Ambalangoda is a very popular cultural centre in the southern coastal region of Srilanka and well known for traditional masks carvings and masks dancing.Ariyapala & Sons’ passing through their fifth generation of traditional masks carving and dancing is a non-profit organization. It includes a well developed museum, a workshop and a well decorated product display shop with various ranges of traditional masks. The museum is designed to introduce into the richness of the mask tradition of Ambalangoda and to strengthen cultural heritage. This museum also has a small library containing all available anthropological literature on masks performances to serve as a centre for traditional arts & crafts and for research as well. The masks making community consists of 15 traditional mask makers families. They are mostly Buddhist people. However according to their rituals the masks they make are of demons from Hindu myths and belief. Kolam is a traditional folk play in the west and in the south-west coastal regions in Sri Lanka. Masks are utilized in Kolam called as kolam masks. 15 to 20 craftsman daily work in the workshop centre for traditional mask curving and painting. They have trained a no of traditional mask dancer to perform at the national and international level for decades. They have built a well organized workshop unit where 15 – 20 craftspersons can be trained to curve traditional masks.
