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In Sri Lankan architecture, a pila is a type of veranda that is most notably found in Sinhalese farm houses. The floor or platform is projected beyond the walls creating a continuous ledge on the building exterior. Buildings that featured a courtyard could have an inner pila.

Construction

The pila is built from stone and earth brick, smoothly plastered and finished with cow dung, creating a hygienic, hard and impervious surface. Higher status houses had more rooms connecting to the internal pila.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, visitors would be received and entertained on the pila. For people of lower status kolombu ketes, low wooden seats, would occasionally be brought out. In later times, due to Hindu influence, visitors of the same status as the owners (dictated by caste) were invited into the courtyard but were rarely invited to sleep there. However, in cases of emergency those visitors might stay in a front room.

See also

• Engawa

References

1. ^ Lewcock, Sonsoni & Senanayake 2014, p. 23.
2. Coomaraswamy 2011, p. 199.
3. ^ Lewcock, Sonsoni & Senanayake 2014, p. 21.

Sources

• Coomaraswamy, Ananda (2011). Mediaeval Sinhalese art: being a monograph on mediaeval Sinhalese arts and crafts, mainly as surviving in the eighteenth century, with an account of the structure of society and the status of the craftsmen (Third ed.). Dehiwala: Tisara Prakasakayao. ISBN 9789555641258.
• Lewcock, Ronald; Sonsoni, Barbara; Senanayake, Laki (2014). The architecture of an island : the living legacy of Sri Lanka : a thousand years of architecture illustrated by outstanding examples of religious, public, and domestic buildings. Sri Lanka: Barefoot (Pvt.) Ltd. ISBN 9559466003.

v t e Sri Lankan architecture
History	Anuradhapura period Polonnaruwa period Transitional period Kandyan period British Ceylon period Modern
Influences	Buddhist architecture Dravidian architecture Hindu architecture Islamic architecture Colonial architecture Portuguese, Dutch, British buildings
Styles	Secular Ambalama Cadjan idama Madama Maha Gabadava Maligawa Pokuna Walauwa Religious Buddhist Viharaya Mahavihara Gal Vihara Tempita Vihara List Pansala Dagoba/Stupas Devale Hindu temples Mosques Cathedrals
Rooms and spaces	Atuva Bana maduva Bissa Bodhi maluwa Chaitya Dig-ge Edanda Gabada-ge Kadavat Maligava Meda Midula Meda vahala Muluten-ge Mura-ge Padhanaghara Pila Pilima-ge Pohoya-ge Ritta-ge Udu-mahal-ge Vatadage
Furnishings	Kolombu Ketes
Elements	Kandyan roof Kataraya Kenimadala Korawakgala Madol Kurupawa Muragala Pekada Sandakada pahana Suna gal Vahalkada
Notable cities	Anuradhapura Polonnaruwa Kandy Colombo Jaffna Galle
Theory and analysis	Gal vaduvo Sri Lanka Institute of Architects Architects Firms Manjusri Vasthu Vidya Sastra Architecture schools in Sri Lanka
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