View source for Caste system in Sri Lanka

{{Short description|Traditional social stratification}}
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.

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 people|''Sinhalese'']], [[Sri Lankan Tamils|''Sri Lankan Tamil'']] and [[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|''Indian Tamils'']]''.''<ref name="IIDS">{{cite journal |last1=Silva |first1=Kalinga Tudor |last2=Sivapragasam |first2=P.P. |last3=Thanges |first3=Paramsothy |date=2009 |title=Caste Discrimination and Social Justice in Sri Lanka: An Overview |url=http://idsn.org/fileadmin/user_folder/pdf/New_files/Publications_from_network/Caste_discrimination_and_social_justice_in_Sri_Lanka__IIDS_working_paper_.pdf |journal=Indian Institute of Dalit Studies |volume=III |access-date=29 July 2014}}</ref>

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.<ref name="IIDS" />

==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.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nubin|first=Walter|title=Sri Lanka: Current Issues and Historical Background|date=2002|publisher=Nova Publishers|isbn=978-1-59033-573-4|pages=153|language=en}}</ref>

The interior [[arable land]] is largely dominated by the [[Govigama]] caste under the [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] and by the [[Sri Lankan Vellalar|Vellalar]] under the [[Sri Lankan Tamils]], who are traditionally involved as [[Husbandman|husbandmen]] and form approximately half the population of their respective ethnicities.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Peebles|first=Patrick|title=Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka|date=2015-10-22|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4422-5585-2|pages=65|language=en}}</ref> The [[peasant]]s under them are the Sinhalese [[Bathgama]] and Tamil [[Sri Lankan Pallar|Pallars]].<ref name="sljh">{{Cite journal|last=Meyer|first=Eric P.|date=2014-12-09|title=Historical Aspects of Caste in the Kandyan Regions with Particular Reference to the non-Goyigama Castes of the Kägalla District|journal=Sri Lanka Journal of the Humanities|language=en|volume=40|pages=21–54| doi=10.4038/sljh.v40i0.7229|issn=2279-3321|doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[Coast|coastal land]] is dominated by the [[Karava]]s under the Sinhalese and the [[Karaiyar]] under the Tamils. Both castes share a common origin with background in [[seafaring]], [[trade]] and [[warfare]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Swan|first=Bernard|title=Sri Lankan Mosaic: Environment, Man, Continuity, and Change|date=1987|publisher=Marga Institute, Sri Lanka Centre for Development Studies|pages=177|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite book|last1=Markovits|first1=Claude|title=Society and Circulation: Mobile People and Itinerant Cultures in South Asia, 1750-1950|last2=Pouchepadass|first2=Jacques|last3=Subrahmanyam|first3=Sanjay|date=2006|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=978-1-84331-231-4|pages=59|language=en}}</ref> The [[artisan]]s were collectively known as Navandanna by the Sinhalese and as [[Kammalar (caste)|Kammalar]] by the Tamils.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mahroof|first=M. M. M.|date=2000|title=A Conspectus of Tamil Caste Systems in Sri Lanka: Away from a Parataxis|journal=Social Scientist|volume=28|issue=11/12|pages=40–59|doi=10.2307/3518280|jstor=3518280|issn=0970-0293}}</ref> They constituted of respective [[endogamous]] castes traditionally involved as [[blacksmith]], [[goldsmith]], [[coppersmith]], [[Carpentry|carpenters]] and [[Stonemasonry|stonemasons]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ceylon Journal of Child Health|date=1977|publisher=Ceylon Paediatric Association|pages=9|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Seneviratna|first1=Anuradha|title=World heritage city of Kandy, Sri Lanka: conservation and development plan|last2=Silva|first2=Nimal De|last3=Lanka)|first3=Madhyama Saṃskr̥tika Aramudala (Sri|date=1999|publisher=Central Cultural Fund|isbn=978-955-613-126-0|pages=56|language=en}}</ref> While [[Toddy Tapping|toddy tapping]] was largely in the hands of the Sinhalese [[Durava]] and Tamil [[Nalavar]], [[jaggery]] production was in the hands of the Sinhalese [[Dewa (people)|Vahumpura]] and Tamil [[Cantar caste|Cantars]].<ref name=":02" /> The traditional [[drummer]]s of both ethnicities, the Sinhalese [[Berava (caste)|Berava]] and Tamil [[Sri Lankan Paraiyar|Paraiyar]], have religious importance in [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]], respectively. The domestic castes of [[barber]]s and [[dhobi]]es were the respective Sinhalese Ambattaya and Hinnava, and Tamil [[Ambattan|Ambattar]] and [[Vannar]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pranāndu|first=Mihindukalasūrya Ār Pī Susantā|title=Rituals, Folk Beliefs, and Magical Arts of Sri Lanka|date=2005|publisher=Susan International|isbn=978-955-96318-3-5|pages=459–460|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Lanka)|first=Indian Heritage Foundation (Sri|title=Indo-Lankans, their two hundred-year saga|date=2003|publisher=Indian Heritage Foundation|isbn=978-955-8790-00-7|pages=199|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Nyrop|first=Richard F.|title=Area Handbook for Ceylon|date=1971|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|pages=103–108|language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>[http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/09/28/caste-in-jaffna-and-india/ 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)]</ref> [[Ponnambalam Ramanathan]], under [[British Ceylon]], opposed extending voting rights to the people and urged reservation of franchise only to men of the [[Sri Lankan Vellalar|Vellalar]] caste.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cR89AAAAMAAJ|title=Domestic Conflicts in South Asia: Economic and Ethnic Dimensions|last1=Phadnis|first1=Urmila|author-link1=Urmila Phadnis|last2=Muni|first2=Sukh Deo|last3=Bahadur|first3=Kalim|date=1986|publisher=South Asian Publishers|isbn=9788170030713|pages=128|language=en}}</ref>

