Dissava
Encyclopedia
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
associated with high office in the Kandian
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
and central region of Sri Lanka
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...
. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
during the Kingdom of Kandy
Kingdom of Kandy
Kingdom of Kandy was an important independent monarchy of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century...
, these appointees headed the administration of a large province of the Kingdom known as a Dissava and was the king's personal representative, tax collector in that area. In modern terms the post was similar to a combination of the post of Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
and a Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of a province of Sri Lanka. There was no time limit for the officer holder as he held the post at the pleasure of the King, which meant throughout his life, if not incurred the displeasure of the King. It was not hereditary, although members of the same family have been appointed.
As king's personal representative in a province they held much power, controlled the civil administration, taxation, judicial, law enforcement and military matters of the province. Many close relatives of the King being commonly appointed. They received a portion of the taxation as pay and also large land grants from the King, some being hereditary. Along with Adigar
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...
s and a few others high officials of the kingdom they made up the Radala
Radala
The Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...
caste, who were referred to as the Chieftains of Kandy by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Many were instrumental in the surrender of the Kandian Kingdom to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and were signatories to the Kandyan Convention
Kandyan Convention
The Kandyan Convention was an agreement in 1815 between the British and the Chiefs of the Kandyan Kingdom, in Sri Lanka for the deposition of rule King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. The king who was of Telugu ancestry faced powerful opposition from the Sinhalese chieftains who sought to reduce his power...
in 1815.
Following the expansion of British rule into the provinces of the former Kandian Kingdom since 1815, the British retained the office of Dissava appointing Kandians loyal to the British Crown. Following the Uva Rebellion
Uva Rebellion
The Great Rebellion of 1817-1818, also known as the 1818 Uva-Wellassa Uprising, , or simply the Uva Rebellion was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka...
in 1818 and changers to the administrative divisions of the island with the creation of Districts
Districts of Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, districts are the second-level administrative divisions, and are included in a province. There are 25 districts organized into 9 provinces. Each district is administered under a District Secretary, who is appointed by the central government...
, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Government Agents
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
took over the duties of the Dissava, with the remaining and newly appointed Dissavas being mere honorary titles. After Ceylon gained independence in 1947 these appointments were never made.
Dissavas
- Dissava of Wellassa and Bintenna
- Dissava of MataleMataleMatale 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....
- Dissava of Nuwara Kalawiya
- Dissava of Sath (Seven) Korles
- Dissava of Thun (Three) Korles
- Dissava of Sabaragamuwa
- Dissava of Hathra (Four) Korles
- Dissava of Uva
- Dissava of Tamankaduwa
Notable appointees
- AdigarAdigarAdigar, 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...
Molligoda - Singularity to the Kandyan ConventionKandyan ConventionThe Kandyan Convention was an agreement in 1815 between the British and the Chiefs of the Kandyan Kingdom, in Sri Lanka for the deposition of rule King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. The king who was of Telugu ancestry faced powerful opposition from the Sinhalese chieftains who sought to reduce his power...
, 1st (Maha) Adikar & Dissawa of the Sath (Seven) Korles - Keppetipola DisaweKeppetipola DisaweRajapaksa Wickramasekera Mudiyanselage Bandaranayake Monarawila Keppetipola , more widely known as Keppetipola Disawe was a Disawe, a high ranking official under the rule of King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe and later under the British Administration in Sri Lanka...
- Leader of the Uva RebellionUva RebellionThe Great Rebellion of 1817-1818, also known as the 1818 Uva-Wellassa Uprising, , or simply the Uva Rebellion was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka...
of 1818 - P.B. BulankulameP.B. BulankulamePunchi Banda Bulankulame Dissava was a Ceylonese politician, he was the former Cabinet Minister of Land and Land Development in Dudley Senanayake's and John Kotelawala's government....
Dissava - Ceylonese Cabinet Minister