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A Study on the Demographical Structure of Pre-Modern Times in Sri Lanka

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A Study on the Demographical Structure of Pre-Modern Times in Sri Lanka Paramita:Paramita: Historical Historical Studies Studies Journal, Journal, 28 (2),28(2), 2018: 2018 113 -124 ISSN: 0854-0039, E-ISSN: 2407-5825 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/paramita.v28i2.16202 A STUDY ON THE DEMOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF PRE-MODERN TIMES IN SRI LANKA A.K.C. Sewwandi Department of History, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka ABSTRACT ABSTRAK The core of this study is to examine the scien- Inti dari penelitian ini adalah untuk memerik- tific community structure of the pre-modern sa struktur komunitas ilmiah dari era pra- era of the Sri Lankan society. While this study modern masyarakat Sri Lanka. Meskipun will be focused only on the migration of peo- studi ini hanya akan difokuskan pada migrasi ple of the Indian and South–East Asian origins penduduk India dan Asia Tenggara ke daerah to the Western and South-Western regions of Barat dan Selatan-Barat Sri Lanka selama peri- Sri Lanka during the specified time period, ode waktu tertentu, bagaimana pengaruh how the influence of those migrations was migrasi tersebut tercermin pada Sri Lanka. reflected on the Sri Lankan architecture of the Arsitektur periode yang sama juga akan di- same period will also be examined. The simul- periksa. Kemunduran simultan Peradaban taneous decline of the Rajarata Civilization Rajarata yang berlangsung selama ribuan ta- that lasted for thousands of years uninterrupt- hun tanpa gangguan dan percepatan pem- ed and the acceleration of settlements in the ukiman di wilayah Barat dan Selatan-Barat Sri Western and the South-Western regions of Sri Lanka pada abad ke-13 adalah hasil dari orang Lanka in the 13th century was an outcome of -orang yang meninggalkan Rajarata karena the people who left Rajarata fearing the inva- takut akan invasi Kalinga. Magha, salah satu sion of the Kalinga Magha, one of the reasons alasan di balik penghentian Sistem Admin- behind the discontinuation of the Rajarate istrasi Rajarate, serta beberapa pemimpin re- Administrative System, as well as some re- gional di Maya dan Rohana tidak mendukung gional leaders in Maya and Rohana not sup- Magha dan bertindak sebagai pemimpin inde- porting the Magha and acting as independent penden. leaders. Kata Kunci: struktur demografi, premodern Keywords: demographical structure, pre- Sri Lanka, migrasi, peninggalan sejarah. modern Sri Lanka, migration, heritage. Author correspondence Email: [email protected] 113 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/paramita Paramita: Historical Studies Journal, 28(2), 2018 INTRODUCTION wars the King Parakramabahu I carried In line with the fall of Rajarata Civiliza- out in foreign soils to boost his fame final- tion that lasted uninterrupted for more ly resulted in the fall of Rajarata. Accord- than thousands of years in the 13th centu- ing to Mahawamsa, the expenses that had ry, the colonization of the Western Coast to be spent on the army that was stationed of Sri Lanka too was accelerated. The fall in a foreign country for ten years due to a of Rajarata was not a sudden occurrence, conflict over the Pandyan Throne became but a result of an accumulation of an array an extremely expensive task. While a con- of the reasons for an extended period of siderable portion of country’s human and time. financial resources was drawn towards the Indrakeerthi Siriweera (Siriweera, Pandya Deshaya (country) and on the oth- 2001), refers to scholars, such as R. L. er hand, the enormous amount of taxes Brohier, E.K. Cooke, and T. W. Tisal that had to be paid to continue the move- John concludes that the change of envi- ment of war might have exerted huge pres- ronmental patterns, especially, the de- sure on the people in the country. Li- crease of rainfall density was the main fac- yanagamage (Liyanagamage, 1989) argues tor that affected the fall of Rajarata Civili- that, though King Parakramabahu, I de- zation. However, Roads Murphy disa- veloped the economy, his wars in foreign grees with this conclusion and says that countries laid the foundation for the de- the environmental changes had never been cline of Polonnaruwa in the long run. the cause of the fall of Rajarata Though the period King Vijayabahu (Indrapala, 1971). The scholars, such as reigned prior to the reign of Parakramaba- R. H. Spenser, and H. I. Tharlerwey intro- hu, it was relatively peaceful, the insur- duced a theory that argued that the culti- gency situation throughout the next 40 vation of the same crops over and over years and the manner in which the coro- again for an extended period of time lead- nation of King Parakramabahu took place ing to the infertile soil condition paved the resulted in thousands of deaths in the way for the fall of