==Sinhalese castes==
{{See also|Category: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,<ref>{{cite journal |pmid=8543296 | volume=67 | issue=6 | title=Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations | date=December 1995 | journal=Hum. Biol. | pages=843–66 | last1 = Kshatriya | first1 = GK}}</ref> [[genetic studies on Sinhalese]] have shown that most of the Sinhala community are genetically related to North Indians, with traces from South India too.<ref name="Genes">{{cite book |title=The History and Geography of Human Genes |first= Paolo Menozzi, Alberto Piazza|last=Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza|publisher=Princeton University |year=1996|isbn=978-0691029054|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FrwNcwKaUKoC&q=Sinhalese&pg=PP4 |pages=239–40}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 8543296 | volume=67 | title=Genetic affinities of Sri Lankan populations | date=December 1995 | journal=Hum. Biol. | pages=843–66 | last1 = Kshatriya | first1 = GK| issue=6 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v59/n1/full/jhg2013112a.html 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)]</ref><ref>[http://www.island.lk/2008/07/20/features14.html Pre-Vijayan Agriculture in Sri Lanka, by Prof. T. W. Wikramanayake]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=tqpdlaPiOyEC&q=retinue+palanquin A SHORT HISTORY OF LANKA by Humphry William Codrington, CHAPTER I; THE BEGINNINGS 'The princess and her retinue/dowry (service castes)']</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=3MO_86VwNSkC&q=rice-farming%2F&pg=PA1 Buddhism Betrayed?: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka By Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah, p. 152-3]</ref> About half of the Sinhalese population are ''Govigama''.<ref name="shsu.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/SriLanka.html|title=Traditional Sri Lanka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927020022/http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/SriLanka.html|archive-date=2011-09-27|url-status=dead|access-date=2011-11-09}}</ref>

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,<ref>'' Kadayimpoth'' - Boundary Books</ref> indicating its continuation even after the Sri Lankan monarchy.<ref>Mahavansha</ref><ref>Sinhala Sanna ha Thudapath, Ananada this Kumara, Godage Publication,Second Edition,2006,pp 142,pp 137</ref>
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.<ref>Kandy Fights the Portuguese, C.Gaston Perera, Vijithayapa Publications, 2007</ref><ref>An Historical Relation Of The Island Ceylon In The East Indies, Robert Knox, 1681, pp. 46 & 73</ref>

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 (රදල) ====
{{unsourced section|date=June 2025}}
* 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) ====
{{unsourced section|date=June 2025}}
* 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 of Sri Lanka|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.<ref>{{cite book|title= Land: Feudalism to Modernity|url=http://pathfinderfoundation.org/pf-projects/on-going/economic-alert/44-land}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |title= An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies by Robert Knox|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14346|date=2004-12-13}}</ref>

