AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OWNERSHIP AND UTILIZATION OF LAND BY WOMEN DURING THE PERIOD OF THE KANDYAN KINGDOM: WITH REFERENCE TO ‘SEETTU, GAMPATHKADA AND POOJAPATHRA’

Author: M. A. Prasad Kumara

 

Abstract

The women’s side, especially when it comes to land control, has inherited a considerable amount of authority that is comparable to the power of the men’s side. According to the facts, the nation’s common citizens had access to land during the Kandy era. They have all benefited personally by having the ability to buy, sell, award, etc. According to the source’s perspective, during the rule of the Kandy kingdom, the woman had a substantial impact on the nobles who owned land and significant authority over real estate. Does the influence over land that the feminine side possessed during the Kandy period outweigh that of the male side? Is the focus of the current investigation? The method of historical study is being used in this instance. An inquiry into a library was conducted in order to obtain data. Drawing findings from 17th-century archaeological sources, deposit records from the state archives in Colombo and Kandy, and several seats, gampatras, and pujapatras from the era is the research process used in this case. By contesting the land authority of the male side, she has occasionally even been successful in keeping her standing in connection to the land.

Keywords: Gampathkada, Land, Power, Ownership, Women

How to Cite: Kumara, M. A., 2023. An Investigation into the Ownership and Utilization of Land by Women During the Period of the Kandyan Kingdom: With Reference to ‘Seettu, Gampathkada and Poojapathra’. ‘Pumithiri e-journal of Gender Studies, 2(1), pp.89-96.

Published on 08 Mar 2023