Rajarata. But Liyanaga- country. Further, Senarath Paranavithana mage (Liyanagamage, 1989), declares that (Paranavithana, 1972) points out that the Roads Murphy has proved that this argu- citizen in Rohana was not energetic and ment has no credible ground to prove. In- courageous as they had to fight in a war drakeerthi Siriweera (Siriweera, 2001) re- and many died in wars against Rohana. ferring to Pujawaliya argues that in the 13th On the other hand, Paranvithan fur- Century, fertilizer was used to get a better ther notes that the Sinhala Civilization harvest from the crops cultivated and that was destroyed due to the breakdown of its there was a population that knew how to Administrative System, as a result of the use fertilizer to increase the nutrient con- foreign invasions and the internal wars, dition of the soil during the infertile sea- that promoted the collectivity in the socie- sons and this had never been the reason ty which was a primary pre-condition for the fall of Rajarata. Codrington argues needed to build and maintain its water- that the Malaria epidemic was the cause shed management system. He further says of the fall of Rajarata. But, according to that originally the watershed management Senaratha Paranavithana (Paranavithana, system was under a government Bethma 1972), until 12th Century Malaria did not (water distribution authority) and the sys- spread as an epidemic and this area was tem heavily relied on the efficiency, coop- totally abandoned during the Dambadeni- eration, and loyalty of the regional chief- ya era and did not get colonized for about tains or the high caste members of the so- seven centuries, and it needs to be exam- ciety and due to the difficulties. Thus, they ined whether this occurred due to Malaria had to endure and the destruction after the or dissertation led to the rise of Malaria. Kalinga Magha invasion, either they fled Amaradasa Liyanagamage to areas where there was no control of (Liyanagamage, 1989) concludes that the Magha or those who remained worked as 114 Paramita: Historical Studies Journal, 28(2), 2018 labourers in the cultivation lands and Chola authority, Pandya became powerful none of them knew how the watershed and spread their power all over India and management system worked. they did not stop there but proceeded to While approving this view, Roads invade Sri Lanka time and again. Jatawar- Murphy points out that the attraction to man Sundhar Pandya who came to power the wet-zone caused the collapse of Raja- in 1251 AD reports in his stone inscrip- rata civilization and there was no need for tions that he invaded Sri Lanka during the the people who migrated to the South- reign of King Parakramabhu II (1236 - west to return back to the dry-zone due to 1270 AD) and the King from Sri Lanka the favorable conditions they found in the sent him gems and elephants as ransoms. wet-zone (Siriweera, 2001). Liyanagamage reports that in a stone in- The changes that had been happen- scription in the Jambukeshwara Temple in ing in the Indian Urban Trade System, Sri Rangam in Trichinopoly District de- such as the increase of a recorded high scribes Sundarapanday, among his various demand for spices, the importance given victories, as the Rama II who looted Sri to the south-west wet-zone by the spice Lanka. Liyanagamage also reports, refer- growers, and thereby the ability of the Sri ring to the Kudiyamalei Eulogy, on a Pan- Lankan rulers to participate in the interna- dya invasion in the 10th year of Jatavar- tional trade business heavily, did not facil- man Weera Panday’s reign, as a reaction itate the re-colonization of dry-zone again. to an appeal by a minister by the name When analyzing above arguments, “Mandir” to settle a dispute between two it becomes clear that most of the aforesaid contemporary Kings in Sri Lanka. This factors had influenced the decline of the Pandya invasion could be imagined as Rajarata civilization. assistance extended to chase Jawaka Chandrabhanu out. THE MIGRANT POPULATION Shasthree says that during the peri- South Indian Migratory od of King Kumara Kampana in Vijaya- When studying the migration patterns of nagar Empire which began in 1336 AD, people between Sri Lanka and South India Sri Lankan emissaries represented in the during 13th and 15th centuries, one fact that castle, and gifts and presents were sent can be clearly identified was that the pur- annually from Sri Lanka. Although Sri pose of those immigrations did not limit Lanka became independent during the only for invasion but also commercial, period of King Harihar II, a book written cultural, and political relations had taken by the king named “Narayaneevilasam” place closer than we imagine mentioned that he captured Thundira, (Liyanagamage, 2010). The author of Chola, Pandya and Sri Lanka again and Chulawamsa emphasizes that the invasion erected a winning post in Sri Lanka of Kalinga and Magha, the closest events (Shasthree, 1971).
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