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.<ref name="sljh"/>

=== Notable Kings and Their Caste ===
{{unsourced section|date=June 2025}}
* '''King Vijayabahu I''' (reigned 1055–1110 CE): Known for uniting Sri Lanka after the Chola invasion, he was of Sinhalese royal blood and belonged to the Radala caste.
* '''King Parakramabahu I''' (reigned 1153–1186 CE): A significant king in Sri Lankan history, known for his military achievements and contributions to infrastructure. He was also part of the Sinhalese royal line and belonged to the Radala caste.
* '''King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha''' (reigned 1747–1782):
** Caste: Navandanna (also sometimes associated with Radala nobility, depending on historical sources).
** '''King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe''' (reigned 1798–1815):
*** Caste: Navandanna (with some sources mentioning his connection to the Kandyan nobility and Radala caste).
*** Legacy: King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was the last king of Sri Lanka before the British took control. Though he came from royal heritage, some historical sources suggest that his family was linked to the Navandanna caste. His reign ended with the British annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, which marked the end of the monarchy in Sri Lanka.
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.

===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 [[Abhayagiri vihāra|Abayagiri]] inscription referring to a ''Karava Devika'' may be the first reference to a specialized occupation.<ref name=Anuradhapura>{{cite web|title=The ancient 'Kaurava Pavilion' at Anuradhapura|first=Raaj|last=de Silva|publisher=De Fonseka Web|url=http://www.defonseka.com/k16.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220250/http://www.defonseka.com/k16.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03}}</ref><ref name="Paranavithana">{{cite web|title=Paranavithana S. 1970 Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol I Early Brahmi Inscriptions|url=http://www.royalasiaticsociety.lk/inscriptions/?q=node/237|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040511/http://www.royalasiaticsociety.lk/inscriptions/?q=node%2F237|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>

==Sri Lankan Tamil castes==
{{See also|Category:Sri Lankan Tamil castes}}
The caste system has stronger religious ties than its Sinhalese counterpart, although both systems have comparable castes.<ref name="jstor.org">{{cite journal |title=A Conspectus of Tamil Caste Systems in Sri Lanka: Away from a Parataxis |author=M. M. M. Mahroof |journal=Social Scientist |volume=28 |issue=11/12 |date=November–December 2000 |pages=40–59 |jstor=3518280 |doi=10.2307/3518280}}</ref> There are in the Sri Lankan Tamil caste system, distinctions between [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|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 Tamils|Sri Lankan Tamil]] population and are the major land owning and agricultural caste.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50igCgAAQBAJ|title=Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka|last=Peebles|first=Patrick|date=2015-10-22|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781442255852|pages=65|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TBqHDAAAQBAJ|title=The Intra-Group Dimensions of Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka: Learning to Read Between the Lines|last=Bush|first=Kenneth|date=2003-12-09|publisher=Springer|isbn=9780230597822|pages=52|language=en}}</ref>

The Northern and Western coastal societies are dominated by the [[Karaiyar]]s, who are traditionally a seafaring and warrior caste.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVX0DAAAQBAJ|title=Linguistic Rivalries: Tamil Migrants and Anglo-Franco Conflicts|last=Das|first=Sonia N.|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780190461782|pages=236|language=en}}</ref> The [[Bharatha people|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 District|Mannar region]], who many also are descendants from [[Paravar|South Indian Paravar]] traders and seamen who settled there under [[Portuguese Ceylon|Portuguese rule]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Abeyasinghe |first=Tikiri |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RrQ9AAAAIAAJ |title=Portuguese Rule in Ceylon, 1594-1612 |date=1966 |publisher=Lake House Investments |isbn=978-0-8426-0780-3 |pages=62–63 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Mukkuvar]]s, traditional [[Pearl hunting|pearl divers]] in western Sri Lanka, dominate greater parts of [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern Sri Lanka]] where they are the major landowners also involved in agriculture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-88AAAAIAAJ|title=Caste Ideology and Interaction|last=McGilvray|first=Dennis B.|date=1982-09-02|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521241458|pages=58–60|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DpyFAAAAMAAJ|title=The Debasement of the law and of humanity and the drift towards total war|last=(Jaffna)|first=University Teachers for Human Rights|date=1991|publisher=UTHR (Jaffna), University of Jaffna, Thirunelvely|pages=31|language=en}}</ref> The Mukkuvars are [[Sri Lankan Moors|largely Muslims]] or Roman Catholic in the [[Puttalam|Puttalam region]] of the western part of the island, and predominantly Hindus in the eastern part of the island.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hussein |first=Asiff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1kVuAAAAMAAJ |title=Sarandib: An Ethnological Study of the Muslims of Sri Lanka |date=2007 |publisher=Asiff Hussein |isbn=978-955-97262-2-7 |pages=222 |language=en}}</ref>

