Caste system in Sri Lanka
Encyclopedia
The Caste system in Sri Lanka is a division of society into strata, differing somewhat from the classic Varnas
of North India
but is similar in nature to the Jāti
system found in South India
. Ancient Sri Lankan texts such as the Pujavaliya, Sadharmaratnavaliya and Yogaratnakaraya and inscriptional evidence show that the above hierarchy prevailed throughout the feudal period. The repetition of the same caste hierarchy even as recently as the 18th century, in the British / Kandyan period Kadayimpoth - Boundary books as well, indicates the continuation of the tradition right up to the end of Sri Lanka's monarchy.
It is one of many caste
systems in the world. As everywhere, a Sri Lankan caste can be functional, religious, ethnic, tribal or even composite in origin.
by Prakrit
-language-speakers from North India
. Whether the similar Jāti
like separation of society existed prior to this invasion is unknown. There is evidence, in early historical chronicles, of the main Ahikuntaka castes in the Before Anuradhapura
era, although it is possible that these categories were used as a literary convention. It has been posited by Bryce Ryan and others that the system as it exists in Sri Lanka is a preservation of that of early or pre-Vedic India
, which bore little relation to the classic varna
model.
The introduction of Buddhism
in the 3rd century BCE blunted the edge of the system somewhat. However, there is a reference to King Dutugemunu Abhaya's son, Saliya choosing to lose caste by marrying Asokamala
, a Chandala
(චණ්ඩාල) or outcaste woman, in the 2nd century BC, indicating that caste taboo
s remained in place.
The later caste system seems to have evolved as much through waves of ethnic migration as by delineation by occupation. Also Sri Lankan monarchs seem to have overwhelmingly depended on South Indian manpower for functional needs such as menial tasks, weaving, crafts and ritual drumming.
class created by the British in the 19th century, the majority caste among the Sinhalese
population now is the Goyigama
. It appears that the Goyigama comprise at least half the Sinhalese population. The traditional occupation of this caste is cultivation, and most members are still farmers in villages almost everywhere in Sri Lanka. In traditional Sinhalese society, they were the landed proprietors. The Sinhalese system is divided between the Kandyan (Up) and Low country.
survived after its collapse in 1818, preserved in unique forms of the caste system until the post independence period. The most important feature of the old system was rajakariya, or the "king's work," which linked each caste to a specific occupation and demanded services for the court and religious institutions.
The connection of caste and job is still stronger in the Central Highlands, and at events such as the Kandy Perahera
, an annual festival honoring Hindu gods and the Buddha, the various castes still perform traditional functions. The Goyigama in the highlands differ from those of the low country because they preserve occupational divisions within the caste such as herdsmen (Patti), woodcutters (Porowakara) etc.
In the low country, these sub castes within the Goyigama have faded away, and high status is marked by European titles and degrees rather than the older, feudal titles. Honorific titles hearkening back to ancestral homes, manors or vasagama, or noble houses or gedara still marked the pedigrees of the old nobility in the 1980s, and marriages between members of these families and common Goyigama were rare. The status of lower castes in the low country (Karava, Durawa, etc.) improved dramatically after the collapse of Sri Lanka's traditional feudal system.
In the Kandy District of the highlands live the Batgama or Padu, another caste of agricultural laborers who have escaped the British period consolidation of the cultivator caste. Also untouchable Rodiya
and the Kinnaraya
who display the vestiges of a hunter gather tribe, were traditionally segregated from other groups because of their menial status. Living in all areas are service groups, such as the Hena or Rada
, traditional washermen who still dominate the laundry trade; the Berava
, traditional temple drummers who work as cultivators in many villages; and the Navandanna or Achari types are traditional artisans. The highland interior is home to the Vahumpura, or traditional makers of jaggery (a sugar made from palm sap), who have spread throughout the country in a wide variety of occupations, especially agriculture.
, the Durava
and the Karave
.
These groups have exploited their traditional occupations and their coastal positions to accumulate wealth and influence during the colonial period. By the late twentieth century, members of southern castes, especially by the Salagamas, had moved to all parts of the country, occupied high business and academic positions. Formerly untouchable Rodiya and Kinnaraya are also found in the low country.
