Caste system in Sri Lanka

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The caste systems in Sri Lanka are social stratification systems found among the ethnic groups of the island since ancient times. The models are similar to those found in Continental India, but are less extensive and important for various reasons. Modern times Sri Lanka is often considered to be a casteless society in south asia.

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The caste systems of Sri Lanka were historically not tied to the religious establishment but rather a tool to service the ruling elite - a model more reminiscent of feudalism in Europe. At least three major, parallel caste systems exist in Sri Lankan society: Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamils . [1]

A universal welfare system that focused on providing education for everyone regardless of background has provided people from lower caste groups similar opportunities to enter jobs previously only frequented by those in upper-caste groups, with younger generations mostly rejecting any pressure to conform to caste-related jobs. The Civil War has also broken down caste barriers as they were seen as an obstacle toward ethnolinguistic unity. [1]

Overview

The caste system or feudal of the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils display some similar traits, where both systems having comparable castes with similar occupations and status. [2]

The interior arable land is largely dominated by the Govigama caste under the Sinhalese and by the Vellalar under the Sri Lankan Tamils, who are traditionally involved as husbandmen and form approximately half the population of their respective ethnicities. [3] The peasants under them are the Sinhalese Bathgama and Tamil Pallars. [4] The coastal land is dominated by the Karavas under the Sinhalese and the Karaiyar under the Tamils. Both castes share a common origin with background in seafaring, trade and warfare. [5] [6] The artisans were collectively known as Navandanna by the Sinhalese and as Kammalar by the Tamils. [7] They constituted of respective endogamous castes traditionally involved as blacksmith, goldsmith, coppersmith, carpenters and stonemasons. [8] [9] While toddy tapping was largely in the hands of the Sinhalese Durava and Tamil Nalavar, jaggery production was in the hands of the Sinhalese Vahumpura and Tamil Cantars. [6] The traditional drummers of both ethnicities, the Sinhalese Berava and Tamil Paraiyar, have religious importance in Buddhism and Hinduism, respectively. The domestic castes of barbers and dhobies were the respective Sinhalese Ambattaya and Hinnava, and Tamil Ambattar and Vannar. [10] [11] [12]

Political power and wealth have largely replaced caste as the main factor in Sri Lankan social stratification, especially in the Sinhalese and Indian Tamil communities. [13] Ponnambalam Ramanathan, under British Ceylon, opposed extending voting rights to the people and urged reservation of franchise only to men of the Vellalar caste. [14]

Sinhalese castes

In traditional Sinhalese society Buddhist monks are placed at the top. Irrespective of the birth caste of a monk, even the king had to show respect to them.

The documented history of the island begins with the arrival of Prince Vijaya from India. Although the origin of Sri Lankan communities is unclear, [15] genetic studies on Sinhalese have shown that most of the Sinhala community are genetically related to North Indians, with traces from South India too. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] About half of the Sinhalese population are Govigama. [22]

Ancient Sri Lankan texts, such as the Pujavaliya, Sadharmaratnavaliya, Yogaratnakaraya and inscriptions, show that a feudal system namely existed among the Sinhalese. Evidence of this hierarchy can be seen during the 18th-century British-Kandyan period, [23] indicating its continuation even after the Sri Lankan monarchy. [24] [25] Colonialism and foreign intervention in the dynastic conflicts of the island throughout history have also influenced the caste system, some suggesting even a re-arrangement of the occupational castes. [26] [27]

The kings of Sri Lanka traditionally belonged to a specific caste, with their lineage and ancestry tied to the Kandyan nobility and the Sinhalese royal families. The caste system in Sri Lanka had a complex structure, but in the context of monarchy, the kings primarily belonged to the Radala caste (or Kandyan nobility), which was closely connected to royalty and aristocracy.

Key Castes of the Kings of Sri Lanka:

1. Radala (රදාල)

  • Occupation: Aristocracy, nobility, military leaders, landowners, and royal administrators.
  • Social Role: The Radala caste consisted of high-ranking members of the Kandyan nobility. The kings of Sri Lanka, particularly those in the Kandyan Kingdom, were often from this caste. The Radala caste was composed of aristocrats who played a key role in governance, military leadership, and royal service.
  • Status: The Radala caste is considered the highest in the Sinhalese social hierarchy, especially in the context of the Kandyan kingdom, as they were closely associated with royal service and landholding.
  • Connection to Kingship: Many Kandyan kings were born into Radala families, making this caste integral to the monarchy. The kings of Kandy were considered part of this caste, and their lineage was often tied to high-ranking aristocratic families.

