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society. They reorganizing villages on the basis of the Hindu caste principles other than
Buddhist social system which introduced by Arahath Mahinda Thero in 3rd century BC. This reorganization was also connected with the development with the system of monarchy with absolute power. Thus the development of the monarchy and the development of caste principle during this time transformed Sri Lanka into social organization which was based on caste. Thus the well organized Sinhalese Buddhist community was transformed into caste based new hierarchy when the Kandyan Era. While Vellalar caste became the top of Tamil caste system the shadow of Vellalar, the Sinhalese Govigama caste became the top of Sinhalese society.
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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
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make up the most of the bodyguards for political leaders. Due to marginalisation from mainstream
Sinhala Buddhist society there are significant numbers of Christian converts since the colonial period, as conversion provided much easier access to good education and government jobs. Nonetheless, the
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It is believed that these names were attributed metaphorically to indicate their profession. Yaksha tribe of people were believed to inhabit in the mountains where they had used monsoon wind to mould iron, Raksha people were supposed to be farmers who used the steel products of the yaksha tribe of
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as the leadership selection processes within the two main political parties are not democratic. Some scholars from
Batagama community date back their presence in Sri Lanka to the time period of pre histiic King Ravanna period.Historically they have made fine soldiers and trusted body guards. Some
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But after a few days the king grew suspicious of
Weerasundara Bandara, got him killed through subterfuge. Princess Kusumasana Devi daughter of King Karaliyadde, the heir to the Kandyan Kingdom as well as Yamasingha Bandara, a nephew of the King and Konappu Bandara, son of Weerasundara Bandara had
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Kulankayan Cinkai Ariyan (1215–1236) or popularly named as ‘Kalinga Maga’ is a South Indian invader who ruled the island for 21 years. The invasion historically important migration of
Vellalar Nattar chiefs from the Coromandel Coast of South India who made a new social reorganization in Sinhalese
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The name Raksha is derived from the two syllables Ra + Kus, in
Sinhalese Kus means "stomach"; Rakus literally means the people who fulfill hunger or the people who provide rice, the staple food of the Sinhalese people. The Naga tribe of people were believed to be traders, the Deva tribe of people
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Rajasinhe 1 of
Sithawaka as Dukgannarala or royal meal certifier. 1582 an army from Rajasinghe 1 attacked Kandy and King Karalliyadde (1552-1582 A.D.) fled to Manner with his family, seeking the protection of the Portuguese and appointed Weerasundara Badara to the post of ajudicator (Saamamtha).
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At this point a
Portuguese army was sent to Kandy under Konappu Bandara. Portuguese captured Kandy very easily and made Yamasingha Bandara as the King of Kandy. He died after a few months and Konnapu Bandara was appointed himself as the King. Then he gave leadership and betrayed Portuguese and
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Konappu
Bandara Appuhamy or *Vimaladharmasuriya I from Yatinuwara at Ededuwa village in Peradeniya who was established the Kandyan Kingdom. His father Weerasundra Bandara of non royal, flourishing Govigama caste member and his mother Kosgolle Gedara Wimalu from Bathgama Caste was served to the
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Despite the above setbacks, several members of this caste are now successful entrepreneurs and are recognised as members of the local elite. They are gaining an increased say in modern Sri Lankan politics mainly through the alternative political party
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common surnames such as " muthudarage" 'Hewapedige"'Rankothpedige""Wagasenevige" shows their relevance to military services and some of these surnames dates back to aking adutugemunu era. Even at present Bathgama people together With *
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There were Several different indigenous clans lived in the island during the Pre Vijaya era (before 505 BCE). These clans believed that four main clans are Yaksha, Naga,
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ancestry had Sinhalised and Givigamised itself during the Dutch period and had a strong network of relatives as Mudaliyars by the late 19th century. This “Govigama”
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demanding subservience, service, appropriation of cultivation rights and even restrictions on the type of personal names that could be used by this community.
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vast majority of Bathgama people are Buddhists and a large number of prominent Buddhist monks of the "Ramagna" and "Amarapura" sects are from Bathgama Caste.
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G.W Samarasinghe Former Deputy Minister of postal and state affairs (1960 - 1965) and Social Services (1970 - 1977) Parliament Member for Kuliyapitiya
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caste. The British Government was advocating this as an effective policy for easy governance. Mahamudliar Louis De Saram’s family of
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system, resulted in this caste too being classified as a low caste during this period. Although contrary to history, some modern
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policies and created caste animosity among the native elite and finally confined all Native Headmen appointments only to the
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Christian network expanded further with the preponderance of native headmen as Mudaliyars, Korales and Vidanes from the
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Former Provincial Minister of North Western Province,SLFP Chief Organizer of Mawathagama and former Member of Parliament
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historians even go to the extent to now suggest that this caste was traditionally bound to serve the Govi caste.