These duplications might have arisen due to similar social structure of caste throughout South India
n cultural zone as well as migrations and fusions in the past.
There is also a caste called Koviar
, the some members of which claim to be Sinhalese Govigama isolated in Tamil areas after the Jaffna
conquest of the North. Just like amongst the Sinhalese, the caste structure of the Northern Tamils is somewhat different compared to the Eastern Tamils. Northern Tamil caste system is mostly dominated by the Vellalar except in some coastal regions where Karaiyar have numerical and ritual superiority over others. In the East coast, the fisher castes are dominant numerically that they have used to create ritual superiority over other castes except the Vellalar who seem to be newer arrivals from the North. Paradoxically, Mukkuvar
s who are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy in the North are almost at the top in the East.
as indentured labour were mainly from the lower Indian castes; the South Indian categories came over with them.
Their caste structure resembles that of a Tamil Nadu
village. Those who are considered to be of higher castes such as Maravar
, Kallar, Agamudaiyar
and Vellalar
occupied the first row of line rooms. They performed respectable jobs such as factory work and grinding of tea. They worked as minor employees too. Even though they belong to the labor category they were influential among conductors, tea makers, Kanganies or supervisors and other officials.
The workers considered low castes lived in the dwellings that are away from the center and these dwellings are called distant or lower Lines. This group consists of Pallar
, Paraiyar
s, Sakkiliar
, Washers and Barbers. The yard sweepers and changers of clothes are in the lowest rank. Other Tamils were already there as a cause of Indian Tamils brought over to be converted into Sri Lankan Tamils.
Historians believe that King Vasaba (BC 65–100) who inaugurated the Lamba karana dynasty from Dumbara Minipe Valley, is a descendent of Prince Sumitta and as such of the Ahikuntaka stock. The Lamba Karana dynasty ruled Sri Lanka for nearly 350 years up to King Jattagahaka (BC. 432), a total of 26 kings.
and South Indian Chetties were absorbed into the southern Sinhalese Govigamas. Cross-ethnic marriage was fairly common. Several so called 'first class Govigama'families (i.e. those of the ranks of 'superior colonial headman') are descended from a mixture of Govigama men and European
women.
tends to reinforce it. In the feudal era, people of low castes were not allowed into some shrine
s of the major gods. The priests of the gods Brahmin or other native priests among the Tamils. There were no such restrictions in the Buddhist order. Devil Dancers , exorcists, healers and sorcerers were drawn from the caste of tom-tom-beaters Berava
.
In the 19th century the Amarapura
and Ramanna
sects were formed to allow non-Govigama priests to be ordained. This was in opposition to the Siyam Nikaya which had converted itself into a Govigama preserve within a few decades of its formation in the 18th century. In the late 1960s, there were a series of Temple Struggles in the northern Jaffna
district, during which members of lower castes forced their way into Hindu temples, establishing their right of entry.
Rajakula,Parvatha Rajakula, Raja bhoja etc... ) very few families
A special category called Kudimakkal was divided along
A special category called Siraikudi or enslaved groups similar to northern Kudimakkal is divided along
Castes marked with the asterisk (*) are found only in Batticaloa
.
Varnas
Varnas is the masculine form of a Lithuanian family name. Its feminine forms are: Varnienė and Varnytė .The surname may refer to:* Adomas Varnas , Lithuanian artist...
of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
but is similar in nature to the Jāti
Jati
Jāti is the term used to denote clans, tribes, communities and sub-communities in India. It is a term used across religions. In Indian society each jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function or tribe, although religious beliefs Jāti (in Devanagari: जाति Tamil:சாதி) (the...
system found in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Ancient Sri Lankan texts such as the Pujavaliya, Sadharmaratnavaliya and Yogaratnakaraya and inscriptional evidence show that the above hierarchy prevailed throughout the feudal period. The repetition of the same caste hierarchy even as recently as the 18th century, in the British / Kandyan period Kadayimpoth - Boundary books as well, indicates the continuation of the tradition right up to the end of Sri Lanka's monarchy.
