining, owning several mines he expanded his business into plantations and investments in the arrack renting franchise in an around Bothale and opening offices in Colombo.
• The house became known as the Bothale Walauwa by tradition, a Mudaliyar's home being referred to as a Walauwa and receiving due respects among the inhabitants of the locality.
• Following the death of Don Spater Senanayake in 1907, his tomb was erected in the grounds of Bothale Walauwa. The house passed on to the Mudaliyar's son Don Stephen "D.S." Senanayake who with his brothers became active in local politics entering the Legislative Council of Ceylon and thereafter State Council of Ceylon.
• Becoming a prominent State Council Minister and national leader; D. S. Senanayake was lead the infinitive to gain Ceylon's Independence from Britain and right to self-rule in 1948, becoming the first Prime Minister of Ceylon.
• During his long political career, Senanayake used Bothale as his country seat having been elected to parliament from the Mirigama electorate.

Architecture

The Bothale Walauwa is a large bungalow with a single storied structure. Its architectural style is not explicitly mentioned in available sources.

Layout

The layout of the Bothale Walauwa is not described in detail in available sources.

Current Status and Use

Bothale Walauwa has been descaled an archaeological protected monument by the Sri Lankan government on 3 September 1999. The house is currently owned by the Senanayake family, who continue to maintain it as their ancestral home.

Heritage Status

The Bothale Walauwa was declared a protected monument in 1999.

Visiting Information

Visitors can access the Bothale Walauwa upon request from the local authorities. However, no specific visiting hours or contact information is available.

Notable Features and Rooms

No notable features or rooms are mentioned in available sources.