“The initial list we have out of polyandry one of several Sinhalese is probably the Magul Mahavihara inscription regarding Vihara-maha-devi belonging to concerning the 14th century where we discover brand new king calling herself the chief consort of these two brother leaders titled Perakumba (Perakumba de-be-raja-daruvan de-denata aga mehesun vu vihara-maha-devi). Brand new sis leaders described from the epigraph is actually obviously several petty leaders just who wielded independent expert throughout the Ruhuna nation at the the time. [Source: Asiff Hussein, Weekend Observer]
New English writer Robert Knox says inside the Historic Family regarding Ceylon (1681): “Within this country for every guy, possibly the ideal, hath however, one wife; however, a lady commonly keeps a couple of husbands
The fresh routine don’t stay away from this new observe of the Western european publishers of one’s colonial months who possess remaining you stunning descriptions out-of the fresh customized whilst lived next. The new Portuguese historian Joao Ribeiro claims inside the Fatalidado Historica da Ilha de- Ceilao (1685) that when the marriage service is ended, the original nights consummation try allotted to the fresh spouse, the second so you can his sis, the third to a higher sibling, and the like as far as the fresh new seventh nights, when in the event the there be much more brothers, the others are not entitled to the advantage of your own earliest half dozen. “These earliest weeks are early in the day, findbride reviews brand new spouse doesn’t have higher allege towards their wife than his brothers has; when the the guy discovers her by yourself, the guy takes their unique so you can himself, but if one of his brothers be together with her, he don’t disrupt them. They provide the money on the a common stock, plus the pupils telephone call every brothers indifferently their fathers”.
“New Dutch missionary Philip Baldaeus in his Malfunction of Ceylon (1672) states that Sinhalese advise that brand new conjugal duty be done because of the her brothers and you will alludes to the truth away from a lady citizen from Galle who “had trust sufficient to complain of your own require out-of obligation for the their own husband’s aunt thereon membership”. For it is legitimate and you can normal with all of them for a few brothers to keep home in addition to you to definitely spouse, in addition to college students carry out acknowledge and you will telephone call one another fathers”.
“The very last good-sized account of your practice could very well be that Sir James Emerson Tennent in his monumental work Ceylon (1859) in which according to him one to polyandry exists from the inside of Ceylon, chiefly amongst the wealthier categories; off whom, that lady has frequently 3 or 4 husbands, and regularly up to eight. The guy cards one to typically, the brand new husbands is actually people in an identical relatives, and more than seem to brothers. Brand new customized is yet not never to will always be court for very long to own british outlawed they a comparable seasons, though it can provides lasted for a sizeable period afterwards.
“Ponnambalam Arunachalam present in Twentieth-century Thoughts of Ceylon (1907) you to “Polyandry, regardless of if illegal, will continue to exists among the Kandyan peasantry, particularly in the situation off brothers. Regulations against polyandry is evaded by maybe not joining the fresh connection whatsoever or from the joining it as having you to definitely sibling simply”.”
As to why Polyandry Lived in the Sri Lanka
Asiff Hussein typed: “As to how so it odd custom possess survived to possess therefore long isn’t a difficult concern to answer, because of the nature of your Kandyan together with other communities in which we know getting succeeded. Poverty, a need to restriction family relations proportions and continue assets undivided in family appear to have been the top points which have lead to brand new endurance and possibly possibly the development from polyandry throughout these societies. You to big factor that appears to have lead to the prominence regarding the days of the newest Kandyan Leaders is actually evidently the fresh behavior regarding Rajakariya otherwise mandatory solution on the condition exacted regarding land-holding men inhabitants. [Source: Asiff Hussein, Weekend Observer]