Sri Lanka left with a mountain to climb in Rawalpindi
Lahiru creates history with Youth Olympic silver
Wesley stun Nalanda to reach Under 19 Division I final
Sri Lanka U-19s eliminated from Asia Cup with one win
CDB, Hayleys Group A, HNB and Fairfirst Insurance meet in semifinals today
Sri Lanka has been long considered a caste-blind society on the basis that it is a predominantly Buddhist country, and the Buddha himself denounced the caste system which was the accepted social stratification system in India.
However, the Sinhalese caste system certainly prevails today, perhaps not to the same degree it existed 100 years ago.
Though the significance of castes may depend on social and educational standing, it still plays an important role in matrimony. Personals in today’s newspapers abound with matrimonial advertisements, which, rather like the dating sites of the west, remain the best way to contract a marriage in a country where open and casual dating is still, by and large, frowned upon. And, unlike the dating sites of the west, requirements of race, religion, caste and often horoscopes are almost always specified.
Whether it’s a marriage based on caste, social and financial standing, or other criteria of compatibility; or the “love marriage” preferred by the progressives, the institution remains a crapshoot. The odds of divorce in the west currently stand at even money, because divorce is both easy and subject to no stigma. Divorce in Sri Lanka is rarer, as it has a social infrastructure to hold a marriage together, but the odds of a happy marriage, without divorce entering the equation, are also about even money.
Caste has never been an issue in our family. For those of us in the lower, or horrors of horrors, mixed lower castes, we proudly say that we do not care about caste. Rather like the billionaire who says he does not care about money. Or the lady married to an Adonis who says she doesn’t care for looks.
There is an interesting story about one of my aunts, which may throw some light on the caste system prevalent in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the mid-20th century. The social injustice this system represents prevails, to a lesser degree, even today.
My aunt was a most attractive lady, who met a gentleman at the university. They had a romantic relationship, and were planning to get married. There was one huge problem, however. My father was from the Karawa (fisher) caste, while the prospective groom was of the ‘high’ Goyigama (farmer) caste. Or was he even from the so-called aristocratic Radala caste? I don’t know, my knowledge of the caste system is just about non-existent, constrained as it is by an explanation given by my father, which I will relate at the end of this anecdote. They were planning nuptials, without first getting the blessing of the groom’s parents.
When the father of the prospective groom heard about the impending social disaster to his family, he immediately took a train to Hikkaduwa and imperiously told a villager to summon my grandfather to meet him at the railway station. The villager came back with the response from my grandfather, that if the honorable gentleman wishes to meet him, he’s welcome to do so at his residence.
So the noble gentleman humiliated himself by proceeding to my ‘low-caste’ grandfather’s house. Shunning traditional formalities, he told the old man that his son and my aunt were planning on getting married, which was unacceptable because of the difference in caste. To which my grandfather replied, I am sorry, sir, but you must get your son to stop this marriage. I am unable to do so, as I already have agreed to the marriage of my oldest son (my father) to a lady of an even ‘lower’ caste. My mother was of the ‘low’ Durawa caste, traditionally toddy-tappers, a caste I suspect didn’t even make the top ten. So the high-caste gentleman went back to his aristocratic mountains, and prevailed on his son to desist. Which was the end of that romance.
Time went by. My aunt, obviously a glutton for punishment, fell in love with another of these ‘high-caste’ types. His father, too, objected to the marriage, and made the same trek to Hikkaduwa, meeting with the same response from my grandfather.
My grandfather used to break into English when he was excited. So when his daughter came home for her vacation from the university, he exclaimed, “Your second father-in law also came”.
That particular high-caste gentleman disregarded his parents’ objections and married my aunt. Actually, he was a nice guy, and he was trading up. They enjoyed a long and very happy marriage.
My father’s attitude to the caste system is best illustrated by his answer to a question I think my younger brother Praki asked him when he was about seven years old. He said that the kids at school were talking about their castes, and wanted to know to which caste we belonged. My father said, Well, son, your mother is Durawa, I am Karawa, so you must be Jarawa (filth or trash in Sinhala).
Sabry assures action against Lohan, based on probe reports
Afghanistan crisis: Lanka receives an assurance from Pakistan
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) has brought to Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa’s attention the fast spreading measles among inmates at the Welikada, Magazine, and the Colombo Remand Prisons.
Top CPRP spokesperson Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera said that the deteriorating situation had even disrupted court proceedings. The civil society activist blamed the developing situation on the failure on the part of prison administration to meet basic medical requirements of the prison population.
“The extreme congestion in prisons has worsened the situation,” lawyer Perera said, reminding how trouble erupted at the Mahara Prison during the Covid-19 crisis. Eleven inmates died in clashes while over 100 inmates and Prison personnel were wounded in late Nov. 2020. Of the 11 dead, eight were tested positive for Covid.
