Ambalangoda

Ambalangoda is where Sri Lankan masks are made, carved from light kaduru wood and painted, in three families of form: the kolam masks of village comic drama, the sanni masks of the healing rituals in which eighteen ailments each have their demon, and the raksha masks of processions, of which the cobra-hooded naga raksha is the one every visitor recognises. Two museums run by carving families show historic pieces and the workshops behind them still work.

What you'll find

• The sanni masks - eighteen demon faces, one for each ailment in the healing ritual.
• The raksha masks - the large processional masks including the cobra-hooded naga.
• The kolam masks - the character masks of village comic drama.
• The workshops - carvers working kaduru wood behind the museums.

When to go

November to April is the season on this coast. Museums keep daily hours. Weekday mornings are when the workshops are busiest.

Practical notes

Most masks sold along the coast are mass-produced and painted for tourists rather than carved for use. The museums are small. Prices for genuine carved work are high.

Nearby

Hikkaduwa is south, and Kosgoda is north.

Key facts