Arachchi (Sinhala: ආරච්චි) was an influential post in the Native Headmen System in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) during the colonial era. Appointed by the Government Agent of the Province,[1][2] the holder had much control over the people of the area and wielded quasi-judicial powers since he was responsible to keep the peace, carry out revenue collection and assist in judicial functions.
Appointments were non-transferable and usually hereditary, made to locals, usually from wealthy influential families loyal to the British Crown
The post was in existence before the Colonial Rule of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). After the coastal areas were taken over by the Colonial Rulers i.e. Portuguese, Dutch colonial rule and finally the British, they retained the post in their administration system.
British period
During the British administration, appointments were made by the Government Agent of the Province. Appointments were non-transferable and usually hereditary, made to locals, usually from wealthy influential families loyal the British Crown. This was an influential post, the holder had much control over the people of the area and had limited police powers since he was responsible to keep the peace, carry out revenue collection and assist in judicial functions. This became part of the Native Department of the British Government of Ceylon.
Several Vidanes came under the supervision of a Vidane Arachchi in Low Country and under the supervision of Udayar in Tamil Area.The Headman Commission of 1922 states that “under the existing system each village or group of small villages is placed under the supervision of minor headman known as Gam Arachchi in Kandyan areas and police vidane or police headman in low country. The positions above those headmen were Korala in Kandyan districts; Uddaiyar in Tamil districts Vidane Arachchi in districts of low country. The top rank above all officials was represented by “Rate Mahatmaya,and Adigars in Kandyyan districts, Maniyagars and Vanniyars in Tamil Districts and Mudliers in southern provinces. [3]
Reforms and abolition
Following the formation of the State Council of Ceylon in 1931, one of its members, H. W. Amarasuriya, called for an inquiry into the Native Headman System. A commission was formed made up of retired civil servants and lawyers headed by H.M. Wedderburn. The commission reported on reforming the headman system or replacing it with transferable District Revenue Officers. The Native Headman System was abolished as an administrative system, with the titles of Mudaliyar (Mudali - මුදලි) and Muhandiram retained by government to be awarded as honors. This practice remained until suspension of Celanese honors in 1956. The minor headman positions were retained, surviving well into the 1970s when the posts of Vidane (විදානේ) in Low Country / Tamil Area and Town Arachchi (ටවුන් ආරච්චි) / Gan Arachchi (ගන් ආරච්චි) in Kandyan Area were replaced with the transferable post of Grama Niladhari (Village Officer).
Types of British Arachchies
British appointed Arachchies had several classes;
Headmen
Low Country
Vidane Arachchi (විදානෙ ආරච්චි)
A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision
Kandyan Areas
Town Arachchi (ටවුන් ආරච්චි)
A Town Arachchi had a Town or group of small villages placed under his Administration
Gan Arachchi (ගන් ආරච්චි)
A Gan Arachchi had a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration
Awarded as an honor (Titular)
Gate Arachchi
Veda Arachchi
Ex-offico
The term Arachchi (Sinhalese: ආරච්චි) was also used to refer to a senior peon serving in government offices such as a Kachcheri or a District Court. It is no longer in use.
List of Prominent Arachchies
Loku Bandara Angammana
Headmen
Low Country
Vidane Arachchi (විදානෙ ආරච්චි)
A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision
Susewhewage Hamiyel Fernando Appuhamy Vidane Arachchi a.k.a Molligoda Arachchi (b. c. 1820), Molligoda Walauwa Wadduwa
Susewhewage Girigoris Fernando Appuhamy Waskaduwa Vidane Arachchi (1835–1905) Punchikachcheriya, Pothupitiya
^"Role of Government Agent in Local Administration in Sri Lanka by R.A.W. Ranasinghe Head, Department of Political Science University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka" (PDF).
^"Family # 214 Maththicham Saleem Lebbe Muhammed Thamby Vidane (1819-1884) of Negombo".
^"Family # 137 Village Headman Saifu Kandu of Kal-Eliya".
^"Family # 3069 Don Jakolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena Vidane-Arachchi".
[3] A vignette of British Justice in Colonial Ceylon
"Village notables in colonial Ceylon - The Village Headman was the uncrowned king of the village. He was appointed by the Government Agent from a traditional leading family in the area, in order to ensure that he received customary respect from villagers".