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caste and exists as an independent but rather disenfranchised caste. Some writers have attempted to call it the “
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class drawn from natives who were most likely to serve the British masters with utmost loyalty. (Mudaliyar is a
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system. But Govigama and Bathgama both communities was in the same tribe call Raksha in pre Wijayan history.
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were the ruling, governance, military service, irrigation, trade, engineering, and agriculture.
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name for ‘first’ and a person endowed with wealth.) This class resembled English country
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Provincial Council Member of North Western Province UNP Chief Organizer of Mawathagama
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Former Parliamentarian of Kurunegala District and SLFP Chief Organizer of Polgahawela
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caste, production of spurious caste hierarchy lists by this class and changes to the
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Provincial Minister of North Western Province,SLFP District Organizer of Kurunegala
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Sabaragamuwa Provincial Agriculture Minister and Yatiyanthota SLFP Chief Organizer
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Deputy Minister of Health and Former Health Minister of Sabaragamuwa Province
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Former Parliamentarian and Minister of United National Party Government
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class by the British in the 19th century, its restriction only to the
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Former Deputy Mayor Kurunegala & Former Member of Parliament
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The Disintegrating village: social change in rural Sri Lanka
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Former Cabinet Minister of Megapolis and Western Development
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word Walauu or Walawoo) and British granted native titles.
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fled to the Portuguese and lived under their protection.
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Former Non Cabinet Minister & M.P. for Nawalapitiya
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period consolidation of cultivator communities as the
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Barrie M. Morrison; M. P. Moore; Ishak Lebbe (1979).
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period saw the proliferation of native headmen and a
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217:Former Cabinet Minister of Posts and Broadcasting
209:A few prominent members of the Bathgama community
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88:rebelled against them and made Kandyan Kingdom.
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437:. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 64.
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223:Former Cabinet Minister of Social Services
54:As with most other occupational castes in
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470:. Tisara Prakasakayo. 1982. p. 85
66:Modern caste system with Kalinga Magha
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340:first Sri Lankan test cricket captain
163:Govigama section of the community.
96:Bathgama community has escaped the
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272:Samantha Devi Mahamaya Karunaratne
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431:Charles A. Gunawardena (2005).
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467:The Ceylon historical journal
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386:Arthur Hamilton Weerasinghe
380:Ilica Malkanthi Karunaratne
298:Former Non Cabinet Minister
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166:The creation of the above
434:Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka
197:Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
242:Mahindananda Aluthgamage
230:Patali Champika Ranawaka
190:Post Independence period
108:bearer” caste. The late
334:Olympic silver medalist
310:Former Cabinet Minister
286:Former Cabinet Minister
256:Former Cabinet Minister
248:Neranjan Wickremasinghe
368:Sri Lal Wickremasinghe
322:Former Parliamentarian
316:Former Parliamentarian
280:Former Deputy Minister
262:Former Parliamentarian
137:Arthur Hamilton Gordon
332:Susanthika Jayasinghe
314:Gemunu R. Abeysundera
260:Gemunu R. Abeysundera
135:The British Governor
23:predominantly in the
350:Mihindu Keerthiratne
308:Sunil S. Abeysundera
284:D. P. Wickremasinghe
254:Sunil S. Abeysundera
344:Chandralekha Perera
302:Chandra Karunaratne
236:Charles Godakumbura
374:D. P. Ajith Rohana
266:Lalith Dissanayake
215:N. H. Keerthiratne
444:978-1-932705-48-5
362:Gunadasa Dehigama
356:Ananda Wickremage
338:Bandula Warnapura
320:U. P. Y. Jinadasa
221:Asoka Karunaratne
25:Kandyan provinces
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176:land tenure
75:Kandyan Era
60:land tenure
35:Pre History
31:language.
393:References
114:Mudaliyars
352:Architect
168:Mudaliyar
106:Palanquin
56:Sri Lanka
490:Category
474:25 March
450:25 March
416:25 March
180:Govigama
172:Govigama
161:Buddhist
157:Anglican
145:Govigama
102:Govigama
17:Bathgama
126:squires
110:British
98:British
29:Sinhala
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382:Writer
346:Singer
358:Actor
153:Malay
149:Dutch
130:Tamil
122:Tamil
21:caste
476:2012
452:2012
439:ISBN
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151:and
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