Lawyer Perera said that unless preventive measures weren’t taken immediately the contagious disease could spread rapidly.
Referring to the 2022 Auditor General’s report , the CPRP spokesman said that the prisons had failed to ensure adequate medical facilities to inmates.
Accusing the establishment of failing to take remedial measures, in spite of knowing the pathetic conditions in prison, lawyer Perera warned that the prison administration seemed not uninterested in addressing issues at hand even after the deadly Negombo Prison crisis that claimed the lives of 31 inmates, and prison officials, last July.
Top Global Sri Lanka Forum (GSLF) representative Yasus Dharmadasa yesterday (10) said that Colombo based western diplomatic community remained mum over the NPP government crackdown on protests, led by the Maha Sangha.
Referring to the police action directed at the Viharamahadevi Park protest, demanding presidential pardon to Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara and the recent incident at Ruwanwelisaya, Dharmadasa said that those who had intervened on behalf of the Aragalaya turned a blind eye to what was happening today. Anuradhapura police were yet to apprehend the JVP/NPP activist who had been involved in the incident at Ruwanwelisaya where police manhandled monks.
A group of monks was protesting against the February 27, 2026, gazette issued by the National Physical Planning Department (NPPD). The gazette reactivated the Anuradhapura Sacred Area Development Plan, originally introduced in 1984. In terms of the new proposal the sacred area would be expanded from 28 to 38 square kilometres, alongside improvements to infrastructure, pilgrim facilities and archaeological conservation, Dharmadasa said.
Responding to The Island queries, Dharmadasa said that during the 2022 protests, diplomatic missions, international organisations, civil society and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) threw their weight behind the protest campaign. In fact, there had been occasions when they warned the government not to take action against protesters, in spite of violence unleashed by them, Dharmadasa said, recalling the attempt made by a mob to set a fuel bowser ablaze at Rambukkana, on 19 April 2022.
Dharmadasa emphasised that the government should be sensitive to Buddhist monks raising concerns about a proposed security fence around the Ruwanweli Maha Seya stupa, restrictions on Buddhist religious activities, and allegations of new Hindu religious structures.
Dharmadasa said that the position taken by the Colombo-based diplomatic community on government crackdown on protests by Buddhist monks and the Sinhala community reflected their geopolitical agenda.
“They seemed to be determined to protect the NPP government,” Dharmadasa said, claiming the possibility of the current administration receiving tacit support from some Western governments to enact new security laws. The NPP appeared to have received the blessings of the Western bloc and India and the government was busy advancing the agreed strategy, he said. There had never been a time the Buddhist and nationalistic group felt betrayed and so much under pressure during the conflict that was brought to a successful conclusion in 2009 or after, he said.
Declaring GSLF’s unconditional support to the ongoing protest campaign at Ruwanwelisaya, Dharmadasa urged the Sinhala community to hit back hard at the government at the first given opportunity. “The reason behind their disgraceful stance is clear. During Aragalaya , all interested parties stressed what they repeatedly called the right of the people to protest. Now, the same lot declared the need to maintain law and order. Under the NPP, it has become a security issue.”
Dharmadasa found fault with the parliamentary Opposition over its failure to vigorously campaign, both in Parliament and outside, against the government, succumbing to those still pursuing a separatist agenda. The government owed an explanation why it obtained a court order against monks engaged in sit-in-protests at Ruwanwelisaya whereas the death anniversary of an LTTE terrorist leader was commemorated at the Nallur kovil premises. The police allowed the week-long commemoration and then removed the statue of a terrorist who fasted to death, demanding the withdrawal of the Indian Army. The 1987 fast unto death had been allowed, while the Yahapalana government, and the NPP administration, discouraged commemoration of armed forces, or the war victory.
A collision involving three buses at Rambewa, Anuradhapura, yesterday morning (10) killed five passengers and injured more than 50 others.The accident occurred on the Medawachchiya–Rambewa stretch of the A9 Road, involving two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and a private bus. Police said the SLTB buses collided head-on, seconds before the private bus crashed into one of them.The injured were admitted to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for treatment, hospital sources said.One of the SLTB buses was travelling from Janakapura to Colombo via Padavisripura, while the other was plying from Akkaraipattu to Jaffna. About 100 passengers were aboard the three buses at the time of the accident.
Searching for leadership: Can we bring back qualities of our golden years?
Wins for Dialog Axiata and Green Miracle Grand on Wednesday
Mendis and Udara steady ship with warm-up fifties
Prospect of ‘spaceport’ on Sri Lanka’s east coast
Batting frailties give Sri Lanka food for thought
Why the Jaffna Man Eats So Much Murunga
Sarojini Kadirgamar –a lady for all seasons
Copyright © 2020 Upali Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. Solution by LankaCom Privacy Policy
Loading comments…