The Lunuganga Estate, located in Bentota, was once the countryside residence of one of Sri Lanka’s foremost architects, Geoffrey Bawa. Famous in and around both Sri Lanka as well as Asia, Geoffrey Bawa bought the 15 odd acre lands which make up the estate, in 1949. Previously, it had served as both a rubber plantation and cinnamon estate. The latter was when the lands were under Dutch rule and the former was during the reign of the British. Tourists who stay at the many accommodation options both within Bentota itself, and in nearby areas such as Kalutara, often plan a trip to the estate during their stay in the country; a visit to this estate from a hotel like Anantara Kalutara Resort takes less than an hour by car, and a fraction of that time for those travelling from lodging within Bentota.
At the time of purchase of the estate’s lands, Geoffrey Bawa was but an aspiring architect, who only had formal qualifications in English and Law from his earlier education in the United Kingdom at the University of Cambridge and in London. Upon buying this land, with the intention of transforming it into a marvellous lakeside retreat, Bawa who at this time was around thirty years of age, became aware of the extent of his lack of proper knowledge and expertise in the field of architecture. This realisation combined with his desire to create something truly wonderful and lasting with the land that he had bought, played a crucial role in his decision to return to the United Kingdom for further education, this time, in the discipline of architecture.
Around eight to nine years after he bought these lands, he returned from Great Britain a qualified architect and joined the local architectural firm of Edward, Reid and Briggs. Over the four decades or so, following these events, Geoffrey continued to develop the house and gardens of the estate he had bought, which by this time had been named by him as Lunuganga Estate. The name Lunuganga in the majority local language, Sinhala, translates directly into ‘salt river’. Since his death, the estate has been managed by the Lunuganga trust, which comprises some of the late architect’s most trusted friends and colleagues. The Lunuganga Estate is open for visitation these days and is one of the many things to do in Kalutara and Bentota for tourists visiting this region.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.