Wariyapola () is a town in the Kurunegala District, North Western province, Sri Lanka. Wariyapola is above the sea level. Wariyapola is mostly known by sri Lankans because of the Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Tero, who take down the Union Jack and re-hoisting the Sinhalese lion flag, before the convention that handed over control of the island to the British in 1815.
Wariyapola in Sinhalese means âÂÂplace for plane landingâÂÂ, and is believed to be one of the landing sites of RavanaâÂÂs chariot or vimana, Dandu Monara Yanthraya.
Wariyapola is situated in between Kurunegala and Padeniya Junction, where the Puttalam and Anuradhapura roads intersect. So most of the people from Anuradhapura, Mahawa, Galgamuwa, Puttalam, Anamaduwa, Nikaweratiya areas pass through Wariyapola in order to reach Kurunegala or Colombo.
The majority of the people in Wariyapola are Buddhists, with both Christians and Muslims also living in the area. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Pirewena, Sri Visuddarama Piriwena, and Wellagala Rajamaha Vihara are famous among Buddhist temples, and there is also a mosque in Wariyapola.
The town sits at an elevation of roughly 94 meters above sea level, contributing to its relatively low-lying and accessible position within the region. The topography of Wariyapola features flat to gentle terrain, consistent with average elevation around 80-90 meters across the area, which supports the agricultural efforts. Wariyapola is close to the Deduru Oya River, with the Deduru Oya Dam, a structure impounding the river for irrigation, constructed within its boundaries, affecting local hydrology and forming a reservoir.
The economy revolves around agriculture, with paddy and coconut cultivation forming the backbone of local livelihoods, leveraging the land's fertility and proximity to the Deduru Oya river basin. Farmers in areas within Wariyapola primarily engage in subsistence and semi-commercial farming, though paddy production has increasingly become uneconomic due to low yields and high input costs.
Crop diversification is on the rise as farmers shift towards other field crops and commercial alternatives to mitigate risks from the volatile paddy market and climate conditions, supported by limited government extension services. Small-scale industries, including rubber processing and basic agro-based manufacturing, supplement agricultural income, though they remain underdeveloped relative to farming activities. Local markets facilitate trade to nearby urban centers like Kurunegala, but rural dependency on seasonal harvests persists, contributing to employment instability and limited economic diversification.