It is one of many caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
systems in the world. As everywhere, a Sri Lankan caste can be functional, religious, ethnic, tribal or even composite in origin.
History
Caste as we know it today appears to have been introduced to Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
by Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
-language-speakers from North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. Whether the similar Jāti
Jati
Jāti is the term used to denote clans, tribes, communities and sub-communities in India. It is a term used across religions. In Indian society each jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function or tribe, although religious beliefs Jāti (in Devanagari: जाति Tamil:சாதி) (the...
like separation of society existed prior to this invasion is unknown. There is evidence, in early historical chronicles, of the main Ahikuntaka castes in the Before Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
era, although it is possible that these categories were used as a literary convention. It has been posited by Bryce Ryan and others that the system as it exists in Sri Lanka is a preservation of that of early or pre-Vedic India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, which bore little relation to the classic varna
Varnas
Varnas is the masculine form of a Lithuanian family name. Its feminine forms are: Varnienė and Varnytė .The surname may refer to:* Adomas Varnas , Lithuanian artist...
model.
The introduction of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in the 3rd century BCE blunted the edge of the system somewhat. However, there is a reference to King Dutugemunu Abhaya's son, Saliya choosing to lose caste by marrying Asokamala
Asokamala
Asokamala is a 1947 Sri Lankan historical film. It was the second film made in the Sinhalese language and the first by a Sinhalese director. It also was the first film that W. D. Albert Perera , Mohideen Baig and Mohammed Ghouse contributed to...
, a Chandala
Chandala
Chandala is a Sanskrit word for someone who deals with disposal of corpses, and is a Hindu lower caste, formerly considered untouchables. Currently it is a term used specifically in Indo-Aryan speaking regions of India. Sandala has become a swear word in the colloquial usage of the Tamil language...
(චණ්ඩාල) or outcaste woman, in the 2nd century BC, indicating that caste taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s remained in place.
The later caste system seems to have evolved as much through waves of ethnic migration as by delineation by occupation. Also Sri Lankan monarchs seem to have overwhelmingly depended on South Indian manpower for functional needs such as menial tasks, weaving, crafts and ritual drumming.
Sinhalese Castes
In correspondence with the MudaliyarSri Lankan Mudaliyars
Mudali was a colonial title & office in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese colonials created the Mudaliyar class in the 17th century by enlisting natives of different castes form the coastal areas, who were most likely to serve the Portuguese masters with utmost loyalty. The Dutch continued the practice of...
class created by the British in the 19th century, the majority caste among the Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
population now is the Goyigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
. It appears that the Goyigama comprise at least half the Sinhalese population. The traditional occupation of this caste is cultivation, and most members are still farmers in villages almost everywhere in Sri Lanka. In traditional Sinhalese society, they were the landed proprietors. The Sinhalese system is divided between the Kandyan (Up) and Low country.
Kandyan Castes
In the Central Highlands, some traditions of the Kingdom of KandyKandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
survived after its collapse in 1818, preserved in unique forms of the caste system until the post independence period. The most important feature of the old system was rajakariya, or the "king's work," which linked each caste to a specific occupation and demanded services for the court and religious institutions.
The connection of caste and job is still stronger in the Central Highlands, and at events such as the Kandy Perahera
Esala Perahera
Esala Perahera is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and nicely decorated elephants. There are fire-dances,...
, an annual festival honoring Hindu gods and the Buddha, the various castes still perform traditional functions. The Goyigama in the highlands differ from those of the low country because they preserve occupational divisions within the caste such as herdsmen (Patti), woodcutters (Porowakara) etc.
In the low country, these sub castes within the Goyigama have faded away, and high status is marked by European titles and degrees rather than the older, feudal titles. Honorific titles hearkening back to ancestral homes, manors or vasagama, or noble houses or gedara still marked the pedigrees of the old nobility in the 1980s, and marriages between members of these families and common Goyigama were rare. The status of lower castes in the low country (Karava, Durawa, etc.) improved dramatically after the collapse of Sri Lanka's traditional feudal system.
