Appuhamy
Encyclopedia
Appuhamy,Appuhami is a Sinhala term/name used in Sri Lanka
(Ceylon) as a title of respect to persons of high caste and sons of mudaliyars.Equivalent terms for a wife of an Appuhamy are Hamine,Manike,or sometimes Kumarihamy.
.
Chamberlains
who rendered their services in their capacity as Watchmen or Guardsmen (In-charge of) at Barrier of Royal Bed Chamber called Hathapenage,and those at The Royal Time Keepers Point barrier watchmen (or in-charge of) or guardsmen called Atapattu Murapola and then The Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory guardsmen (In-Charge of) called The Ran Avuda Mandapa, all of whom were allocated as a mark of Respect and a title of appreciation,the General appellation called Appuhamys respectively.It was in referring to them that the title called Dugaganna Rala or Dugaganna Nilame was also applied to.Those officers were derived from families with proven loyalty and sacrificial devotion to his Majesty and from those traditional families commanding high respect and honour from the countrymen.As these posts were starting points for other vital and strategic posts in his Majesty's services,they were highly competitive or contested.Although King Veera Parakrama Narendra Singha contemplated that it suffices if these officers were made to serve his Majesty every other month-like all other King’s officers-and that going by shifts.But when the Appuhamys pointed out that,with this shifts system,they too would fall into the same despicable level as the other officers of the King,and consequently appealed to his Majesty-that they be allowed to or grant them permission to-render their services to him continually,and as and when they wanted releasment for personal reasons they would make themselves absent,of course with prior approval from the Throne.Just adhering to the literary meaning of the Sinhala word Dugganna Rala,these King’s men were even alert to-never hesitated to-sacrifice their own lives for the good of His Majesty The King.The last Kandyan King,deserted by his own ministers and country men,and when on his fleeing to Madha Mahanuwara,when taking rest at Gallahawatte Arachchi
’s home,that Bed Chamber was guarded by a Hathapenage Appuhamy.
In King Rajadhi Raja Singha’s time in his Hathapenage Murapola,there were 112 Appuhamys in service.But at the time of the last King of the Sinhala people this number was reduced to 48 only,In fact,they did their Guard duty at the verandah of the Hathapenage .Of them 12 guards were holding a stabbing implement named Illukkole.It was their custom to wear a mouth guard (mask) when in Majesty’s service.This was a white cloths ribbon about one inch in breadth.Earlier,this mouth guard was two inches in breadth.In this garment the piece exactly covering the mouth was red piece of cloth called Paccawadam,while the rest of the clothe was white.The Hathapanage Appuhamys served under officers named Muhandiram Nilame of the Maha Hathapenage,the secretary and Kankanama.
Those Appuhamys serving at,At the Atapatthu Muarapola (Time Keepers Point),also called The Water Clock Gate,were known as Atapattu Appuhamys.Earlier they were 50 to 60 in number but the last Sinhala King brought it down to 48.Putting the Water Clock Plates in position and also to accompany him when the King is roaming the country or doing Royal Tours,was their duty.The Atapattu Maduwa was a building placed close to the Royal Palace.Those serving here placed four Water Clock Plates in the pond and to inform the time rang a bell.They had divided the daytime into parts and the night into four Jamas or Phases.
It was this way:-
From dawn to the end of eighth Sinhala hour -1st Phase
From ninth Sinhala hour to end of fifteenth hour (mid day) -2nd Phase
From Mid day to end of 7th hour -3rd Phase
From 8th hour to end of 15th hour -4th Phase
The night also was thus divided into 8-7-7-8 hourly four phases.According to this the bell was rung once,twice,thrice,4-8,6,5-1,times etc.Auspicious times for each function was declared via this medium.During daytime more than three Appuhamys did serve rarely.Half number from those who came for the night shift slept while the rest did guarding duty.
Earlier there were more than 100 Appuhamys (Guardsmen) in-charge of the Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory but that number was brought down to 48 by the last Sinhala King.They served under the charge of secretary of the Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory,tended to keep a record of the weapons available and they also got them repaired by the Smiths of his Majesty.As and when the King did his outings and Royal tours,it was their duty to accompany him carrying those equipments like the Mobile Weaponry and the Golden Bow & Arrows.The Lacquer-craftsmen Archers living in Matale
Hapuvida Village did supply lacquer-worked decorated handles for these items.
