Decoration and Facades-Gables of Ancient Jaffna

One of the most prominent element came into Jaffna Architecture due to Dutch influence was the gable ended roofs with gable walls that rose above the roof and finished with decorative copings and other elements. It seems that this was the first element that entered into the design of the traditional buildings of Jaffna as a novel decorative element. By observing the existing stock of houses and similar buildings of Jaffna, one can safely assume that the initial usage of this feature were to the side walls (Fig:1 and 2), as seen in most of the Dutch buildings, which once stood in the main street area. The sketches of the churches of Jaffna of early Dutch period shown in the book by Philip Bandeaus a Dutch priest served in Jaffna during that time, shows gable walls only for the churches (Fig:1). The adjacent church houses are seen having hipped roofs. In these churches too the entrances were gained through the doors provided in the gable walls. The houses of the Dutch, in their original land in Holland, also had the gable walls as the main facade.

Fig:1
Gable end wall in a house. The portion of the building behind is single height only.

Fig:2
Another house with gable end wall. The portion behind contains double height spaces.

The usage of gables as facades in the original Dutch sense had not crept into the Jaffna building designs. This may have been due to several reasons. There is a belief among some people in Jaffna that the gable ends as facades should only be used for religious buildings. Planning considerations and even traditional "Sitpa Sastra" rules too could have prevented its use as the facade.

Fig:3
"An arch standing in the site of the place, referred to as "Sankiliththoppu", of the last Jaffna king Sankiliyan. Widely believed as an entrance to the later Dutch building.

Fig:4
An entrance to a house with a decorative gable wall. The characteristic shape of the gable, the arch and other decorative motifs are of western in style.

Latter the concept of finishing the roof with gable walls had been brought into the front elevation as well. One should note that this was not done by bringing the gable of the main roof as facade, but by introducing secondary roofs with gables. This had been achieved by introducing a porch with a roof ridge placed perpendicular to the plane of the front elevation. Further development possibly at a very much latter date brought in more gable walls to the facade by adopting a bit more complicated roof arrangement at the two ends of the front elevation. A more in-depth

A decorative gable wall on one end of the front view of a house is visible here. There is a similar wall on the other end of the front view too, which is not visible in the picture.
An entrance to a house built during early 20th century. Note the pilasters, pilaster capitals, columns, balustrades and other elements which are essentially western.

study is necessary to determine the timing of the above mentioned and other changes that took place in the facades of Jaffna houses by recording and analysing available gable types, their shapes and the motifs used, in comparison with the Portuguese, Dutch and British examples in their countries of origin and in various colonies ruled by them.
Decorative elements on top of a gable wall found in a house. At the two lower points reflect a western motif, at the top an animal, possibly a western mythological beast is placed.
Note the decorative element at the bottom had been replaced by”Niraikudam", a Hindu symbol, in this gable wall. At the top most point only a neutral element had been placed.

The decorations used in these gable elements commonly based on western concepts and consists of several western motifs. However it is not uncommon to see some motifs based on local culture too. This practice most probably had come in during the late British period when awareness towards local culture increased due to various reasons. One can see "Niraikudam" (full pot), Nandhi (Seated Bull) and even some Hindu deities as motifs in these decorations