2. Navandanna (නවන්දන්න)

  • Occupation: Royal service, temple service, and high-ranking administrative roles.
  • Social Role: While not a primary royal caste, the Navandanna caste often played crucial roles in royal administration and temple service. In some contexts, they were even close to the royal family, especially in matters of religion and royal ceremonies.
  • Status: Although Navandanna is sometimes viewed as a caste closely connected to royal power, it was more of a specialized caste serving in religious and ceremonial roles. This caste had significant influence over temples and royal service, but the Radala caste was more directly associated with the monarchy itself.

Kandyan castes

In the Central Highlands, many traditions of the Kingdom of Kandy were preserved from its 1818 collapse beyond independence in 1948 and the Land Reform Act of the 1970s. Although large agricultural landlords belonged to the Govigama caste, many now may not own land. Most Govigama were however ordinary farmers and tenants as absolute land ownership was exclusive to the king until the British colonial period. [28] The most important feature of the Kandyan system was Rajakariya ("the king's work"), which linked each caste to occupation and demanded service to the court and religious institutions. [29]

The "Duraya" was a loose categorization of lower Kandyan castes, comprising the castes of Vahumpura, Puda, Panna, Velli, Berava, possibly Henaya, and more. The group was interpreted by the British for their own administrative purposes and was used loosely. [4]

Notable Kings and Their Caste:

The caste system in Sri Lanka traditionally governed not only social roles and occupation but also marriage alliances. Inter-caste marriages were often restricted, with individuals typically marrying within their own caste or specific castes that were considered compatible. However, the norms and practices related to caste-based marriages have evolved over time, especially in modern Sri Lanka, where caste distinctions are less rigid than they once were.

Here’s an overview of traditional caste-based marriage practices:

1. Highest Castes (Royal and Aristocratic)

2. Landowners, Agrarian Castes

3. Merchant and Trader Castes

4. Caste Based on Artisans, Craftsmen, and Labor

5. Lower Castes and Menial Labor

General Patterns of Inter-Caste Marriage:

Southern castes

There are still differences between the caste structures of the highlands and those of the low country, although some service groups were common to both in ancient Sri Lanka. The southwestern coast has three other castes (the Salagama, the Durava and the Karava) in addition to the majority of ancient Govigama, which is common throughout the region. Some of these castes' ancestors are believed to have migrated from Southern India and have become important in the Sinhalese social system. The first-century BC Anuradhapura Abayagiri inscription referring to a Karava Devika may be the first reference to a specialized occupation. [30] [31]

Sri Lankan Tamil castes

The caste system has stronger religious ties than its Sinhalese counterpart, although both systems have comparable castes. [32] There are in the Sri Lankan Tamil caste system, distinctions between Northern and Eastern societies and also the agricultural, coastal and artisanal societies.

The agricultural society has mainly the castes of the Sri Lankan Vellalar who make more than half of the Tamil population in srilanka, Nalavar and Koviyar, where the Vellalar and the Koviyar castes are the dominating ones, particularly in Northern Sri Lanka. They constitute approximately half of the Sri Lankan Tamil population and are the major land owning and agricultural caste. [33] [34]

The Northern and Western coastal societies are dominated by the Karaiyars, who are traditionally a seafaring and warrior caste. [35] The Paravar and the Thimilar are also among the coastal communities involved in fishing. The Paravars or Bharathas are traditionally found in the western part of the island in the Mannar region, who many also are descendants from South Indian Paravar traders and seamen who settled there under Portuguese rule. [36] The Mukkuvars, traditional pearl divers in western Sri Lanka, dominate greater parts of Eastern Sri Lanka where they are the major landowners also involved in agriculture. [37] [38] The Mukkuvars are largely Muslims or Roman Catholic in the Puttalam region of the western part of the island, and predominantly Hindus in the eastern part of the island. [39]

