About us
Pilapitiya Ayurveda is beyond treatment and therapies. It serves as a turning point in a person’s life irrespective of your origins. This is a system with an unbroken lineage of over 150 years of two renowned ayurvedic healing traditions – the Senasekara and Pilapitiya family lineage.
Elevating the heritage beyond family traditions, Dr. Upali Pilapitiya – the renowned Ayurvedic scholar, a visionary and researcher from the Pilapitiya lineage, established the Pilapitiya Ayurveda Hospital and the Clinic seamlessly integrating Ayurvedic healing into modern daily routines. Together with his wife, Ayurveda physician Mallika Senasekara, whose experience spans over five decades following her family lineage, Dr. Upali Pilapitiya established ‘Pilapitiya Ayurveda’ – a name that established a unique identity of tradition, ethics and trust in mind and body healing.
Following the Ayurvedic traditions of the maternal and paternal lineages, today, Professor Senaka Pilapitiya is carrying the legacy forward into a new chapter. Prof. Senaka Pilapitiya brings a unique blend of Ayurvedic and Western medical expertise, followed by years-long dedicated learning and experience. With deep reverence to his ancestral roots, Prof. Pilapitiya, is advancing the Pilapitiya Ayurveda to the next level, in service and technology, with a futuristic vision.
Today, Pilapitiya Ayurveda stands as one of the oldest, multi-generational Ayurveda institutions in Sri Lanka, blending classical healing with clinical excellence.
Our Heritage
Nurtured by two distinct lineages, Pilapitiya Ayurveda holds a unique position in Sri Lankan Ayurvedic medicine sphere.
Following the great grandmother’s lineage, Mallika Senasekara, daughter of Kaviraj D.S. Senasekara entered the field as an Ayurveda physician. Through her, the Senasekara Ayurvedic legacy continues to nurture the present day Pilapitiya Ayurveda, following her marriage to Dr. Upali Pilapitiya. Together, these dual lineages formed a deep and enduring heritage, grounded in healing, service, and scientific advancement.
With the support and expertise of each other, Dr. Upali Pilapitiya and Mallika Senasekara, built the Pilapitiya Ayurveda Hospital and Clinic at Kesbewa, Piliyandala from its humble beginnings in the 1990s. Prior Dr. Pilapitiya has initiated ayurvedic drug manufacturing in 1974 and gradually expanding the product range and availability, going islandwide since 1994.
The ‘Pilapitiya Ayurveda’ brand – conceptualised and established by Dr. Upali Pilapitiya – is entering into the modern world with a futuristic vision, led by the next generation’s Professor Senaka Pilapitiya. With a rare blend of expertise both in Ayurveda and Western Medicine, Prof. Senaka Pilapitiya leads the Pilapitiya Ayurveda with a futuristic vision building it as an institute extending healing and education to the public, specially to the future generation. The Pilapitiya Ayurveda continues to be nurtured with the wisdom of Doctor Mallika Senasekara and she still continues to be a pillar of strength in extending the service of the institute, even though the institute has been now transferred to the next generation. The complex operations of the hospital and clinic receive the unwavering support of Dr. Dilukshi Pilapitiya, a nephrologist by expertise, and wife of Prof. Senaka Pilapitiya and his sister. Dr. Shiromi Pilapitiya, who is a leading expert of the country in sports medicine.
In this new chapter, Pilapitiya Ayurveda is treading an uphill drive facing modern day challenges while preserving the timeless values of authenticity, compassion, and excellence.
Udarata Behethge Veda Arachchi
The Founding Matriarch
The roots of Pilapitiya Ayurveda trace back over 150 years to a formidable matriarch from the Kandyan kingdom region, known for her deep understanding of Udarata Behethge (upcountry traditional medicine) .
Senasekara Veda Arachchi
The Colonial Era Healer
Following in his mother’s footsteps, the second-generation healer of the Pilapitiya lineage was a respected physician whose name became synonymous with trust and healing in both rural communities and elite colonial circles.
Dr. Kaviraj. S. Senasekara
The Academic Pioneer
Representing a turning point in the formalization of Ayurvedic education in Sri Lanka, the third-generation leader of the family graduated from one of the first batches of the country’s institutional Ayurvedic programs.
Dr. W. H. M. Pilapitiya
The Community Healer
Dr. W. H. M. Pilapitiya marked a pivotal chapter in the Pilapitiya Ayurveda legacy, expanding the family’s home-based dispensary into a dynamic, community-centered practice.
Dr. Upali Pilapitiya
The Visionary Healer
A visionary in the evolution of Ayurveda, Vidyanidhi Dr. Upali Pilapitiya revolutionized the practice through a combination of scientific rigor, global exposure, and state-level leadership.
Dr. Senaka Pilapitiya
The Contemporary Healer
Dr. Senaka Pilapitiya represents the modern evolution of the Pilapitiya Ayurveda legacy. He brings an exceptionally rare combination of Western medical training and traditional Ayurvedic expertise, grounded in decades of clinical experience.
Ayurveda Hospital & Clinic
Pilapitiya Ayurveda Hospital offers 14 inpatient rooms, outpatient consultation clinics, separate therapy units, and an organic Ayurvedic kitchen.
Patients receive authentic patient individualised treatments including herbal oil massages, steam baths, and detox therapies for a range of illnesses.
Treatment is also offered to promote health, optimise body functions and to promote Healthy ageing.
Backed by generations of expertise and having physicians trained in both Ayurvedic and Western medicine, the clinic also conducts in-house training programs.
All herbal preparations used at Pilapitiya Ayurveda are manufactured in their own manufacturing unit under strict protocols, assuring quality and safety.
Our Products
Crafted from time-tested formulas passed down through generations, the products of Pilapitiya Ayurveda are a harmonious blend of tradition, purity, and efficacy. Each formulation is developed using high-quality herbs, many sourced directly from our own herbal garden of over 350 medicinal plants and manufactured at our in-house facility under the supervision of qualified Ayurvedic physicians.
From our flagship Methi Herbal Shampoo and Jeewanthi Cough Syrup to therapeutic oils, arishtas, and decoctions used in clinical care, every product reflects our commitment to holistic wellness and scientific integrity. With decades of proven use and trust among patients, our product range is designed to nurture, heal, and restore naturally.
Training & Education
Pilapitiya Ayurveda is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of Ayurvedic practitioners through hands-on, experience-based learning. Our training programs, offered under the guidance of qualified physicians, cover key subjects including Ayurvedic diagnostics (Roga Nidana), pharmacology (Dravyaguna), internal medicine (Kayachikitsa), and disease-specific treatment protocols and integration with modern clinical practices.
With access to our working hospital, renowned clinic, herbal garden, and manufacturing facility, students gain immersive exposure to both traditional knowledge and real-world clinical application. Whether you’re a beginner or a practitioner looking to advance your skills, our short-term and long-term courses offer a rare opportunity to study Ayurveda in its most authentic and applied form.