Adikaram
, Dissawe
etc.Without doing any sort of duty Appuhamys enjoyed rights and incomes etc.of their granted lands fields etc.But all of them were bound to perform bringing the Pingo of rice (Kath Hal) Rajakariya-the Duty to the Royals.At given times,they were exempted from this duty.Yet,in case this was not stated down in the Lekampotha (the Secretarial Book),the exemption was only temporary.For each of these Duggannarala,a village and a Man was allocated.The Village folk did the cultivation work free,in his fields;they looked after his lands and Repaired his Walauwa
-The stately Mansion.Also the villagers supplied to Kandy his monthly requirement of Rice,A month’s requirement was termed Barak (a weight),namely 60 Hundus (Hundu=4/1 measure).A hundu contained 8-at times 9 or 10 palm fulls.
A King’s man called Agubalana Nilame (The Royal Taster),tested the prepared Royal Victuals which were supplied to his Majesty's consumption.This tasting was effected as a pre-testing as to whether the victual were contaminated with any poison,Agubalana Nilame was also considered as a Duggannarala.
had two divisions called Highest strata known as Appuhamy and the Secondary strata known as Saparamadu Appuhamys.That is in the words of Baldius (LCS P 99).
b.As a Surname-members of respectable High caste families such as Yapa Appuhamilage,Epa Appuhamilage,Wijayasundra Appuhamilage etc.
c.As a part of a personal name-Don Bastian Appuhamy,David de Silva Appuhamy,etc. can be quoted.
In later periods,Prince Don John,who later became Don John Appuhamy prior to his
winning the Kandyan Throne under the name of King Wimaladharmasuriya,was renowned as above,That is according to Baldius.
d.As an honorary title name-Persons of respectable families were addressed as Appuhamys as a mark of respect.That is in extant even to day.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(Ceylon) as a title of respect to persons of high caste and sons of mudaliyars.Equivalent terms for a wife of an Appuhamy are Hamine,Manike,or sometimes Kumarihamy.
.
Kandyan Era (Feudal title)
Those members of three families of the King’s men referred also asChamberlains
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
who rendered their services in their capacity as Watchmen or Guardsmen (In-charge of) at Barrier of Royal Bed Chamber called Hathapenage,and those at The Royal Time Keepers Point barrier watchmen (or in-charge of) or guardsmen called Atapattu Murapola and then The Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory guardsmen (In-Charge of) called The Ran Avuda Mandapa, all of whom were allocated as a mark of Respect and a title of appreciation,the General appellation called Appuhamys respectively.It was in referring to them that the title called Dugaganna Rala or Dugaganna Nilame was also applied to.Those officers were derived from families with proven loyalty and sacrificial devotion to his Majesty and from those traditional families commanding high respect and honour from the countrymen.As these posts were starting points for other vital and strategic posts in his Majesty's services,they were highly competitive or contested.Although King Veera Parakrama Narendra Singha contemplated that it suffices if these officers were made to serve his Majesty every other month-like all other King’s officers-and that going by shifts.But when the Appuhamys pointed out that,with this shifts system,they too would fall into the same despicable level as the other officers of the King,and consequently appealed to his Majesty-that they be allowed to or grant them permission to-render their services to him continually,and as and when they wanted releasment for personal reasons they would make themselves absent,of course with prior approval from the Throne.Just adhering to the literary meaning of the Sinhala word Dugganna Rala,these King’s men were even alert to-never hesitated to-sacrifice their own lives for the good of His Majesty The King.The last Kandyan King,deserted by his own ministers and country men,and when on his fleeing to Madha Mahanuwara,when taking rest at Gallahawatte Arachchi
Gammuladani
Gammuladani is the Sinhala term for Village Headmen in Sri Lanka in the past time. Gammuladani is like the king of the village and has full power to take any legal action within his village. He inspects all the crimes within the village and give punishments and he collects the tax of the villages...
’s home,that Bed Chamber was guarded by a Hathapenage Appuhamy.
In King Rajadhi Raja Singha’s time in his Hathapenage Murapola,there were 112 Appuhamys in service.But at the time of the last King of the Sinhala people this number was reduced to 48 only,In fact,they did their Guard duty at the verandah of the Hathapenage .Of them 12 guards were holding a stabbing implement named Illukkole.It was their custom to wear a mouth guard (mask) when in Majesty’s service.This was a white cloths ribbon about one inch in breadth.Earlier,this mouth guard was two inches in breadth.In this garment the piece exactly covering the mouth was red piece of cloth called Paccawadam,while the rest of the clothe was white.The Hathapanage Appuhamys served under officers named Muhandiram Nilame of the Maha Hathapenage,the secretary and Kankanama.
