Demala Pattuva
Encyclopedia
Demala Hatpattu or Demala Pattu or Demala Pattuva was a medieval and pre colonial division of Sri Lanka
. It was a regional political division formed by royal land grants. There were number of such Pattus across the country. Demela Hatpattu was named as such because at its time of creation, it was exclusively governed by Tamil
hereditary chiefs. The land was granted to Chiefs of Tamil or Kerala
origin for services rendered or as a result of conquest by Mukkuvas
. (See Mukkuvar
and Vannimai
)
The Pattu consisted of the following subdivisions
Of which Muneswaram Pattuva alone had over 63 inhabited villages. It was believed that Chiefs of Munneswarm Pattuva began the Munneswaram temple
as a village guardian temple to Munisvaran around 1000 CE. Within the Mueswaram Pattuva, Maradankulama
provided the political leadership for the area. Demala Hatpattu formed a large division within the current Puttalam District
. During the British Colonial
period Demala Hatpattu transferred between numbers of provinces. In 1873, when the North Central Province was created, Demala Hatpattu was detached from the North Western Province but in 1875, Demala Hatpattu was reattached to the North Western Province
.
Sri 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...
. It was a regional political division formed by royal land grants. There were number of such Pattus across the country. Demela Hatpattu was named as such because at its time of creation, it was exclusively governed by Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
hereditary chiefs. The land was granted to Chiefs of Tamil or Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
origin for services rendered or as a result of conquest by Mukkuvas
Mukkara Hatana
The Mukkara Hatana is an old palm leaf manuscript from Sri Lanka now in the British Museum. It is in the Hugh Neville collection of the British Museum and is catalogued as Or. 6606 . It is in the style of other local histories such as Kadaim-poth, Vitti-poth etc.The story in the Mukkara Hatana is...
. (See 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...
and Vannimai
Vannimai
The Vannimais, or Vanni chieftaincies, were feudal land divisions ruled by petty chiefs south of the Jaffna peninsula in the present-day Northern, North Central and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. These chieftaincies arose in the 12th century, with the rise of the medieval Tamil kingdom's golden...
)
The Pattu consisted of the following subdivisions
- Panditha Pattuva
- Kirimettiya Pattuva
- Karamba Pattuva
- Periavelli Pattuva
- Muneswaram Pattuva
- Anevilundan Pattuva
- Kumaravanni Pattuva
- Rajavanni Pattuva
Of which Muneswaram Pattuva alone had over 63 inhabited villages. It was believed that Chiefs of Munneswarm Pattuva began the Munneswaram temple
Munneswaram temple
Munneswaram temple is an important regional Hindu temple complex in Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country. It has been in existence at least since 1000 CE, although myths surrounding the temple associate it with the popular Indian epic Ramayana, and its legendary hero-king Rama...
as a village guardian temple to Munisvaran around 1000 CE. Within the Mueswaram Pattuva, Maradankulama
Maradankulama
Maradankulama or Maradankulam is village situated within the Northwestern Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of the oldest settlements within the geographic region that formed the medieval divisions of the country called Demala Pattuva...
provided the political leadership for the area. Demala Hatpattu formed a large division within the current Puttalam District
Puttalam District
Puttalam is a district situated near to the west coast of Sri Lanka. It has an area of . Along with the Kurunegala District, it formulates the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The district capital is Puttalam, which borders the Kala Oya and Modaragam Aru in the north, Anuradhapura District and...
. During the British Colonial
British Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
period Demala Hatpattu transferred between numbers of provinces. In 1873, when the North Central Province was created, Demala Hatpattu was detached from the North Western Province but in 1875, Demala Hatpattu was reattached to the North Western Province
North Western Province, Sri Lanka
North Western Province is a province of Sri Lanka. The districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam formulate Wayamba. Its capital is Kurunegala, which has a population of 28,571. The province is known mainly for its numerous coconut plantations. Other main towns in this province are Chilaw and Puttalam...
.