Relationship Regulations and Freedoms in the Gothic Sri Lanka

This is due to the fact that when you look at the Kandyan area, sexual morality seldom mattered and you may polygyny (men providing multiple partner),polyandry (a female providing multiple spouse) and you may concubinage was every recognised as judge

Asiff Hussein typed: As in India marriage ceremonies for the caste was basically the latest accepted standard. Robert Knox, a keen English exile who invested nearly twenty years about Kandyan Empire (1660 – 1679) claims in the really works “Historical Family away from Ceylon” (1681): “This is not accounted any guilt otherwise blame getting men of higher kinds to help you put with a woman far second-rate so you’re able to themselves, nay of the very reduced degree, provided he neither consumes nor beverages together with her, neither requires her the place to find his domestic as the their spouse.” [Source: Extracted from Sinhalese, Kandyan and you will very early Uk day and age literary present by Asiff Hussein, Virtual Collection Sri Lanka lankalibrary ]

Knox”s report signifies that wedding, as opposed to mere cohabitation, got a routine worthy of. Indeed almost every other statements from his show that Kandyan people is actually an extremely licentious one to where both men and women got full liberty in order to cohabit that have whomsoever they delighted help save one to in case of females, they could maybe not get it done having you to second-rate inside the status to help you by themselves, such an act entailing really serious discipline. States Knox, “If any of the people will likely be thus deluded, regarding to visit folly having you to below by herself, when she would be to appear to the fresh attention from their family unit members, they’d indeed eliminate their particular, indeed there being no alternative way in order to wipe off the fresh dishonour she hath complete your family however, of the her very own blood.”

Kandyan law together with prohibited marriages between personal family relations. It included a man”s daughter (duva), sister (sahodari; so it included the newest child of one”s father”s sibling or one”s mom”s brother) and you can nenda (paternal cousin), even in the event he could ma, kudamma). To possess a married relationship to get good, the fresh new functions along with had to have the intention of building an excellent marital union. Additionally, Buddhism watched so you can it one elizabeth a great secular bargain and not a rigid sacrament such as Hindu law, so wedding by itself had “little force or validity” given that detailed by Knox.

Demonstration ong the brand new Kandyans. Davy (Account of the interior of Ceylon 1821) claims the first a couple of weeks of the fiance”s cohabitation along with her husband was a time period of demo in the the termination of that your matrimony are possibly annulled otherwise confirmed. As for concubinage, although it is allowed, during the later times, it seems to have come frowned-upon, specifically amongst the nobility. John D”oyly (Design of constitution of the Kandyan Empire 1835) states that history Kandyan king reprimanded Migastenne Adigar to possess staying a great concubine of your “Berava” (drummer) caste. The fresh woman is flogged and you can sent across the lake, which means that banished away from Kandy.

Polyandry (Numerous Husbands) during the Sri Lanka

Polyandry (a female having multiple husbands) are judge from the Kingdom of Kandy, and this existed regarding 15th so you’re able to 19th century. It absolutely was euphemistically called “eka-ge-kema” (“dinner in one home”).Asiff Hussein typed: Claims Knox, “Within country, perhaps sexy Cologne women the top hath but one wife, but a lady commonly enjoys a couple of husbands.” The new polyandry practiced when you look at the Kandyan times was always of your fraternal kind of and try identified of the euphemism eka-ge-kama (lit. eating in one single home). [Source: Taken from Sinhalese, Kandyan and you will very early British point in time literary supplies by the Asiff Hussein, Digital Collection Sri Lanka lankalibrary ]

Joao Riberio (1685) claims of your own Sinhalese during the time of Portuguese signal (seventeenth century): “Good girl produces a binding agreement to help you wed a guy off their unique own caste (for she cannot marry additional it), and in case the latest family unit members is compliant they give a banquet and unify new betrothed pair. 24 hours later a sis of the partner takes their place, and if discover seven brothers the woman is this new partner of all of them, submitting the new night by converts, without the husband which have an elevated correct than any of his brothers. In the event that throughout the day, them finds new chamber unoccupied, he is able to retire with the woman in the event the he thinks fit. she can refute by herself to not one of them; whichever sister it may be one to agreements the wedding, this woman is the wife of all.” He contributes: “the lady who is married to help you a husband having an enormous level of brothers represents very happy, for everyone toil and you may cultivate for their and you may bring whatever they earn on the home, and she lives much honoured and you will well-supported and for so it reasoning the children call the brothers their dads.”