The artisans, known locally as Kammalar or Vishwakarma consists of the Kannar (brass-workers), Kollar (blacksmiths), Tattar (goldsmiths), Tatchar (carpenters), Kartatchar (sculptor). [40] [41] Along with the Kammalar were the Ambattar (barbers), Kadaiyar (lime burners), Koviar (farmers), Kusavar (potters), Maraiyar (conch blowers), Nattuvar (musician), Nalavar (toddy-tappers), Pallar (farmers), Paraiyar (drummers and weavers), Turumbar (dhobies) and Vannar (dhobies) the domestic servants termed as Kudimakkal. [42] The Kudimakkal gave ritual importance in marriage, funeral and other temple ceremonies. [43] [44]

A few slave castes exist as well. One caste called the Demalagattaru were an ancient caste of Tamil captives during times of war between Sinhalese and Tamil. [45]

Other Sri Lankan Tamil castes of importance are the eastern Vellalars, Cantar (oil-presser), Iyer (priests), Madapalli (former royal cooks), Seerpadar (cultivators), kaikolar (cotton-weavers), Siviyar (royal palanquin bearers) [46] [47] and Maravar (Warrior). [48] [49] [50] The Sri Lankan Chetties, traditional merchants, along with the Bharatha people, traditional sea-traders, are both colonial South Indian migrant castes and listed as their own ethnicities in Sri Lankan census. [51] The Coast Veddas, found mainly in Eastern Sri Lanka are considered a Tamil caste among the Sri Lankan Tamils. [52]

The village deities of the Sri Lankan Tamils are also shaped by the caste structure. The Sri Lankan Moors don't practice the caste system, however, follow a matriclan system which is an extension of Tamil tradition. [53]

Indian Tamil castes

The Tolkāppiyam Porulatikaram indicating the four-fold division is the earliest Tamil literature to mention caste. [54] Sangam literature however mentions only five kudis associated with the five tinais . [54] [55] Colonialism also had influenced the caste system. [56] [57]

Indian Tamils or Tamils of Indian origin (Hill Country Tamils, who were Indians brought to the island by the British as indentured labour) and the group of Indian Tamil people who migrated to Sri Lanka as merchants also follows the Indian caste system form which is called jāti. Their caste structure resembles that of a Tamil Nadu village.