July 26, 2023
arachchi, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, 2017, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, this, article, i. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Arachchi Sinhala ආරච ච was an influential post in the Native Headmen System in Ceylon Sri Lanka during the colonial era Appointed by the Government Agent of the Province 1 2 the holder had much control over the people of the area and wielded quasi judicial powers since he was responsible to keep the peace carry out revenue collection and assist in judicial functions Appointments were non transferable and usually hereditary made to locals usually from wealthy influential families loyal to the British Crown Contents 1 History 2 Origins 3 British period 4 Reforms and abolition 5 Types of British Arachchies 6 Headmen 6 1 Low Country 6 1 1 Vidane Arachchi ව ද න ආරච ච 6 2 Kandyan Areas 6 2 1 Town Arachchi ටව න ආරච ච 6 2 2 Gan Arachchi ගන ආරච ච 7 Awarded as an honor Titular 7 1 Gate Arachchi 7 2 Veda Arachchi 8 Ex offico 9 List of Prominent Arachchies 10 Headmen 10 1 Low Country 10 1 1 Vidane Arachchi ව ද න ආරච ච 10 2 Kandyan Areas 10 2 1 Town Arachchi ටව න ආරච ච 10 2 2 Gan Arachchi ගන ආරච ච 11 Awarded as an honor Titular 11 1 Gate Arachchi 11 2 Veda Arachchi 12 See also 13 References and external linksHistory EditOrigins EditThe post was in existence before the Colonial Rule of Sri Lanka Ceylon After the coastal areas were taken over by the Colonial Rulers i e Portuguese Dutch colonial rule and finally the British they retained the post in their administration system British period EditDuring the British administration appointments were made by the Government Agent of the Province Appointments were non transferable and usually hereditary made to locals usually from wealthy influential families loyal the British Crown This was an influential post the holder had much control over the people of the area and had limited police powers since he was responsible to keep the peace carry out revenue collection and assist in judicial functions This became part of the Native Department of the British Government of Ceylon Several Vidanes came under the supervision of a Vidane Arachchi in Low Country and under the supervision of Udayar in Tamil Area The Headman Commission of 1922 states that under the existing system each village or group of small villages is placed under the supervision of minor headman known as Gam Arachchi in Kandyan areas and police vidane or police headman in low country The positions above those headmen were Korala in Kandyan districts Uddaiyar in Tamil districts Vidane Arachchi in districts of low country The top rank above all officials was represented by Rate Mahatmaya and Adigars in Kandyyan districts Maniyagars and Vanniyars in Tamil Districts and Mudliers in southern provinces 3 Reforms and abolition EditFollowing the formation of the State Council of Ceylon in 1931 one of its members H W Amarasuriya called for an inquiry into the Native Headman System A commission was formed made up of retired civil servants and lawyers headed by H M Wedderburn The commission reported on reforming the headman system or replacing it with transferable District Revenue Officers The Native Headman System was abolished as an administrative system with the titles of Mudaliyar Mudali ම දල and Muhandiram retained by government to be awarded as honors This practice remained until suspension of Celanese honors in 1956 The minor headman positions were retained surviving well into the 1970s when the posts of Vidane ව ද න in Low Country Tamil Area and Town Arachchi ටව න ආරච ච Gan Arachchi ගන ආරච ච in Kandyan Area were replaced with the transferable post of Grama Niladhari Village Officer Types of British Arachchies EditBritish appointed Arachchies had several classes Headmen EditLow Country Edit Vidane Arachchi ව ද න ආරච ච Edit A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision Kandyan Areas Edit Town Arachchi ටව න ආරච ච Edit A Town Arachchi had a Town or group of small villages placed under his Administration Gan Arachchi ගන ආරච ච Edit A Gan Arachchi had a village or group of small villages placed under his AdministrationAwarded as an honor