The artisans, known locally as [[Kammalan|Kammalar]] or [[Vishwakarma (caste)|Vishwakarma]] consists of the Kannar (brass-workers), Kollar (blacksmiths), Tattar (goldsmiths), Tatchar (carpenters), Kartatchar (sculptor).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEBuAAAAMAAJ|title=Tamils and Moors: caste and matriclan structure in eastern Sri Lanka|last=McGilvray|first=Dennis B.|date=1974|publisher=University of Chicago|pages=160|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vp_la9QMGIQC|title=The New Wind: Changing Identities in South Asia|last=David|first=Kenneth|date=1977-01-01|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9783110807752|pages=186|language=en}}</ref> Along with the Kammalar were the [[Ambattan|Ambattar]] (barbers), [[Kadaiyar]] (lime burners), [[Koviar]] (farmers), Kusavar (potters), Maraiyar (conch blowers), Nattuvar (musician), [[Nalavar]] (toddy-tappers), [[Sri Lankan Pallar|Pallar]] (farmers), [[Sri Lankan Paraiyar|Paraiyar]] (drummers and weavers), Turumbar (dhobies) and [[Vannar]] (dhobies) the [[Domestic worker|domestic servants]] termed as ''Kudimakkal''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vp_la9QMGIQC|title=The New Wind: Changing Identities in South Asia|last=David|first=Kenneth|date=1977-01-01|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9783110807752|pages=203|language=en}}</ref> The Kudimakkal gave ritual importance in marriage, funeral and other temple ceremonies.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h94SAQAAIAAJ|title=Rituals, folk beliefs, and magical arts of Sri Lanka|last=Pranāndu|first=Mihindukalasūrya Ār Pī Susantā|date=2005|publisher=Susan International|isbn=9789559631835|pages=459|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TekcAAAAMAAJ|title=The Karāva of Ceylon: Society and Culture|last=Raghavan|first=M. D.|date=1961|publisher=K.V.G. De Sīlva|pages=87–88|language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref name="washington">{{Cite journal |last=Gilbert |first=William H. |date=1945 |title=The Sinhalese caste system of central and southern Ceylon |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24531925 |journal=Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=69–87 |issn=0043-0439}}</ref>

Other Sri Lankan Tamil castes of importance are the eastern Vellalars, [[Cantar caste|Cantar]] (oil-presser), [[Iyer]] (priests), [[Madapalli]] (former royal cooks), [[Seerpadar]] (cultivators), kaikolar (cotton-weavers), [[Siviyar]] (royal palanquin bearers)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cv0jwgEACAAJ|title=A True and Exact Description of the Great Island of Ceylon |last=Phillius|first=Baldaeus|date=1960|publisher=Ceylon Branch of the royal Asiatic Society|pages=371|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R2luAAAAMAAJ|title=The Yalpana-vaipava-malai, Or, The History of the Kingdom of Jaffna|author=Pulavar, M.M. and Brito, C.|date=1999|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=9788120613621|pages=57|language=en}}</ref> and [[Maravar]] (Warrior).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=McGilvray|first=Dennis B.|date=1983|title=Paraiyar Drummers of Sri Lanka: Consensus and Constraint in an Untouchable Caste|journal=American Ethnologist|volume=10|issue=1|pages=97–115|jstor=644706|doi=10.1525/ae.1983.10.1.02a00060|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=66Hu-9OPWL4C|title=The Ceylon Gazetteer: Containing an Accurate Account of the Districts, Provinces, Cities, Towns ... &c. of the Island of Ceylon|last=Chitty|first=Simon Casie|date=1834|publisher=Cotta Church Mission Press|pages=55|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a0cqAAAAMAAJ|title=Modern Ceylon Studies|date=1975|publisher=University of Ceylon|volume=4|pages=28|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A3.pdf|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka|date=2012|publisher=Department of Census and Statistics|access-date=2017-12-20|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202454/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A3.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Coast Veddas]], found mainly in Eastern Sri Lanka are considered a Tamil caste among the [[Sri Lankan Tamils]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rFBuAAAAMAAJ|title=The Vanishing aborigines: Sri Lanka's Veddas in transition|last1=Samarasinghe|first1=S. W. R. de A.|last2=Studies|first2=International Centre for Ethnic|last3=utviklingshjelp|first3=Norway Direktoratet for|date=1990|publisher=International Centre for Ethnic Studies in association with NORAD and Vikas Pub. House|pages=70|isbn=9780706952988|language=en}}</ref>

