De Silva - A History of Sri Lanka

K.M. de Silva is Executive Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Kandy/Colombo, Sri Lanka, a post he has held since the establishment of the ICES in 1982.

Apart from his long association with the University of Ceylon (now the University of Peradeniya), Professor de Silva has held several distinguished positions including Smuts Visiting Fellow in Commonwealth Studies and Visiting Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, President, International Association of Historians of Asia and Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington.

Professor de Silvas publications include Social Policy and Missionary Organisations in Ceylon, 184055 (1965), Managing Ethnic Tensions in Multiethnic Societies: Sri Lanka, 18801985 (1986), Regional Powers and Small State Security: India and Sri Lanka, 19771990 and Reaping the Whirlwind: Ethnic Conflict and Ethnic Politics in Sri Lanka (1998). He has been editor of Ethnic Studies Report, one of the editors of the International Journal of Group Rights and has been on the advisory board of The Round Table.

K.M. de Silva was selected as the Academic Prize Laureate (2002) of the 13th Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes. The Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes were established in 1990 by Fukuoka City, Japan, to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Asian scholarship and culture. Professor de Silva is the first Sri Lankan Fukuoka Laureate.

To my wife Chandra and my son Rajiv (Ravi)

Sri Lanka: Physical Features

Ancient Sri Lanka

Ancient Irrigation Works of the Rjarata

Sri Lanka in the Early Sixteenth Century

Sri Lanka in the Early Seventeenth Century

Sri Lanka in the Mid-Eighteenth Century

Abbreviations

BP Before Present Era

CHJ Ceylon Historical Journal

CJHSS Ceylon Journal of Historical and Social Studies

CLR Ceylon Literary Register

CAN Ceylon National Archives

CO Colonial Office, despatches series

CRO Commonwealth Relations Office, despatches series

DMK Dravida Munnethra Kazhagam

ESR Ethnic Studies Report

IESHR Indian Economic andSocial History Review

IPKF Indian Peace Keeping Force

JCBRAS Journal of the Ceylon Branch, Royal Asiatic Society

JRAS (GB & I) Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland

JRAS SL Branch Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Sri Lanka Branch

JVP Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

KA Koloniale Archief, the Archives of the former VOC (q.v.) now at the General State Archives at The Hague.

LSSP Lanka Sama Samaja Party

MCS Modern Ceylon Studies

MEP Mahajana Eksath Peramuna

MP Member of Parliament

MSLS Modern Sri Lanka Studies

SLFP Sri Lanka Freedom Party

SLNA Sri Lanka National Archives

TULF Tamil United Liberation Front

UCHC I (I & II) The University of Ceylon, History of Ceylon, Vol. I, Parts I & II

UCHC III The University of Ceylon, History of Ceylon, Vol. III

UF United Front

ULF United Left Front

UPHSL II The University of Peradeniya, History of SriLanka, Vol. II

UCR University of Ceylon Review

UNP United National Party

VOC Vereenigde Oost-Indische Campagnie

Glossary

accomodessanland granted for duties rendered or offices held.adigrchief officer of state in the Kandyan kingdom. The mahadigr or first adigr took precedence over all others in the hierarchy of chiefs.rannavsinsforest-dwelling monks.sala perahraritual or religious ceremonial procession.aumildar/aumanimode of collecting grain tax during the nineteenth century.baddatax.basnayaka nilamprincipal lay officer of a shrine of gods (dvl).bhikkhumonk or priest, member of the Buddhist order.cetiya, dgba,edifice built over a relic, generally a dome-stupa, thpashaped monument.chnaforest land brought into cultivation by the slash and burn method (from the Sinhala hna).commandement,administrative division under the controlcommanderyof the Dutch.dgbasee cetiya.dakapathilevy on water paid to the king and to others in control of water resources.dvlshrine of gods of the Buddhist pantheon.dvlgampeople resident in villages attached to the dvl.dvl landland attached to the dvl.divelproperty granted to officials and functionaries in the employment of the state and of monasteries.dhoniessmall sailing vessels of south India; vessels with one mast.disvani, disva,provinces under the administration of a