Chat 6.1. A chart which shows the social organization that existed in ancient Sri Lanka. (The extract is from an essay of
professor Senaka Bandaranayake, published in 2013)
Kula Swami Daru”. The term “Radala” had been
derived from this word by the Kandyan kingdom.
(RajaKula > Radkol > Radol >Radala).
The Buddhist clergy was at a top position in
the social organization, as they advised the
government. Sometimes they participated in
the affairs of country ruling. The kings acted to
hand over the authority to the Buddhist temples
to collect taxes from the tanks in the 1st and 2nd
centuries A.D.
The rich merchants, naval captains, doctors, and
teachers were considered to be the chieftains
of the society from ancient time. None of them
participated in animal husbandry or farming.
The people of the country were below these
chieftains. The inscriptions call them as “Kudeen”.
There were farmers, shepherds, potters, gem
cutters, blacksmiths, fishermen and people
engaged in other work were among them. The
whole society depended on the food produced
by the farmers.The relationship between the general public in
the country and the chieftains in top positions
existed through mediators such as traders and
government officers. The inscriptions mention
about the government officers who travelled in
the villages from time to time. On these journeys,
the villagers had informed their problems to
those officers who later informed those problemsHerdsmen