Those who are considered to be of higher castes occupy the first row of line rooms, and that sect includes Maravar, Kallar, Agamudaiyar, Mudaliyar (kaikolars), Mutharaiyar (Watch mans) etc. They perform respectable jobs such as factory work and grinding of tea as minor labour work, on the other hand, they are also involved in business activities. Even though they belong to the labour category under the British rule and post-independence of the country, they were influential among conductors, tea makers, manganese (or supervisors), and other officials. The workers considered low caste live in the dwellings that are away from the centre and these dwellings are called distant or lower lines. This group consists of Paraiyars, Sakkiliar, washers and barbers. The yard sweepers and changes of clothes are in the lowest rank. [58]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Silva, Kalinga Tudor; Sivapragasam, P.P.; Thanges, Paramsothy (2009). "Caste Discrimination and Social Justice in Sri Lanka: An Overview" (PDF). Indian Institute of Dalit Studies. III. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Nubin, Walter (2002). Sri Lanka: Current Issues and Historical Background. Nova Publishers. p. 153. ISBN   978-1-59033-573-4.
  3. ↑ Peebles, Patrick (2015-10-22). Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 65. ISBN   978-1-4422-5585-2.
  4. 1 2 Meyer, Eric P. (2014-12-09). "Historical Aspects of Caste in the Kandyan Regions with Particular Reference to the non-Goyigama Castes of the Kägalla District". Sri Lanka Journal of the Humanities. 40: 21–54. doi: 10.4038/sljh.v40i0.7229 . ISSN   2279-3321.
  5. ↑ Swan, Bernard (1987). Sri Lankan Mosaic: Environment, Man, Continuity, and Change. Marga Institute, Sri Lanka Centre for Development Studies. p. 177.
  6. 1 2 Markovits, Claude; Pouchepadass, Jacques; Subrahmanyam, Sanjay (2006). Society and Circulation: Mobile People and Itinerant Cultures in South Asia, 1750-1950. Anthem Press. p. 59. ISBN   978-1-84331-231-4.
  7. ↑ Mahroof, M. M. M. (2000). "A Conspectus of Tamil Caste Systems in Sri Lanka: Away from a Parataxis". Social Scientist. 28 (11/12): 40–59. doi:10.2307/3518280. ISSN   0970-0293. JSTOR   3518280.
  8. ↑ Ceylon Journal of Child Health. Ceylon Paediatric Association. 1977. p. 9.
  9. ↑ Seneviratna, Anuradha; Silva, Nimal De; Lanka), Madhyama Saṃskr̥tika Aramudala (Sri (1999). World heritage city of Kandy, Sri Lanka: conservation and development plan. Central Cultural Fund. p. 56. ISBN   978-955-613-126-0.
  10. ↑ Pranāndu, Mihindukalasūrya Ār Pī Susantā (2005). Rituals, Folk Beliefs, and Magical Arts of Sri Lanka. Susan International. pp. 459–460. ISBN   978-955-96318-3-5.
  11. ↑ Lanka), Indian Heritage Foundation (Sri (2003). Indo-Lankans, their two hundred-year saga. Indian Heritage Foundation. p. 199. ISBN   978-955-8790-00-7.
  12. ↑ Nyrop, Richard F. (1971). Area Handbook for Ceylon. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 103–108.
  13. ↑ Caste in Jaffna And India, Review Article on Neville Jayaweera's Jaffna Exorcising the Past and Holding the Vision Dr Devanesan Nesiah (Sunday Leader 10.10.2014)
  14. ↑ Phadnis, Urmila; Muni, Sukh Deo; Bahadur, Kalim (1986). Domestic Conflicts in South Asia: Economic and Ethnic Dimensions. South Asian Publishers. p. 128. ISBN   9788170030713.
  15. ↑ Kshatriya, GK (December 1995). "Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations". Hum. Biol. 67 (6): 843–66. PMID   8543296.
  16. ↑ Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Paolo Menozzi, Alberto Piazza (1996). The History and Geography of Human Genes. Princeton University. pp. 239–40. ISBN   978-0691029054.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ Kshatriya, GK (December 1995). "Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations". Hum. Biol. 67 (6): 843–66. PMID   8543296.
  18. ↑ Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations, L Ranaweera, et al.; Journal of Human Genetics (2014)
  19. ↑ Pre-Vijayan Agriculture in Sri Lanka, by Prof. T. W. Wikramanayake
  20. ↑ A SHORT HISTORY OF LANKA by Humphry William Codrington, CHAPTER I; THE BEGINNINGS 'The princess and her retinue/dowry (service castes)'
  21. ↑ Buddhism Betrayed?: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka By Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah, p. 152-3
  22. ↑ "Traditional Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  23. ↑ Kadayimpoth - Boundary Books
  24. ↑ Mahavansha
  25. ↑ Sinhala Sanna ha Thudapath, Ananada this Kumara, Godage Publication,Second Edition,2006,pp 142,pp 137
  26. ↑ Kandy Fights the Portuguese, C.Gaston Perera, Vijithayapa Publications, 2007
  27. ↑ An Historical Relation Of The Island Ceylon In The East Indies, Robert Knox, 1681, pp. 46 & 73
  28. ↑ Land: Feudalism to Modernity.
