Loading AI tools
Petty native headman in Ceylon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arachchi (Sinhala: ආරච්චි) was a petty native headman 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.[citation needed]
The term Arachchi was also used to refer to a supervisory peon serving in government offices such as a Kachcheri or a District Court. It is no longer in use.[3]
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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
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. [4]
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).[citation needed]
British appointed Arachchies had several classes;
A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision
A Town Arachchi had a Town or group of small villages placed under his Administration
A Gan Arachchi had a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration
A Vidane Arachchi had several Vidanes under his supervision
Town Arachchi had a Town or group of small villages placed under his Administration
Gan Arachchi had a village or group of small villages placed under his Administration
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.