Titular EditGate Arachchi Edit Veda Arachchi EditEx offico EditThe term Arachchi Sinhalese ආරච ච was also used to refer to a senior peon serving in government offices such as a Kachcheri or a District Court It is no longer in use List of Prominent Arachchies EditLoku Bandara AngammanaHeadmen EditLow Country Edit Vidane Arachchi ව ද න ආරච ච Edit A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision Susewhewage Hamiyel Fernando Appuhamy Vidane Arachchi a k a Molligoda Arachchi b c 1820 Molligoda Walauwa Wadduwa Susewhewage Girigoris Fernando Appuhamy Waskaduwa Vidane Arachchi 1835 1905 Punchikachcheriya Pothupitiya Muhammedh Thamby Samsudheen Vidane Arachchi a k a Dheen Arachchi 1860 1915 of Negombo 4 Ali Thamby Abbas Lebbe Vidane Arachchi of Kal Eliya 5 I L M Usuph Vidane Arachchi of Hanmbantota Susewhewage Simon Fernando Dharmasena Weerasinghe Pothupitiya Vidane Arachchi 1870 1934 Pattikarawasala Walauwa Pothupitiya Gamage Don Gunasekera Vidane Arachchi 1879 of Werahera Boralesgamuwa Don Jakolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena Boralugoda Vidane Arachchi 1879 1947 of Boralugoda 6 7 Don David Rajapaksa Valikada Korale Vidane Arachchi of Ihala Valikada Korale Giruvapattuva 8 Don Dharmis Rathnasinghe Vidane Arachchi of Mandiyagoda Walauwa Pallattara Dakunu Giruvapattuva Don Hendrick Abeywickrama Vidane Arachchi of Morawaka Samarathunga Arachchige Don Abraham Karunaratne Vidane Arachchi a k a Wawulhena Maha Nilame Ralahami b circa 1910 of Sivirulumulla Nedungamuwa Kandyan Areas Edit Town Arachchi ටව න ආරච ච Edit Town Arachchi had a Town or group of small villages placed under his Administration Samsudeen Town Arachchi 1892 1956 of Danowita Unus Ibunu Muhammed Abdul Razzak Town Arachchi 1895 1972 of Nelundeniya 9 Ahamed Lebbe Muhammed Junaid Town Arachchi 1914 1995 of ThulhiriyaGan Arachchi ගන ආරච ච Edit Gan Arachchi had a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration Harambage Lasis Fernando Gunawardena Gan Arachchi 1850 1910 of Kalamulla Kaluthara Karunanayaka Mudiyanselage Appuhami Gan Arachchi of Akwatta Samarasinha Herat Mudiyanselage Tikiri Banda Gan Arachchi of Makura Siriwurdana Padidora Mudiyanselage Appuhami Gan Arachchi of Burunnawa Hetti Mudiyanselage Dingiri Appuhami Gan Arachchi of Rabbidigala Meerakkandu Muhandiramala Abdul Rahiman Lebbe Gan Arachchi of Udatalawinna Dambagolle Vidanele Omerudeen Lebbe Gan Arachchi of Udatalawinna Galagaha Vidanalage Gedara Ismail Marikkar Grama Aarachchi of Mawanella 10 Galagawa Vidanele Seyado Mabammado Lebbe Gan Arachchi MadawalamadigeAwarded as an honor Titular EditGate Arachchi Edit Pawalkodi Ismail Lebbe Marikar Mathicham Muhammad Abdullah Headman Titular Arachchi of Matara 11 Veda Arachchi EditSee also EditNative headmen of Ceylon Muhandiram Vidane WalauwaReferences and external links Edit Definition of Vidane Vidane Arachchi amp Vidane Muhandiram as per Sinhala English Dictionary Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon Role of Government Agent in Local Administration in Sri Lanka by R A W Ranasinghe Head Department of Political Science University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka PDF Family 214 Maththicham Saleem Lebbe Muhammed Thamby Vidane 1819 1884 of Negombo Family 137 Village Headman Saifu Kandu of Kal Eliya Family 3069 Don Jakolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena Vidane Arachchi Lion of Boralugoda Family 3086 Rajapakse Vidanarachchi Family 215 Peace Officer Muladaniya Unus Ibunu 1845 1905 of Nelundeniya Family 344 Marikkar Family 052 Pawalkodi Mohideen Sahib 1 Definition of Vidane Vidane Arachchi amp Vidane Muhandiram as per Sinhala English Dictionary 2 Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon 3 A vignette of British Justice in Colonial Ceylon The Mudaliyars Explained Our Man in Cochin Village notables in colonial Ceylon The Village Headman was the uncrowned king of the village He was appointed by the Government Agent from a traditional leading family in the area in order to ensure that he received customary respect from villagers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arachchi amp oldid 1145005039, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