  29. ↑ An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies by Robert Knox. 2004-12-13.
  30. ↑ de Silva, Raaj. "The ancient 'Kaurava Pavilion' at Anuradhapura". De Fonseka Web. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
  31. ↑ "Paranavithana S. 1970 Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol I Early Brahmi Inscriptions". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  32. ↑ M. M. M. Mahroof (November–December 2000). "A Conspectus of Tamil Caste Systems in Sri Lanka: Away from a Parataxis". Social Scientist. 28 (11/12): 40–59. doi:10.2307/3518280. JSTOR   3518280.
  33. ↑ Peebles, Patrick (2015-10-22). Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 65. ISBN   9781442255852.
  34. ↑ Bush, Kenneth (2003-12-09). The Intra-Group Dimensions of Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka: Learning to Read Between the Lines. Springer. p. 52. ISBN   9780230597822.
  35. ↑ Das, Sonia N. (2016). Linguistic Rivalries: Tamil Migrants and Anglo-Franco Conflicts. Oxford University Press. p. 236. ISBN   9780190461782.
  36. ↑ Abeyasinghe, Tikiri (1966). Portuguese Rule in Ceylon, 1594-1612. Lake House Investments. pp. 62–63. ISBN   978-0-8426-0780-3.
  37. ↑ McGilvray, Dennis B. (1982-09-02). Caste Ideology and Interaction. Cambridge University Press. pp. 58–60. ISBN   9780521241458.
  38. ↑ (Jaffna), University Teachers for Human Rights (1991). The Debasement of the law and of humanity and the drift towards total war. UTHR (Jaffna), University of Jaffna, Thirunelvely. p. 31.
  39. ↑ Hussein, Asiff (2007). Sarandib: An Ethnological Study of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. Asiff Hussein. p. 222. ISBN   978-955-97262-2-7.
  40. ↑ McGilvray, Dennis B. (1974). Tamils and Moors: caste and matriclan structure in eastern Sri Lanka. University of Chicago. p. 160.
  41. ↑ David, Kenneth (1977-01-01). The New Wind: Changing Identities in South Asia. Walter de Gruyter. p. 186. ISBN   9783110807752.
  42. ↑ David, Kenneth (1977-01-01). The New Wind: Changing Identities in South Asia. Walter de Gruyter. p. 203. ISBN   9783110807752.
  43. ↑ Pranāndu, Mihindukalasūrya Ār Pī Susantā (2005). Rituals, folk beliefs, and magical arts of Sri Lanka. Susan International. p. 459. ISBN   9789559631835.
  44. ↑ Raghavan, M. D. (1961). The Karāva of Ceylon: Society and Culture. K.V.G. De Sīlva. pp. 87–88.
  45. ↑ Gilbert, William H. (1945). "The Sinhalese caste system of central and southern Ceylon". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 35 (3): 69–87. ISSN   0043-0439.
  46. ↑ Phillius, Baldaeus (1960). A True and Exact Description of the Great Island of Ceylon. Ceylon Branch of the royal Asiatic Society. p. 371.
  47. ↑ Pulavar, M.M. and Brito, C. (1999). The Yalpana-vaipava-malai, Or, The History of the Kingdom of Jaffna. Asian Educational Services. p. 57. ISBN   9788120613621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  48. ↑ McGilvray, Dennis B. (1983). "Paraiyar Drummers of Sri Lanka: Consensus and Constraint in an Untouchable Caste". American Ethnologist. 10 (1): 97–115. doi: 10.1525/ae.1983.10.1.02a00060 . JSTOR   644706.
  49. ↑ Chitty, Simon Casie (1834). The Ceylon Gazetteer: Containing an Accurate Account of the Districts, Provinces, Cities, Towns ... &c. of the Island of Ceylon. Cotta Church Mission Press. p. 55.
  50. ↑ Modern Ceylon Studies. Vol. 4. University of Ceylon. 1975. p. 28.
  51. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka" (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  52. ↑ Samarasinghe, S. W. R. de A.; Studies, International Centre for Ethnic; utviklingshjelp, Norway Direktoratet for (1990). The Vanishing aborigines: Sri Lanka's Veddas in transition. International Centre for Ethnic Studies in association with NORAD and Vikas Pub. House. p. 70. ISBN   9780706952988.
  53. ↑ Klem, Bart (2011). "Islam, Politics and Violence in Eastern Sri Lanka" (PDF). The Journal of Asian Studies . 70 (3): 730–753. doi:10.1017/S002191181100088X. JSTOR   41302391. S2CID   27739665.
  54. 1 2 Chattopadhyaya, Brajadulal (2009). A Social History of Early India. CSC and Pearson Education. pp. 30–37. ISBN   9788131719589.
  55. ↑ Kolappan, B (2015). "Early Tamil society was free of caste". The Hindu.
  56. ↑ Fernando, Laksiri (2013). "Philip Baldaeus Didn't See A Big Ethnic Difference In Ceylon". Colombo Telegraph.
  57. ↑ Schröder, Ulrike (2012). Ritual, Caste, and Religion in Colonial South India. Primus. p. 72,93–113,278. ISBN   978-9380607214.
  58. ↑ Radhakrishnan, V. "Indian origin in Sri Lanka: Their plight and struggle for survival". Proceedings of First International Conference & Gathering of Elders. International Center for Cultural Studies, USA. Archived from the original on 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2008-01-23.

Bibliography

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