In the Kandy District of the highlands live the Batgama or Padu, another caste of agricultural laborers who have escaped the British period consolidation of the cultivator caste. Also untouchable Rodiya
Rodiya
Rodi or Rodiya are one of the widely reported untouchable social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka. Their status was very similar to all the Untouchable castes of India with segregated communities, ritualized begging, eating off the refuse of upper castes and refusal for the...
and the Kinnaraya
Kinnaraya
Kinnaraya or Kinnarayo also Kinnara are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Burakumin of Japan and Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played a...
who display the vestiges of a hunter gather tribe, were traditionally segregated from other groups because of their menial status. Living in all areas are service groups, such as the Hena or Rada
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
, traditional washermen who still dominate the laundry trade; the Berava
Berava
Berava are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played and still play an important and vital role in the...
, traditional temple drummers who work as cultivators in many villages; and the Navandanna or Achari types are traditional artisans. The highland interior is home to the Vahumpura, or traditional makers of jaggery (a sugar made from palm sap), who have spread throughout the country in a wide variety of occupations, especially agriculture.
Southern Castes
There are still major differences between the caste structures of the highlands and those of the low country, although some service groups are common to both. The southwest coast is home to three major castes other than the majority Goyigama common to both Low Country and Up Country, whose ancestors are believed have migrated from South/West India but who have become important actors in the Sinhalese social system: the SalagamaSalagama
Salagama is the name of a caste in Sri Lanka. The community was traditionally associated with the cultivation and management of cinnamon, and also as soldiers,and are found mostly in Southern coastal areas, especially in the villages around Rathgama , Boossa and Balapitiya in Galle...
, the Durava
Durava
Durave or Durava are Southern Sinhalese caste in Sri Lanka.-Origins:Sinhalese people claim Indian ethnic origins and are primarily engaged in agriculture...
and the Karave
Karave
Karava also Karave, Kara, Karavaa, Kaura is a significant Sinhalese community who are considered secondary in caste to the Govigama. The Tamil equivalent is Karaiyar.- General :...
.
These groups have exploited their traditional occupations and their coastal positions to accumulate wealth and influence during the colonial period. By the late twentieth century, members of southern castes, especially by the Salagamas, had moved to all parts of the country, occupied high business and academic positions. Formerly untouchable Rodiya and Kinnaraya are also found in the low country.
Castes amongst Sri Lankan Tamils
Currently among the Sri Lankan Tamils, some of the equivalent Sinhalese castes are:- VellalarVellalarVellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
equivalent to KshatriyaKshatriya*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
={It is worthwile to say that this can be a common misconception with the name,however Vellalars are Kshatriya and Govigama are not.} - KaraiyarKaraiyarKaraiyar, also known as Karayar, Karaiar or Kurukulam, is traditionally both a seafaring and warrior caste found in the Tamil Nadu state of India, coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.-Origins:...
equivalent to Karava - NalavarNalavarNalavar also Nalava is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste of traditional agriculturalists and toddy tapers. But today they are found in all aspects of the society. They are part of a new amalgamation of castes in Jaffna peninsula called as Panchamar or Fives...
equivalent to Durave - ParaiyarParaiyarParaiyar, Parayar, and Sambavar, anglicised by Europeans as Pariah are a social group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in Sri Lanka . In the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, though they have been enumerated under three different caste names, they have generally been referred to as...
equivalent to BeravaBeravaBerava are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played and still play an important and vital role in the... - PallarPallarThe Pallar are a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are mostly agriculturalists in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and amongst the Tamil diaspora...
equivalent to Batgama - Thurumbar equivalent to Hina
These duplications might have arisen due to similar social structure of caste throughout South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n cultural zone as well as migrations and fusions in the past.
There is also a caste called Koviar
Koviar
Koviar is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste of traditional agriculturalists and temple workers. Today they are found in all aspects of the society. In the Vellalar dominated caste hierarchy of the Jaffna peninsula they ranked higher due to their proximity to temples. There are number of competing theories...
