![](3D"cchettymain_files/image002.gif")
THE
=
BY SHIRLEY PULLE TISSERA
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The Colombo Chetties are a relatively =
small
community domiciled in the Western, North Western and Southern Provinces, m=
any
of them have been assimilated into or identified with the Sinhala and Tamil Communities, the National census in 1814 shows =
the
total population as 492,083 of which Malays were 736 and Chetties 2459, aga=
in
in 1824 the total population was 851,9 40 of which Malays were 1806, Burghe=
rs
5803 and Chetties 8471, in the population census of 1871 total population w=
as
2,401,066 of which the Moors were 6839, Burghers were 5771 and Chetties were
down to 3114. The National Ce=
nsuses
conducted since then had included the Colombo Chetties into the Sinhala, Ta=
mil
& Burgher populations. Today the number stands at around 175,000 with h=
igh
concentrations in the Western and
In
the National Census on population conducted in 2001 the Colombo Chetties we=
re
rightly shown as a separate and distinct ethnic group.
WHO
ARE THE
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image006.jpg")
The term Chetty is interpreted as Sett=
i or
setthi in pali, Hetti , Situ ![](3D"cchettymain_files/image008.jpg")
or Sitana in Sinhalese and as Etti in =
Tamil,
this is how the community is refereed to in all historical documents or
records. The Colombo Chetties are of the Tana Vaisya stock, according to Re=
v Fr
Boschi the Vaisyas were the nobility of the land and were devided into vari=
ous
sub-divisions or castes, the highest of these sub-devisions was the Tana Va=
isya
or Chetties followed by the Pu Vais ya and Ko Vaisya etc: The Tana Vaisyas
originally inhabited areas close to Coorg and Benares, were driven by the
conquests of Mohammed of Ghazini to the South of India. Being merchants they then commenced
trade with Lanka and this eventually gave rise to migration. =
&nb=
sp;
WHEN
DID THEY COME TO
Earliest
historical records indicate that Sethies / Chetties first came to Lanka just
after the arrival of Prince ![](3D"cchettymain_files/image010.jpg")
Vijaya (Social history of early Ceylon=
by
Prof H Ellawala) the account narrates that some maidens sent to Lanka by the
King of Madura on the request of Prince Vijaya were of Tana Vaisya stock or
Sethis. =
&nb=
sp; =
&nb=
sp; =
&nb=
sp;
Prof Ellawala goes on to mention that Prince Sumitta and his seven
brothers all Setthis were son=
s of
Deva Setthi of Vedisa in Avanthi and that their sister Videesa Devi was the
wife of King Asoka and mother of Prince Mahinda and Princess Sangamitta.
=
Historians
believe that King Vasaba (BC 65-100) who inaugurated the Lamba karana dynas=
ty
from
These
instances are the earliest historical records of Setthis in
The
Nikaya Sangrahaya (ed Kumaratunga) the Madavala rock inscription refers to a
high official by the name of Jothy Sitana who set his signature to a grant =
of
land, also in the year 1205 AD there existed a minister of great influence
among our forebears named “Kulande Hetti” His name is engraved =
on a
rock in Polonnaruwa.
The
Political History of the
The conquest of
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image012.gif")
In the book titled Culture in Ceylon in
Medieval Times by W. Geiger (page 110): “A prominent part of the
mercantile society in Ceylon were the Setthis but we do not get a clear not=
ion
of their social position, probably they were like the Setthis in the Jatakas
(ref. R. Fick 1.1 pages 257) the great bankers and stood in close proximity=
to
the royal court. Of the three brothers who rebelled against King Vijayabahu=
1,
one was sethinatha a chief of the Setthis, since the other two were court
officials of the highest rank, the three were evidently Sinhalese noblemen.
(59.16, 69.13) Sethinayaka is the name of Lambakanna, it was probably his
title.
The
Mahavansa Vol 3 p 238 records the arrival in
It
is of course an accepted fact that Chetties migrated to
as
well.
During these periods the Colombo Chett=
ies
played an important role in Church activities, they built churches in
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![](3D"cchettymain_files/image016.jpg")
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image018.jpg")
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A
nursery rhyme used at play by children down the centuries has reference to
Chetties and their connection to royalty – “Athuru, mithuru,
dambadiva thuru, raja kapuru hettiya, alutha gena manamalita haal pothalk
garala….”
The
Former Diyawadana Nilame and Former Cabinet Minister Hon Nissanka Wijeyerat=
ne
had this to say about the Colombo Chetty Community in the Sunday Observer o=
f 19th
November 1995.
Quote
–
“
You call them as they do themselves as
And
they link with our culture antedate even Vijaya’s arrival in Sri Lank=
a,
was not Anathapindikassa the great benefactor of the sangha and the pre-emi=
nent
Dayaka of the Buddha who endured Jetavanarama, where the Buddha dwelt longe=
st
and now so lovingly preserved by the great Indian Government, a distinguish=
ed
Sitano or Chetty. Perhaps even the noble Upasika Visaka too belonged to this
Clan.
The
Chetties deserve, therefore, a new designation. Not “
end
quote
THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO SRI LANKAN SOCIETY <=
/span>
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*
religion
Although
a majority of Colombo Chetties today are Christian, yet their contribution =
to
Buddhism is significant, starting with the role played in the advent of
Buddhism to Sri Lanka to the contribution of Ven Soma Maha Thera (Victor
Perera Pulle), he wrote 30 bo=
oks on
Buddhism and was responsible as the first monk to carry the dhamma to Germa=
ny,
he was the founder of the German Dharmaduta Society, the Sasanadhara Kantha
Samitiya, the Banks Asoka Society and the YMBA in Shanghai.
