“The first listing i have out-of polyandry among the many Sinhalese is actually perhaps the Magul Mahavihara inscription out-of Vihara-maha-devi belonging to regarding the 14th century in which we find the king calling herself the principle consort of these two cousin leaders titled Perakumba (Perakumba de-be-raja-daruvan de-denata aga mehesun vu vihara-maha-devi). New brother leaders described from the epigraph is plainly a couple of petty leaders exactly who wielded separate authority about Ruhuna country on the amount of time. [Source: Asiff Hussein, Weekend Observer]

The English writer Robert Knox says in the Historical Relation out-of Ceylon (1681): “In this nation for every single guy, probably the finest, hath however, that wife; but a woman often has a couple of husbands

Brand new practice did not refrain the latest see of Western european editors of one’s colonial period who’ve remaining you vivid definitions away from the latest individualized whilst resided upcoming. The fresh new Portuguese historian Joao Ribeiro says inside the Fatalidado Historica da Ilha de Ceilao (1685) that once the wedding ceremony are concluded, the original night of consummation was assigned to the husband, next so you can his aunt, the next to another cousin, and so on as much as the newest seventh nights, when if around be more brothers, the rest are not entitled to the newest privilege of your earliest half dozen. “This type of earliest months being earlier, the brand new partner does not have any higher claim towards the his wife than his brothers has actually; when the he finds their own alone, the guy requires their so you’re able to himself, but if one of his true brothers feel together with her, he never disrupt them. They give the earnings on the a standard stock, as well as the college students name most of the brothers indifferently their fathers”.

“The fresh new Dutch missionary Philip Baldaeus in his Malfunction off Ceylon (1672) claims that Sinhalese recommend that the conjugal responsibility performed from the their particular brothers and you can alludes to the situation regarding a lady resident of Galle exactly who “got depend on adequate to whine of your want regarding responsibility into the their own husband’s sis on that account”. Because of it are legitimate and common with all of them for two brothers to store house along with one to spouse, and also the children do recognize and you will label one another fathers”.

“The final substantial membership of the routine is probably regarding Sir James Emerson Tennent in his monumental works Ceylon (1859) in which he states you to definitely polyandry exists from the interior of Ceylon, mainly involving the wealthier groups; off which, you to definitely lady possess appear to three or four husbands, and frequently possibly seven. He cards one in most cases, brand new husbands was people in the same family relations, and more than frequently brothers. Brand new personalized is actually not not to ever remain court for very long to own british banned it a similar season, although it may keeps live to have a significant months afterwards.

“Ponnambalam Arunachalam found in Twentieth-century Thoughts out-of Ceylon (1907) you to definitely “Polyandry, even when illegal, will continue to exist one of many Kandyan peasantry, particularly in possible regarding brothers. What the law states up against polyandry was evaded by the not registering the fresh partnership whatsoever or by registering it as that have one sister just”.”

As to the reasons Polyandry Stayed in Sri Lanka

Asiff Hussein wrote: “As to how so it strange custom possess endured to possess therefore long isn’t a difficult matter to respond to, given the nature of Kandyan and almost every other societies in which it is known to own succeeded. Poverty, a want to limitation family relations proportions and to remain property undivided into the parents appear to have been the big products with led to the newest survival and possibly perhaps the development out-of polyandry throughout these communities. You to biggest factor that seems to have triggered its prominence on times Colombia kvinner of this new Kandyan Kings is evidently this new habit off Rajakariya or required solution for the county exacted in the land-carrying men population. [Source: Asiff Hussein, Weekend Observer]