, the some members of which claim to be Sinhalese Govigama isolated in Tamil areas after the Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
conquest of the North. Just like amongst the Sinhalese, the caste structure of the Northern Tamils is somewhat different compared to the Eastern Tamils. Northern Tamil caste system is mostly dominated by the Vellalar except in some coastal regions where Karaiyar have numerical and ritual superiority over others. In the East coast, the fisher castes are dominant numerically that they have used to create ritual superiority over other castes except the Vellalar who seem to be newer arrivals from the North. Paradoxically, Mukkuvar
Mukkuvar
Mukkuvar also Mukkuva are a social group or caste primarily a fishing community, living in the coastal districts of Kerala, south Tamil Nadu in India and also in Sri Lanka. It is a community that has differing ethnic identities based on the state or country of domicile...
s who are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy in the North are almost at the top in the East.
Castes amongst Hill Country Tamils
The Tamils of Indian origin or Hill Country Tamils who were brought over by the BritishBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
as indentured labour were mainly from the lower Indian castes; the South Indian categories came over with them.
Their caste structure resembles that of a Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
village. Those who are considered to be of higher castes such as Maravar
Maravar
Maravar are a Tamil community of the state of Tamil Nadu, southern India, and are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy.Maravars are found predominantly in the Southern districts of Tamilnadu viz., Madurai, Theni, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Thirunelveli,...
, Kallar, Agamudaiyar
Agamudaiyar
Agamudayar is a Tamil community found throughout the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In southern Tamil Nadu, the Agamudayar are one of the three castes which make up the Mukkulathor community;- Etymology :...
and Vellalar
Vellalar
Vellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
occupied the first row of line rooms. They performed respectable jobs such as factory work and grinding of tea. They worked as minor employees too. Even though they belong to the labor category they were influential among conductors, tea makers, Kanganies or supervisors and other officials.
The workers considered low castes lived in the dwellings that are away from the center and these dwellings are called distant or lower Lines. This group consists of Pallar
Pallar
The Pallar are a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are mostly agriculturalists in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and amongst the Tamil diaspora...
, Paraiyar
Paraiyar
Paraiyar, Parayar, and Sambavar, anglicised by Europeans as Pariah are a social group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in Sri Lanka . In the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, though they have been enumerated under three different caste names, they have generally been referred to as...
s, Sakkiliar
Sakkiliar
Arunthathiyar are one of the most marginalized social groups or castes from Tamil Nadu and Arunthathiyar are one of the most marginalized [[social groups]] or castes from [[Tamil Nadu]] and...
, Washers and Barbers. The yard sweepers and changers of clothes are in the lowest rank. Other Tamils were already there as a cause of Indian Tamils brought over to be converted into Sri Lankan Tamils.
The Colombo Chetties
Historically the caste system accepted was Raja Bamunu Welenda Govi, the Colombo Chetties are from the Welenda Caste. The term Chetty is interpreted as Setti or Setthi in Pali, Hetti, Situ or Sitana in Sinhalese and as Etti in Tamil. The Colombo Chetties are of the Tana Vaisya stock; according to Rev Fr Boschi the Vaisyas were the nobility of the land and were divided into various sub-divisions or castes; the highest of these sub-divisions was the Tana Vaisya or Chetties followed by the Pu Vaisya and Ko Vaisya etc.: The Ahikuntaka people originally inhabited areas close to Coorg and Benares, although they do not wish to be part of the caste system of both the Sinhalese and the tamils, they are a highly respected community.Historians believe that King Vasaba (BC 65–100) who inaugurated the Lamba karana dynasty from Dumbara Minipe Valley, is a descendent of Prince Sumitta and as such of the Ahikuntaka stock. The Lamba Karana dynasty ruled Sri Lanka for nearly 350 years up to King Jattagahaka (BC. 432), a total of 26 kings.
Importance of ethnicity versus caste
It appears that caste was more important than ethnicity until comparatively recently. In pre-British times, the Govigama were classed as Vellala by the colonial authorities. EurasiansEurasian (mixed ancestry)
The word Eurasian refers to people of mixed Asian and European ancestry. It was originally coined in 19th-century British India to refer to Anglo-Indians of mixed British and Indian descent....
and South Indian Chetties were absorbed into the southern Sinhalese Govigamas. Cross-ethnic marriage was fairly common. Several so called 'first class Govigama'families (i.e. those of the ranks of 'superior colonial headman') are descended from a mixture of Govigama men and European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
women.
