Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c10.s3: III. Artificer Tenant Holdings
Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c10.s3
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III. Artificer Tenant Holdings
c10.s3.1
The system of land tenure, by which certain services were to be rendered in return for land held from the king, a religious foundation, or a chieftain, has been explained above (p. 25), and the general character of the craftsmen’s services indicated. Some examples of the holdings of artificers are here quoted in greater detail, from Lawrie’s Gazetteer. The Daḷadā Māligāva had a Baḍal Paṅguva at Embulpure, Hārispattuva; tenant, Vijēndragē Puñci Nayide, holding 1½ acre fields and 1½ acre garden. Services, commutable for Rs. 1·50: to go to the Māligāva and polish the gold and silver vessels and implements of the temple during six days in a year; to give either an arecanut-cutter or two rings of silver wire to the Diva Nilame after the New Year. When on duty at the Māligāva, the tenant received gruel in the morning, curry and rice in the afternoon, and a huṇḍuva of raw rice in the evening.
c10.s3.2
The Gādalādeṇiya Dēvāle had a Baḍal Paṅguva (goldsmith’s holding) at Gādalādeṇiya; tenant holding half an acre field. Services (commutable for Rs. 7·35): to supply a silver sura and polish and repair the ran-avuda for the perahera; put up an ānamēstraya and decorate it; join in weeding the maḷuva; supply one huṇḍuva oil for Kārti; at each of the festivals to give to the Basnāyaka Nilame and the Vidāne two silver rings each. Also a Navan Paṅguva (smith’s holding) of the same extent. Services (commutable for Rs. 5·85): to give iron utensils for the multen-gē; work as a blacksmith; clean ran-doli and pandan for the perahera; nail laths; give a pair of scissors and an arecanut-cutter for the dalumura taṭuva; clear maḷuva, and put up an ānamēstraya and decorate it; give a huṇḍuva of oil for Kārti; at each of the festivals to present to the Basnāyaka Nilame and Vidāne an arecanut-cutter each.
c10.s3.3
At Etipola, a tenant held one acre field and 2½ acres hēna, and his service (commutable for Rs. 2) was to appear before the proprietor at the New Year with forty betel leaves; and to make billhooks for the proprietor, by whom iron and food were supplied, for six days in the year.
c10.s3.4
At Embekke, the Kataragama Dēvāle possessed a Navan Paṅguva held by two goldsmiths and a Buddhist priest. The area held was 1a. 3p. fields and 1a. 2p. gardens. The services (commutable for Rs. 53·60 a year) were: to polish the gold, silver, brass, &c., vessels; to work in gold, silver, copper, and iron work; to make and repair the hinges and keys; to join in repairs; to make a silver sura for the ehela tree; to maintain, whitewash, and decorate an ānamēstra-gē; to present the Basnāyaka Nilame at each of the festivals with a ring and an arecanut-cutter; to make iron implements for the tenants for three months, iron and charcoal being supplied.
c10.s3.5
So much for the services due to chieftains, or the proprietors of Ninda villages. The service of the various Royal Artificer Tenants, as we have seen, consisted in supplying craftsmen as members of the Koṭṭal-badda and Paṭṭal-hatara, the former for a part of the year, the latter more continuously working for the king in Kandy.