Thecaste 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 that was subsequently emulated within the European diaspora. At least three major, parallel caste systems exist in Sri Lankan society:Sinhalese,Sri Lankan Tamil andIndian 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]

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 interiorarable land is largely dominated by theGovigama caste under theSinhalese and by theVellalar under theSri Lankan Tamils, who are traditionally involved ashusbandmen and form approximately half the population of their respective ethnicities.^[3] Thepeasants under them are the SinhaleseBathgama and TamilPallars.^[4] Thecoastal land is dominated by theKaravas under the Sinhalese and theKaraiyar under the Tamils. Both castes share a common origin with background inseafaring,trade andwarfare.^[5][6] Theartisans were collectively known as Navandanna by the Sinhalese and asKammalar by the Tamils.^[7] They constituted of respectiveendogamous castes traditionally involved asblacksmith,goldsmith,coppersmith,carpenters andstonemasons.^[8][9] Whiletoddy tapping was largely in the hands of the SinhaleseDurava and TamilNalavar,jaggery production was in the hands of the SinhaleseVahumpura and TamilCantars.^[6] The traditionaldrummers of both ethnicities, the SinhaleseBerava and TamilParaiyar, have religious importance inBuddhism andHinduism, respectively. The domestic castes ofbarbers anddhobies were the respective Sinhalese Ambattaya and Hinnava, and TamilAmbattar andVannar.^[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, underBritish Ceylon, opposed extending voting rights to the people and urged reservation of franchise only to men of theVellalar caste.^[14]

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.^{[citation needed]}

The documented history of the island begins with the arrival ofPrince 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]} TheLibrary of Congress, claimed that about half of the Sinhalese population areGovigama.^[22]

Ancient Sri Lankan texts, such as thePujavaliya,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 Kandyan monarchy ceased in 1815.^[24][25]Colonialism and foreign intervention in the dynastic conflicts of the island throughout history have also influenced the caste system, some such asRobert Knox suggesting even a re-arrangement of the occupational castes.^[26][27]

Kandyan castes

In theCentral Highlands, many traditions of theKingdom of Kandy were preserved from its 1815 collapse beyond independence in 1948 and the Land Reform Act of the 1970s. Although large agricultural landlords belonged to theGovigama caste, many now may not own land.^{[citation needed]} 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 wasRajakariya ("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]

Low Country Sinhalese 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 (theSalagama, theDurava and theKarava) 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 AnuradhapuraAbayagiri inscription referring to aKarava Devika may be the first reference to a specialized occupation.^[30][31]

The caste system has stronger religious ties than its Sinhalese counterpart, although both systems have comparable castes.^[44] There are in the Sri Lankan Tamil caste system, distinctions betweenNorthern andEastern societies and also the agricultural, coastal and artisanal societies.

The agricultural society has mainly the castes of theSri Lankan Vellalar who make more than half of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka,Nalavar andKoviyar, where the Vellalar and the Koviyar castes are the dominating ones, particularly in Northern Sri Lanka. They constitute approximately half of theSri Lankan Tamil population and are the major land owning and agricultural caste.^[45][46]

The Northern and Western coastal societies are dominated by theKaraiyars, who are traditionally a seafaring and warrior caste.^[47] TheParavar and theThimilar are also among the coastal communities involved in fishing. The Paravars or Bharathas are traditionally found in the western part of the island in theMannar region, who many also are descendants fromSouth Indian Paravar traders and seamen who settled there underPortuguese rule.^[48] TheMukkuvars, traditionalpearl divers in western Sri Lanka, dominate greater parts ofEastern Sri Lanka where they are the major landowners also involved in agriculture.^[49][50] The Mukkuvars arelargely Muslims or Roman Catholic in thePuttalam region of the western part of the island, and predominantly Hindus in the eastern part of the island.^[51]

The artisans, known locally asKammalar orVishwakarma consists of the Kannar (brass-workers), Kollar (blacksmiths), Tattar (goldsmiths), Tatchar (carpenters), Kartatchar (sculptor).^[52][53] Along with the Kammalar were theAmbattar (barbers),Kadaiyar (lime burners),Koviar (farmers), Kusavar (potters), Maraiyar (conch blowers), Nattuvar (musician),Nalavar (toddy-tappers),Pallar (farmers),Paraiyar (drummers and weavers), Turumbar (dhobies) andVannar (dhobies) thedomestic servants termed asKudimakkal.^[54] The Kudimakkal gave ritual importance in marriage, funeral and other temple ceremonies.^[55][56]

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.^[57]

Other Sri Lankan Tamil castes of importance are the eastern Vellalars,Cantar (oil-presser),Iyer (priests),Madapalli (former royal cooks),Seerpadar descendents of Chola Queen Seerpaatha thevi (udaiyars,poodies,land owners, worriers,cultivators), kaikolar (cotton-weavers),Siviyar (royal palanquin bearers)^[58][59] andMaravar (Warrior).^[60][61][62] TheSri Lankan Chetties, traditional merchants, along with theBharatha people, traditional sea-traders, are both colonial South Indian migrant castes and listed as their own ethnicities in Sri Lankan census.^[63] TheCoast Veddas, found mainly in Eastern Sri Lanka are considered a Tamil caste among theSri Lankan Tamils.^[64]

Thevillage deities of the Sri Lankan Tamils are also shaped by the caste structure. TheSri Lankan Moors don't practice the caste system, however, follow amatriclan system which is an extension of Tamil tradition.^[65]

TheTolkāppiyam Porulatikaram indicating the four-fold division is the earliest Tamil literature to mention caste.^[66]Sangam literature however mentions only fivekudis associated with the fivetinais.^[66][67] Colonialism also had influenced the caste system.^[68][69]

Indian Tamils or Tamils of Indian origin (Hill Country Tamils, who were Indians brought to the island by theBritish asindentured labour) and the group of Indian Tamil people who migrated to Sri Lanka as merchants also follows theIndian caste system form which is calledjāti. Their caste structure resembles that of aTamil 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, kanganese (or supervisors), and other officials. The workers considered low caste live in the dwellings that are away from the centre and these dwellings are calleddistant orlower lines. This group consists ofParaiyars,Sakkiliar, washers and barbers. The yard sweepers and changes of clothes are in the lowest rank.^[70]

Historically, caste-based discrimination was widespread in the island, influencing social relations, political representation, and access to economic resources across both theSinhalese andTamil communities. Recording caste information in censors had been stopped in 1911 and caste information was removed frombirth certificates in the early 20th century.TheConstitution of Sri Lanka guarantees equality before the law and thePrevention of Social Disabilities Act of 1957 explicitly prohibit caste discrimination.^[1] Among the Sinhalese caste distinctions have diminished in urban areas, they remain relevant in matters such as marriage, temple patronage, and local leadership in parts of theKandy District and the southern lowlands. Within the Sri Lankan Tamil community, caste hierarchies were more rigidly maintained, with the landowning Vellālar caste historically exercising social dominance and political leadership, while low-casts groups faced systemic exclusion from temple entry, education, and inter-caste marriage. In 1968, public agitation by oppressed castes took place over temple-entry inJaffna, led to violent confrontations drawing attention to the persistence of caste oppression Tamil society.^[71]

• Aggañña Sutta
• Social class in Sri Lanka
• Caste system in India

• Caste System in Ceylon, defonseka.com
• Caste amongst Sinhalese
• Caste amongst Tamils

• Sinhalese castes
• Caste system in Sri Lanka
• Society of Sri Lanka
• Feudalism in Asia
• Caste system by country

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