Religion and caste
In the case of Tamil caste system, Religious practiceReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
tends to reinforce it. In the feudal era, people of low castes were not allowed into some shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
s of the major gods. The priests of the gods Brahmin or other native priests among the Tamils. There were no such restrictions in the Buddhist order. Devil Dancers , exorcists, healers and sorcerers were drawn from the caste of tom-tom-beaters Berava
Berava
Berava are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played and still play an important and vital role in the...
.
In the 19th century the Amarapura
Amarapura Nikaya
The Amarapura Nikaya is a Sri Lankan monastic fraternity founded in 1800. It is named after the city of Amarapura, Myanmar , the former capital of the Burmese kingdom...
and Ramanna
Ramanna Nikaya
Ramanna Nikaya is one of the most orthodox Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara, returned to Sri Lanka after being ordained by the Neyyadhama Munivara Sangharaja of Ratnapunna Vihara in Burma.-Similar orders:Ramanna Nikaya is said to be similar to the...
sects were formed to allow non-Govigama priests to be ordained. This was in opposition to the Siyam Nikaya which had converted itself into a Govigama preserve within a few decades of its formation in the 18th century. In the late 1960s, there were a series of Temple Struggles in the northern Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
district, during which members of lower castes forced their way into Hindu temples, establishing their right of entry.
Kandyan Castes
- Ahinkuntaya - Gypsies
- Badahäla (Kumbal) - Potters
- BathgamaBathgamaAlso Batgama and Padu. A significant Sri Lankan caste predominantly in the Kandyan provinces, the traditional occupation of which was the cultivation of rice paddy...
- Traditionally cultivators. Called Palanquin bearers during the British period - BeravaBeravaBerava are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played and still play an important and vital role in the...
- Tom-tom beaters - GovigamaGovigamaGovi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
- Traditional cultivators, farmers and herdsmen - Hannali - Tailors
- Hunu - Lime burners
- KinnarayaKinnarayaKinnaraya or Kinnarayo also Kinnara are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Burakumin of Japan and Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played a...
- Outcastes - Navandanna - Artisans (many subcategories)
- PamunuPamunuThe Pamunu people were tenant farmers of rice paddy in Sri Lanka’s history. They are sometimes referred to as a sub-caste of the Govigama caste.-History:...
- Tenant farmers - PannaPanna castePanna caste is a minority community of grass cutters from Sri Lanka's past, connected to the Patti caste, the caste of herdsmen in the Sri Lankan caste system.It has been absorbed into larger communities and is virtually non-existent now...
- Grass cutters - Pannikki - Barbers
- PattiPatti castePatti is a traditional caste of Herdsmen from Sri Lanka’s feudal past. They were a part of the feudal land tenure system and a sub-caste of the Govigama caste. Found in the highlands and the maritime provinces but now mostly merged into the Govigama caste....
- Herdsmen - PorowakaraPorowakaraThe Porowakara were a minority community of wood cutters from Sri Lanka. They were a part of the feudal land tenure system of Sri Lanka but eventually became absorbed into larger communities....
- Wood cutters - RadalaRadalaThe Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...
- Aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom - RajakaRajakaRajaka, also Hena and Rada, is a minority Sri Lankan and Indian caste. It is known as Chakali in Andhra Pradesh, India.- History :...
- Dhobies, Washermen - RodiyaRodiyaRodi or Rodiya are one of the widely reported untouchable social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka. Their status was very similar to all the Untouchable castes of India with segregated communities, ritualized begging, eating off the refuse of upper castes and refusal for the...
- Outcastes - WahumpuraWahumpuraWahumpura, also known as Dewa or Dewage, is a Second influential and the significant Sri Lankan caste predominantly from the Sabaragamuwa Province, North Western province, Western province and North Central province. The traditional occupation of this caste was the cultivation of rice paddies...