Those Appuhamys serving at,At the Atapatthu Muarapola (Time Keepers Point),also called The Water Clock Gate,were known as Atapattu Appuhamys.Earlier they were 50 to 60 in number but the last Sinhala King brought it down to 48.Putting the Water Clock Plates in position and also to accompany him when the King is roaming the country or doing Royal Tours,was their duty.The Atapattu Maduwa was a building placed close to the Royal Palace.Those serving here placed four Water Clock Plates in the pond and to inform the time rang a bell.They had divided the daytime into parts and the night into four Jamas or Phases.
It was this way:-
From dawn to the end of eighth Sinhala hour -1st Phase
From ninth Sinhala hour to end of fifteenth hour (mid day) -2nd Phase
From Mid day to end of 7th hour -3rd Phase
From 8th hour to end of 15th hour -4th Phase
The night also was thus divided into 8-7-7-8 hourly four phases.According to this the bell was rung once,twice,thrice,4-8,6,5-1,times etc.Auspicious times for each function was declared via this medium.During daytime more than three Appuhamys did serve rarely.Half number from those who came for the night shift slept while the rest did guarding duty.
Earlier there were more than 100 Appuhamys (Guardsmen) in-charge of the Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory but that number was brought down to 48 by the last Sinhala King.They served under the charge of secretary of the Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory,tended to keep a record of the weapons available and they also got them repaired by the Smiths of his Majesty.As and when the King did his outings and Royal tours,it was their duty to accompany him carrying those equipments like the Mobile Weaponry and the Golden Bow & Arrows.The Lacquer-craftsmen Archers living in Matale
Matale
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, from Colombo and from Kandy. It is an area steeped in history and village living. The mayor of Matale is Hilmy Careem, as of May, 2006....
Hapuvida Village did supply lacquer-worked decorated handles for these items.
Privileges conferred on the Appuhamys
They can go past the Queens.They were not under the charge of the High Officers likeAdikaram
Adigar
Adigar, known as Adikarm in Sinhala, was a feudal title associated with high office during the existence of the Kingdom of Kandy. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King, these appointees made up the King's council of ministers...
, Dissawe
Dissava
Dissava was a feudal title associated with high office in the Kandian and central region of Sri Lanka. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King during the Kingdom of Kandy, these appointees headed the administration of a large province of the Kingdom known as a Dissava and was the...
etc.Without doing any sort of duty Appuhamys enjoyed rights and incomes etc.of their granted lands fields etc.But all of them were bound to perform bringing the Pingo of rice (Kath Hal) Rajakariya-the Duty to the Royals.At given times,they were exempted from this duty.Yet,in case this was not stated down in the Lekampotha (the Secretarial Book),the exemption was only temporary.For each of these Duggannarala,a village and a Man was allocated.The Village folk did the cultivation work free,in his fields;they looked after his lands and Repaired his Walauwa
Walauwa
Walauwa is the name given to a feudal/colonial manor house in Ceylon built by native headmen. It is also reference to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era.-Kandyan Walauwas:...
-The stately Mansion.Also the villagers supplied to Kandy his monthly requirement of Rice,A month’s requirement was termed Barak (a weight),namely 60 Hundus (Hundu=4/1 measure).A hundu contained 8-at times 9 or 10 palm fulls.
A King’s man called Agubalana Nilame (The Royal Taster),tested the prepared Royal Victuals which were supplied to his Majesty's consumption.This tasting was effected as a pre-testing as to whether the victual were contaminated with any poison,Agubalana Nilame was also considered as a Duggannarala.
In the coastal areas the term Appuhamy was applied with a difference
a.The Govi VamsaGovigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
had two divisions called Highest strata known as Appuhamy and the Secondary strata known as Saparamadu Appuhamys.That is in the words of Baldius (LCS P 99).
b.As a Surname-members of respectable High caste families such as Yapa Appuhamilage,Epa Appuhamilage,Wijayasundra Appuhamilage etc.
c.As a part of a personal name-Don Bastian Appuhamy,David de Silva Appuhamy,etc. can be quoted.
In later periods,Prince Don John,who later became Don John Appuhamy prior to his
winning the Kandyan Throne under the name of King Wimaladharmasuriya,was renowned as above,That is according to Baldius.
d.As an honorary title name-Persons of respectable families were addressed as Appuhamys as a mark of respect.That is in extant even to day.
Sources
- Udarata Maha Karalla By Prof Tennakoon Wimalananda
- Clough's Sinhala English Dic By Rev. B. Clough
- Maha Sinhala Shabda Kosaya By Dr. Harischandra Vijayatunge