Durava

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Durave or Durava are Southern Sinhalese caste in Sri Lanka.

Contents

[edit] Origins

Mainstream Sinhalese speakers claim Indian ethnic origins and are primarily engaged in agriculture. The presence of many service type castes or Jatis like the Durave indicate a complex migration history from India to Sri Lanka.

Durave are part of the caste structure of the coastal Sinhalese with formerly limited regional spread specially in the southern part of the country. Today they are also entrepreneurs, professionals, agriculturists and workers throughout the country.

Many prominent lineages claim martial origins due to their service as soldiers and mercenaries from South India for Sinhalese kingdoms.

The etymology of the word Sinhalese word Durave or Durava has no clear meaning. In Tamil language Dorai stands for a headman and Madurai is a popular town in the Pandya kingdom. Early colonial literature recorded the Durave as Palanquin bearers from Madurai or Malabar coast of Kerala, although they were wrongly associated with Toddy tapping by the Portuguese colonial time. The fact that durawe caste owned large swathes of coconut lands in Matara & Galle districts could have contributed to this wrong assumption. In fact toddy tapping is not limited to a particular caste in Sri Lanka and many social researches done by eminent sociologists reveal the fact that toddy tapping is done by members of many castes including the Govigama caste. The durave caste is a land owning caste from time immemorial and was held in high esteem by the Sinhalese Kings due to their administrative skills. Further the durave caste members held high positions in the armies of the Sinhala kings and were noted for their bravery in wars.

[edit] Origin myths

The community connects itself with the tribes such as the Nagas and Yakkas of the country, retinue of Pandyan consorts of Sri Lankan kings as well as early aristocratic families. The royal connection could be derived from their role as mercenaries in Sinhala Kingdom days. Along with other coastal castes, they too have Ge or house names.

[edit] British Period

The creation of a powerful Mudaliyar class by the British in the 19th century, it’s restriction only to the Govigama caste, production of spurious caste hierarchy lists by this class and changes to the land tenure system, resulted in this caste too being placed at the lower end of the hierarchy during this period. Although contrary to history, some modern Govigama historians now suggest that this caste was traditionally lower than the Govi caste.

The influential Mudaliyar class attempted to keep this caste and all other Sri Lankan castes out of colonial appointments. They also used all possible means to economically and socially marginalise and subjugate all other communities. The oppression by the Mudaliars and connected headmen extended to demanding subservience, service and even restrictions on the type of personal names that could be used by this community.

Despite the above setbacks, several members of this caste emerged as successful entrepreneurs in the British colonial market economy and were recognised as members of the local elite. They were involved in the freedom movement and early political reforms.

[edit] Current status

They were converted to Catholic religion soon after arrival of Portuguese colonials in 1505 ACE. Using this opportunity they have upgraded themselves viz. a vie the dominant Govigama caste. They along with other southern Sinhalese castes such as Karave and Salagama have played an important role in the historically left political and right parties. They are mostly Theravada Buddhists today and were instrumental in the revival of Buddhism during the British colonial period. The un-Buddhistic practice of caste discrimination introduced into the Sangha by the Siyam Nikaya in the late 18th century has been overcome by patronising the Amarapura Nikaya and the Ramanna Nikayas. The community leaders have an influential say in modern Sri Lankan politics.

[edit] Some Ge names

  • Hevage House of the soldier in such forms as Golu Hevage, Mamu Hevage and Punchi Hevage.
  • Panikkalage
  • Ranavirage House of the war hero
  • Henanayakage House of the Commander-in-chief
  • Bettage House of the bard
  • Lansage House of lance-bearers
  • Kodikarage House of the flag-bearers
  • Kodituvakkuge House of the gunners
  • Dunu Vidi Hevage House of the archers
  • Vedage House of the physician
  • Guruge House of the teacher
  • Hettige House of the merchant
  • Kovilage House of the temple or Kovil
  • Enderage House of the herdsman
  • Liyanasekara House of the scribe

Along with these names they also use iberian derived surnames such as De Zoysa, De Mel and Peiris along with countless others.

[edit] A few prominent members of the Durava community

  • Rajakiya Panditha Madihe Pannaseeha Maha Nayaka Thera
  • Rajakiya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera
  • Poetess Gajaman Nona
  • Court Jester Andare
  • Kumaratunga Munidasa
  • Panditha Gunapala Senadheera
  • Panditha Dharmaratna, editor of Lakmini Pahana, the first Sinhala Newspaper
  • Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, Founder of the Sarvodaya movement
  • Former Governor of the Central Bank Deshamanya N. U. Jayawardana
  • Movie star, former Governor of western province Gamini Fonseka
  • Movie star Vijaya Kumaranatunga
  • Matara district MP and Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing leader & ex Minister Mangala Samaraweera
  • Lanka Sama Samaja Party Leader and Former Minister Bernard Soysa
  • Author W.A. Silva

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Bryce Ryan, Caste in Modern Ceylon, Rutgers University Press, 1953.

[edit] External links