(Dewa) - Merchants,Confectioners,Military personnels,
Southern Castes
- Ahinkuntaya – Gypsies
- Badahäla (Kumbal) - Potters
- BeravaBeravaBerava are a social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. Like the Paraiyar of the neighboring Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu state in South India they were segregated from the mainstream society yet played and still play an important and vital role in the...
- Tom-tom beaters - Demala Gattara - Tamil Outcastes
- DuravaDuravaDurave or Durava are Southern Sinhalese caste in Sri Lanka.-Origins:Sinhalese people claim Indian ethnic origins and are primarily engaged in agriculture...
- Traditional Soldiers and toddy tappers. - Gattara - Cultivators
- GovigamaGovigamaGovi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
- Traditional cultivators, landworkers and herdsmen - Hannali - Tailors
- Hinna - Washers.
- Karava - Traditional fishermen, naval warriors, seafaring traders, boat builders, carpenters & pioneering planters.
- Navandanna - Artisans (Many subcategories)
- PamunuPamunuThe Pamunu people were tenant farmers of rice paddy in Sri Lanka’s history. They are sometimes referred to as a sub-caste of the Govigama caste.-History:...
- Tenant farmers - Pannikki - Barbers
- PorowakaraPorowakaraThe Porowakara were a minority community of wood cutters from Sri Lanka. They were a part of the feudal land tenure system of Sri Lanka but eventually became absorbed into larger communities....
- Wood cutters - RajakaRajakaRajaka, also Hena and Rada, is a minority Sri Lankan and Indian caste. It is known as Chakali in Andhra Pradesh, India.- History :...
(Hena) - Washermen - RodiyaRodiyaRodi or Rodiya are one of the widely reported untouchable social group or caste amongst the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka. Their status was very similar to all the Untouchable castes of India with segregated communities, ritualized begging, eating off the refuse of upper castes and refusal for the...
- Outcastes - SalagamaSalagamaSalagama is the name of a caste in Sri Lanka. The community was traditionally associated with the cultivation and management of cinnamon, and also as soldiers,and are found mostly in Southern coastal areas, especially in the villages around Rathgama , Boossa and Balapitiya in Galle...
- Cinnamon tapers,Soldiers,& Weavers. - WahumpuraWahumpuraWahumpura, also known as Dewa or Dewage, is a Second influential and the significant Sri Lankan caste predominantly from the Sabaragamuwa Province, North Western province, Western province and North Central province. The traditional occupation of this caste was the cultivation of rice paddies...
(Dewa) - Merchants,Confectioners,Military personnels.
Sri Lanka Tamil system
Due to modernization and assimilation, most northern Tamil castes are no longer found.Northern Castes
- Agamudaiar or landholders, (they were originally soldiers from the Indian Mukkulathor caste which has several sub div.such as
Rajakula,Parvatha Rajakula, Raja bhoja etc... ) very few families
- ChettiarChettiarChettiar , also spelled Chetty, is a title used by various castes in South India especially in Tamil Nadu. In Kannada, it appears as Setty, Shettar and Shettigar, who are Padmashalis in Andhra Pradesh....
or merchants, very very few families continue to exist within the country - Idayar or herders, no longer found
- Kadeyar or lime burners, no longer found
- KaraiyarKaraiyarKaraiyar, also known as Karayar, Karaiar or Kurukulam, is traditionally both a seafaring and warrior caste found in the Tamil Nadu state of India, coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.-Origins:...
or fishers - KoviarKoviarKoviar is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste of traditional agriculturalists and temple workers. Today they are found in all aspects of the society. In the Vellalar dominated caste hierarchy of the Jaffna peninsula they ranked higher due to their proximity to temples. There are number of competing theories...
or temple workers - Madapalli or landholders, no longer found
- Maravar or landholders, no longer found fused with Vellalar or Karaiyar
- MukkuvarMukkuvarMukkuvar also Mukkuva are a social group or caste primarily a fishing community, living in the coastal districts of Kerala, south Tamil Nadu in India and also in Sri Lanka. It is a community that has differing ethnic identities based on the state or country of domicile...