The [[Village deities of Tamils of Sri Lanka|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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Klem |first1=Bart |title=Islam, Politics and Violence in Eastern Sri Lanka |journal=[[The Journal of Asian Studies]] |date=2011 |volume=70 |issue=3 |pages=730–753 |jstor=41302391|doi=10.1017/S002191181100088X |s2cid=27739665 |url=https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/52570/1/2011_KlemB_Klem_2011_JAS.pdf }}</ref>

==Indian Tamil castes==
The [[Tolkāppiyam|Tolkāppiyam Porulatikaram]] indicating the four-fold division is the earliest Tamil literature to mention caste.<ref name="History">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0tX4wzIUY3QC|title=A Social History of Early India|last=Chattopadhyaya|first=Brajadulal|publisher=CSC and Pearson Education|year=2009|isbn=9788131719589|pages=30–37}}</ref> [[Sangam literature]] however mentions only five [[Sangam period#People|''kudis'']] associated with the five {{Transliteration|ta|[[Sangam landscape|tinais]]}}.<ref name=History/><ref name="society">{{cite news |title=Early Tamil society was free of caste |first=B|last=Kolappan|newspaper=The Hindu|year=2015 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/early-tamil-society-was-free-of-caste/article7262547.ece}}</ref> Colonialism also had influenced the caste system.<ref name="Baldaeus">{{cite web|url=https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/philip-baldaeus-didnt-see-a-big-ethnic-difference-in-ceylon/|title=Philip Baldaeus Didn't See A Big Ethnic Difference In Ceylon|last=Fernando|first=Laksiri|year=2013|publisher=Colombo Telegraph}}</ref><ref name=Colonial>{{cite book |title=Ritual, Caste, and Religion in Colonial South India |first=Ulrike |last=Schröder|publisher=Primus |year=2012 |isbn=978-9380607214|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wbISha_aGocC&q=vellalar |page=72,93–113,278}}</ref>

Indian Tamils or Tamils of Indian origin ([[Hill Country Tamils]], who were Indians brought to the island by the [[British Empire|British]] as [[indentured labor|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, k''anganese'' (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 [[Paraiyar]]s, [[Sakkiliar]], washers and barbers. The yard sweepers and changes of clothes are in the lowest rank.<ref name="R">{{cite conference|first=V|last=Radhakrishnan|title=Indian origin in Sri Lanka: Their plight and struggle for survival|book-title=Proceedings of First International Conference & Gathering of Elders|publisher=International Center for Cultural Studies, USA|url=http://www.iccsus.org/IstConf/111.html|access-date=2008-01-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320050247/http://www.iccsus.org/IstConf/111.html|archive-date=2008-03-20}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Social class in Sri Lanka]]
*[[Caste system in India]] 
**[[Caste-related violence in India]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last1=De Silva |first1=K. M. |title=A history of Sri Lanka |date=2014 |publisher=Vijitha Yapa Publications |location=Colombo |isbn=978-955-8095-92-8 |edition=[Revised.]}}
* {{cite book |last1=Ryan |first1=Bryce |title=Caste in modern Ceylon |date=1953 |publisher=Rutgers University Press; New Jersey |location=New Jersey |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.7514}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Perera |first1=H. T. D. |title=Causes of educated unemployment in developing countries: The case of Sri Lanka. |date=1978 |url=http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/847893/ |format=Doctoral dissertation}}
* Social Change in 19th century Ceylon. Patrick Peebles. 1995, Navrang {{ISBN|81-7013-141-3}}
* The adaptable peasant: agrarian society in western Sri Lanka under Dutch rule, 1740–1800, Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, {{ISBN|90-04-16508-8}}, p.&nbsp;201
* Paranavithana S. 1970 Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol I Early Brahmi Inscriptions
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14346 An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies by Robert Knox]
* [http://idsn.org/country-information/sri-lanka/ The International Dalit Solidarity Network: The Caste System in Sri Lanka]
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213309/http://www.defonseka.com/k07.htm Caste System in Ceylon, defonseka.com]
* [http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13181.html Caste amongst Sinhalese]
* [http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13182.html Caste amongst Tamils]

{{Politics of Sri Lanka navbox}}
{{Kingdom of Kandy topics}}
{{Asia in topic|Caste system in}}
{{Social class}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sinhalese castes]]
[[Category:Caste system in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Society of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Feudalism in Asia]]
[[Category:Caste system by country|Sri Lanka]]