Mahara Prison

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{EngvarB|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Mahara Prison

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| client = British Government
Sri Lankan Government

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| location_town = Mahara

| location_country = Sri Lanka

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| start_date = {{start date and age|1875}}

| completion_date = 1875

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Mahara Prison is a maximum security prison, and is one of the largest prisons in Sri Lanka. Situated in the town of Mahara in the Western Province, it was built in 1875 by the British colonial government to ease the congestion at the Slave Island prison.{{cite web|url=http://prisons.gov.lk/old_web/History/history_english.html|title=History|publisher=State Ministry of Prison Reforms, and Prisoners Rehabilitation|date=|access-date=10 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yamu.lk/trending/british-colonial-prisons-in-sri-lanka/|title=British Colonial Prisons in Sri Lanka|date=19 October 2017|publisher=Yamu|access-date=10 November 2023}} It was used to house the prisoners employed in crushing stones at the Mahara quarry. The stone was used to construct the Port of Colombo and its associated breakwaters.{{cite book|title=The Book of Ceylon|author=Cave, Henry W.|publisher=Cassell and Company Ltd.|date=1908|page=206}} Since its establishment, it has had a police post attached to it. The prison is administered by the Department of Prisons.