or fishers - NalavarNalavarNalavar also Nalava is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste of traditional agriculturalists and toddy tapers. But today they are found in all aspects of the society. They are part of a new amalgamation of castes in Jaffna peninsula called as Panchamar or Fives...
or toddy tappers - PallarPallarThe Pallar are a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are mostly agriculturalists in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and amongst the Tamil diaspora...
or farm hands - Palliwilli or fishers
- Pandaram or Temple priests and Native temple workers
- ParaiyarParaiyarParaiyar, Parayar, and Sambavar, anglicised by Europeans as Pariah are a social group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in Sri Lanka . In the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, though they have been enumerated under three different caste names, they have generally been referred to as...
or tom-tom beaters - Paravar or fishers & soldiers
- Piramanar, IyerIyerIyer is the title given to the caste of Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil origin. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara...
or Brahmin priests - Sanar or NadarNadar (caste)Nadar is one of the prominent castes of Tamil Nadu, South India. The term, Nadar, in Tamil literally means one who rules the land. The Nadars are also commonly called as Annachi . Nadars are an entrepreneurial south Indian caste and constitute 12% of Tamil Nadu's population...
, very few families - Sempadavar or fishers
- Siviar or royal palanquin bearers, no longer found
- Thanakarar or Royal stable workers, no longer found
- Thimilar or fishers
- Thurumbar Washers for toddy tappers and other low-caste families
- Vadugar or soldiers, no longer found
- VellalarVellalarVellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
or farmers - Veera Saivar, Lingayat,Jangam, Pandaram, or non-Brahmin priests
A special category called Kudimakkal was divided along
- Navidar or Ampattar or barbers
- Koller or blacksmiths
- Tattar or gold smiths
- Kannar or brass founders, no longer found
- Thatcher or carpenters
- Sitper or masons, no longer found
- Paner' or tailors, no longer found
- Vaniyar or oil workers, no longer found
- kussavar or potters
- Wannar or washer men
Eastern Castes
- Cirpatakkarar* or landholders
- Khaikulavar or sengunthar
- KaraiyarKaraiyarKaraiyar, also known as Karayar, Karaiar or Kurukulam, is traditionally both a seafaring and warrior caste found in the Tamil Nadu state of India, coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.-Origins:...
or land holders and fishers - MukkuvarMukkuvarMukkuvar also Mukkuva are a social group or caste primarily a fishing community, living in the coastal districts of Kerala, south Tamil Nadu in India and also in Sri Lanka. It is a community that has differing ethnic identities based on the state or country of domicile...
or land holders, fishers and farm hands - Tattar or gold smiths
- Thanakkarar
- Thatcher or carpenters
- Thimilar or land holders, fishers and farm hands
- Vanniar* or landholders
- VellalarVellalarVellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
or farmers - Vettar* or hunters
A special category called Siraikudi or enslaved groups similar to northern Kudimakkal is divided along
- Matular'*
- Koil Pandaram' or native priests
- Pandarappillai or native priests
- Kussavar or potters
- Koller or blacksmiths
- Mutalikal*
- Valipan*
- Nampikal*
- Wannar or washer men
- Navidar/Ampattar or barbers
- Pallar or Traditional cultivators, landworkers and herdsmen
- Paraiyar or tom-tom beaters
- Koviar' or temple workers
- Tavacikal*
- Kataiyar*
Castes marked with the asterisk (*) are found only in Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
.
External links
- Traditional Sri Lanka – Codification of Caste system. An out-dated report from 1988
- Caste Conflict and Elite Formation: the Rise of the Karava Elite in Sri Lanka
- Caste amongst the Sinhalese. An out-dated report from 1988
- Caste amongst Sri Lankan Tamils
- Janvamsa, an important treatise of ancient Sri Lanka
- Socio-political organization of Sri Lankan Tamils by Professor Brian Pfaffenberger
- Linda Brady (2005).Colonials, bourgeoisies and media dynasties: A case study of Sri Lankan media. Ejournalist, vol 5(2)
- The Caste, Culture, and their Hedonism by Nevill Kumar