Tourist village to be built in Dambadeniya

By S.M. Wijayaratne, Kurunegala Cor

The North Western Provincial Council plans to set up a tourist village in the ancient kingdom of Dambadeniya in the Kurunegala district.

To attract foreign and local tourists who visit the area, sales centres to sell traditional handicraft, masks, locally woven mats, batik clothes, brassware of high quality, traditionally manufactured ornaments and jewellery would be set up in the village.

NWP Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara told the Sunday Observer that the Kurunegala district comprises four ancient kingdoms, Yapahuwa, Panduwasnuwara, Dambadeniya and Kurunegala, and they are full of ruined ancient Buddhist places of worship and ruins of royal palaces.

A sum of Rs. 1,200 million would be invested in the project which will create direct and indirect job opportunities for 3,000 youth in the NWP, the Chief Minister said.