Native headmen of Ceylon
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Burgher People |
Native headmen system was an integral part of the administration of the island of
History
Origins
Native headmen system was an integral part of the administration of the island of
British period
With the on set of British rule, Governor North restructured the native headmen system. The system was transformed into a salaried system with land grants and tenured service abolished. They became the second tier of the civil administration of the island with appointments made by the Governor. Over the next century, the headmen grew to be a powerful and affluent class consolidating economic power through land ownership and marriage. Gradually functions of headmen were transferred to various departments that were established by the British administration.
Every district is subdivided into Pattus or Korales. These Pattus are divided into villages, hamlets, etc. Pattus are presided over by Mudaliyars and Muhandirams in low country districts, Ratemahattayas and Korales in the Kandyan provinces, Maniyars and Udayars in the Tamil districts. The villages and hamlets are in the charge of Arachchies, Peace Officers and Vidanes [3]
Following the
The Headman Commission of 1922 states that "under the existing system each village or group of small villages is placed under the supervision of minor headman known as Gam Arachchi in Kandyan areas and police vidane or police headman in low country. The positions above those headmen were Korala in Kandyan districts; Uddaiyar in Tamil districts Vidane Arachchi in districts of low country. The top rank above all officials was represented by Rate Mahatmaya,and Adigars in Kandyyan districts, Maniyagars and Vanniyars in Tamil Districts and Mudliers in southern provinces".[4]
For purposes of general administration, the Island is divided into nine provinces and nineteen Revenue (which are also electoral) Districts. The provinces are under Government Agents, most of whom are aided by Assistant Government Agents, the latter residing at the headquarters of districts which are not the headquarters of provinces. The districts are divided into chief headmen's divisions, of which there are 110; these contain some 613 subdivisions under superior headmen, and the subdivisions include about 4,000 villages and hamlets each under a village headman. The chief, superior and village headmen are known by different titles in the Kandyan, Low-Country Sinhalese and Tamil districts.[5]
During the
Reforms and abolition
Following the formation of the
Classes of headmen
Classes of headmen in the Low Country
The headmen system in the costal and low country, evolved over time under the colonial administration of the Portuguese, the Dutch and then the British.
Chief headmen
- Maha Mudaliyar – (Head Mudaliyar or මහ මුදලි) - Head of the low country native headmen and native aide-de-camp to the Governor of Ceylon.
- Korale Mudaliyar (Korale Mudali – කෝරලේ මුදලි) - Korale Mudaliyar was in-charge of an area known as a Koraleand had several Muhandiram's under his supervision
- Muhandiram (මුහන්දිරම්) - Muhandiram had several Vidane Arachchi's under his supervision.
Minor headmen
- Vidane Arachchi (විදානෙ ආරච්චි) - Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision
- Vidane (විදානෙ) - Vidane had a village or group of small villages placed under his administration
Classes of headmen in the Kandyan Areas
Following the
Chief headmen
- Adigar- Honorary appointment
- Dissava- British Government Agent of the Province took over the duties of a Dissava (with the remaining and newly appointed Dissavas being mere honorary appointments) in 1818. Rate Mahatmayas under his supervision.
- Rate Mahatmaya (රටෙි මහත්තයා) - Rate Mahatmaya had several Korale Mahatmayas under his supervision.[9]
Minor headmen
- Korale Mahaththaya (කෝරලේ මහත්තයා) - Korale Mahattaya was in-charge of an area known as Korale and had several Gran Arachchis / Town Arachchis under his supervision.
- Town Arachchi (ටවුන් ආරච්චි) / Gan Arachchi (ගන් ආරච්චි) - Town Arachchi / Gan Arachchi had a Town / a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration
Classes of headmen in Tamil Areas
The Northern and Eastern provinces had the following classes of native headmen:[10]
Chief headmen
- Atikar [11](அதிகாரி)
- Vanniyar(වන්නියා) (பண்டாரத்தார்) - The Vanniyar, also spelled Vanniya had several Maniyagar under his supervision.
- Maniyagar - Maniyagar had several Udayar's under his supervision.
Minor headmen
- Udayar - Udayar had several Vidane's under his supervision.
- Vidane (விதானை) - Vidane had a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration.
See also
- Kachcheri
- Walauwa
- Grama Niladhari
- Kandyan Convention
- Great Rebellion of 1817–18
- Matale rebellion
- Maldivian Annual Tribute
References
- from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- .
- ^ "Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History,".
- ^ "Role of Government Agent in Local Administration in Sri Lanka by R.A.W. Ranasinghe Head, Department of Political Science University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka," (PDF).
- ^ "Report of The Donoughmore Commission" (PDF).
- ^ "The Criminal Procedure Code 1899,".
- ^ Bradman Weerakoon (2006). Rendering Unto Caesar: A Fascinating Story of One Man's Tenure Under Nine Prime Ministers and Presidents of Sri Lanka. Vijitha Yapa Publications.
- ^ "Village Headmen (Change Of Designation)". lawnet.gov.lk. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ Late Deshamanya E. L. B. Hurulle
- ^ Wright, Arnold, ed. (1907). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon. Lloyd's Great Britain Publishing Company. p. 639.
- ^ "Ceylon Government Gazette" (PDF). Retrieved 28 September 2020.
External links
- "Village notables in colonial Ceylon - The Village Headman was the uncrowned king of the village. He was appointed by the Government Agent from a traditional leading family in the area, in order to ensure that he received customary respect from villagers".
- [1] Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon
- [2] The British Colonial Library
- [3] The Mudaliyars Explained
- [4] Pasgama: Step into Remoteness