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Some insight from Tamil to Sinhala on Vishwa-kula

Vishwakarma in Hindu mythology, is the creator of the universe. The all accomplishing “creator” and hence the “lord” of all architects and craftsmen. It is also believed Vishwakarma had five sons, Manu who worked with iron, Mãya who worked with wood, Tvastra in brass, copper and alloys, Silpi in stone and the last Vishvãjna, in gold, silver and jewellery.

Vishwa-kula (caste), therefore believe their ancestry is from the 05 five sons of Vishwakarma.

Their origin in ancient Ceylon, dates back to Vijaya's coronation when he was wedded to a Pãndiyan princess. According to Maha-vamsa, the Pãndiyan princess arrived with a large entourage of one thousand families and her father included in the entourage 18 guilds, meaning artisans, versed in all 18 crafts of that Pãndiyan kingdom in South India. It is also mentioned in the Maha-vamsa, King Asoka had sent 08 guild chiefs from the families of artisan guilds to protect the “Bo sapling”. This is also mentioned in the Sinhala Bodhi Vamsaya which notes that 08 Kamburu families, 08 Lokuru families and 08 Svarnakãra families arrived with the Bo sapling, during king Devanampiya Tissa.

Folklore also has it that the Nilavala village in the Kandy district has its beginning with a Brahman, Nila Nãrãyana, who arrived during the reign of king Devanampiya Tissa. Legend has it that 04 Brahmans, known as Nila Nãrãyana, Parama Nãrãyana, Deva Nãrãyana and Thinna Nãrãyana arrived at the time of Arahath Mahinda and settled in Nilavala, Eldeniya, Madawala and Udispattuwa in the Kandy district.

Recorded history shows that initial migrant artisans were from Pãndiyan territory which is part of South India. Korkai, a small village in present Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)district and parts of present Madurai are land in record, of such migration, or rather arrival of artisan persons in ancient Ceylon. It is in record that during the reign of king Parakramabahu, a group of Brahmans and a Silpačãri was brought from Kapilavastu pura to renovate the Munnesvaram kovil (now in Chilaw).

This Silpačãri was so skilled that he not only completed his assignment in time but also completed work on the Pattirippuwa during that same time. The king, pleased with his work conferred on him the title Mutugala Rãjakarunadi Viravardana Viskammandana Ačãri and handed over the villages Karãulla and Udamatiyangane, “until the sun and the moon would last”.

This guild or artisan people from South and East Indian lands have arrived in Ceylon at least up to the 18th Century, according to M.H.F. Jayasuriya who translated the script “Vaijyantatantra” a local hand book in Sanskrit for artisans and handicraftsmen.

Their ancestry as Brahmans, known in early Indian history as Viswa Brahmans, Deva Brahmans or as Deva kammalars and different to the present understanding of Brahmins, but adept in very many crafts, is said to have provided them with noble status in ancient society and had given them access to the royalty of the land. Being of South and East Indian origin, they were also called Āčãriya or Āčãrya, meaning “teacher or master” in Tamil language.

They are also known as “Navandanno”, some times interpreted as those knowing 09 crafts or skills. Yet within the Viswa-kula caste, there are 11 skills identified through history by different historians like Valentijn (a Dutch in 1726), Codrington (1924), D.T. Devendra, Asiff Husein and Jayasuriya. They are, Achariya (Smiths), Badallo (Silver smiths), Wadduwo (Carpenters), Liane Wadduwo (Turners), Ridiyale Ancaro (Engravers of gold and silver) Adatketencaro (Ivory and cabinet makers), Galwadduwo or Galladdo (Stone cutters), Ratneendaracaruwo (Stone polishers), Hie Wadduwo (Spike and shaft makers), Sitteru (Lacquer painters) and finally, Lokuruwo (Copper and brass makers).

The appellation “Navandanno” thus can not be “those skilled in 09 crafts” as some Vishwakula persons wish to define themselves. It is my belief that it could be from the words “Navakam dano” meaning “people doing new work” attributed to them as they create new products with their skills. It would therefore mean “those who turn out novel products”.

Most original names in ancient Vishwakula community had “Narayan” as a suffix or “Deva” as a prefix. Deva-narayan, Wijey-narayan, Deva-surendran, Dantha-narayan, Devasiri-narayan and Deva-nendran (Devendra presently) are some such historically noted names.

They have originally been both Saivites and Vaishnava in faith. It is said Vaishnava faith predominated the community in ancient time and that gave them easy and more space to become Buddhists. Vaishnava belief has Buddha as the ninth or last incarnation of God Vishnu.

Most arrivals of Vishwakula origins have been during the last century before the arrival of British. During the Kandyan era, with almost all Kandyan kings being Nayakkar descendants of Hindu faith, later converted to Buddhism for convenience and necessity of rule, had their queens and concubines brought from mostly Madurai in South India. Along with them came their retinue and skilled craftsmen needed to turn out gold and silver jewellery for them in their traditional designs.

This is borne out in most Kandyan jewellery still turned out in some ancestral Vishwakula villages in Kandy district. Kandyan jewellery like the “koral, kasa gedi and pattan gedi” necklaces and the very rare “botu pettha” pendant, are such jewellery that came from South India.

Anthropologically, all what it means is that through history, those craftsmen who turned out as Vishwakula community in ancient Ceylon are South and East Indian Tamils, who settled in the Southern parts assimilating into Sinhala society through its evolution while those who settled in the Northern parts of the land, assimilated retaining their Tamil identity.

As a community, Sinhala Vishwakula community is majority Buddhists and they are widely spread in both interior and coastal areas. Probably because of their geographical spread within modern electorates and small numbers, they are one caste that has not been assertive in modern politics.

From folklore The caste flag The Vishwakula community take the flag of Hanuman(tha) as their caste flag. Here Vishwakarma is depicted as crowned and throned in the Himalayas. Hanuman is depicted holding a magic shrub in the right hand and his left hand held high in the Navandanno tradition, beseeching the God not to intervene for a short space of time till he sets fire to the land of Lankaputra.

The longest ge name A folk tale in Nilavala village has it that a Kandyan king who was on his routine trip to Hanguranketa, had to break journey in Nilavala in late evening, as his horse was injured in the leg. He then found refuge in a house in a remote area and was offered resting over the night by the woman, with a mat laid in the open space in front of the house, as her husband was not in as yet. The husband who came late, recognised the sleeping king and immediately made a gem set ring, which he carefully placed on king's finger. Next morning, the king having returned to his palace ordered his men to bring this man to him. Pleased as he was, the king conferred on this goldsmith the title, Eldeniya Rajakurana Devasurendran Manuvira Vikrama Sri Karjuna Radala Bhuvanekhabahu Raja Abhisheka Vicitra Citra Nirmita Sakala Silpacarya Sri Dhantadhatu Makaraddaja Pata Savuttari Mudali Davunda Ratnavalli Navaratna Abharana Gedara Abharana Muhandiram.

The descendants use only the part, Ratnavalli Navaratna Abharana Gedara, for convenience, they say.

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