*
POLITICS
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image024.jpg")
Peter Philip Jurgen Quint Ondaatjie 1758
– 1818 was the first Asian to figure prominently in modern European
history. In 1811 Napoleon 1 nominated him to the imperial Council of Prizes=
and
in 1814 was named a high Court Judge in Netherlands, he died in 1818 while =
on
his way to take up the highest civil service office in Batavia.
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image026.jpg")
Simon Casie Chitty was the first Ceylone=
se
Civil Servant, was elected a member of the legislative council in 1845 at t=
he
age of 38, he is credited with publishing the first Ceylon Gazetteer and wa=
s a
writer of great repute, a linguist with mastery of English, Sinhalese, Tami=
l,
Sanskrit, Hebrew and Arabic and a
fair knowledge of Portuguese, Dutch, Latin and Greek.
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image028.jpg")
His Excell=
ency J
R Jayewardene first
paternal ancestor was a Colombo Chetty as mentioned in the “Biography=
on
President J.R.Jayawardena” by Prof K.M.de Silva & Howard Wriggins=
.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT:
Colombo
Chetties have made great contributions to the Socio-Economic development of=
Sri
Lankan society, in trade & finance they were among the first importers =
and
exporters of traditional and non-traditional goods, they introduced and
pioneered teak plantations.
I
will highlight the achievements of a few to show the diversity of their
contributions to our society:
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image030.jpg")
=
;
R I
Fernandopulle Was
considered a pioneer and expert in the Coconut industry in
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image032.jpg")
Deshabandu Reggie Candappa Was considere=
d the
doyen of advertising in
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image034.jpg")
Talking
of Business and Finance mention must be made to Sir Christopher Ondaatjie,
recently knighted by HM Queen Elizabeth, in addition to his achieveme=
nts in
the field of business and finance, he is probably the only born Sri Lankan =
to
win a Gold medal in an Olympics when as a member of the Canadian Bob-Sledge
team they won gold at the 1964 Olympics.
![](3D"cchettymain_files/image036.jpg")
In
the field of literature are many Colombo Chetties, Michael
Ondaatjie achieved world fame as an author when his novel “=
;The
English Patient” won the coveted Booker Prize, the film version was
acclaimed as one of the most outstanding films ever made, it created histor=
y by
winning a record number of academy awards.
The
Chetties have contributed substantially in the intellectual realm. De Melho=
translated both biblical testaments into Tamil. John J. Casie Chetty’s translation=
of
Voet’s Roman Dutch Law into English is considered a distinct contribu=
tion
to the legal literature of
COMMUNITY SERVICE
The
Colombo Chetties have also contributed by way of social service programs, M=
ulti
service health camps, Donation of Books and Stationery to Tsunami effected
children are a few of the major projects undertaken in recent times. The Vimukthi Niwasa project which provid=
es
Education and economic assistance to Hundreds of Children of Low income
families in 20 villages in the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts, and inclu=
des:
Empowerment programs for women, Self employment and Vocational training, Pre
Schools and Housing .This is a stand out program which is being conducted f=
or
the past 16 years, this project is unique because it does not benefit the Colombo Chetties but a=
ll
other communities who inhabit these areas.
COMMUNAL
HARMONY.
The
Colombo Chetty Community prides itself in its ability to live in perfect
harmony with all ethnic groups in
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BOOK
LAUNCH :
Most
of the above information is extracted from the lead article written by me in
the publication titled “History of the Colombo Chetties” which =
was
Launched by the Prime Minister, Hon Ratnasiri Wickremenayake in December 20=
00
at the BMICH, the first copy was ceremoniously handed over to Prof G V P
Somaratne in recognition of his assistance towards this publication. Wide
publicity was given in the local media to this event and also to the histor=
ical
facts contained in it.
FAMILY NAM=
ES OF
Alles
(also used by Sinhalese), Adaman, Anandappa, Anandapulle, Aserappa, Ammiapp=
a,
Babapulle, Britto (also used by Tamils), Britto Babapulle, Britto Mutunayag=
am
(also used by Tamils), Cadiramen, Caderamenpulle, Candappa (Kandappa when u=
sed
by Tamils), Canjemenaden, Casie Chetty, CasieChitty, Chitty, Christy David,
Corea, David (also a Tamil name), De Costa (also used by Sinhalese), De Mel=
ho,
De Rosairo (also used by Burghers), Fernandopulle, Gnanamuttupulle, Jurie,<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Kaithanpulle, Massillamany (Massil=
amoni
when used by Tamils), Mudiappa, Murugappa, Muttupulle, Muttukrishna (also u=
sed
by Tamils), Muttukistna, Ondaatjie, Perumal (should be coupled with Ayam or
Rodrigo Muniyaram A or RM), Perera Pulle, Pulle, Pulleneyegam, Pulle Tisser=
a,
Ramanaden (Ramanathan when used by Tamils), Ramanathapulle, Revelpulle, Rod=
rigo
(also used by Tamils), Rodrigopulle, Saverimuttupulle, Saverimuthapulle,
Savundranayagam (Savundaranayagam when used by Tamils), Silvapulle,
Silvesterpulle, Thevarayan, Tissera (also used by burghers and Sinhalese) ,
Tissera Pulle, Vindurampulle, Wanniappa & Weerappa.
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The writer is Shirley Pulle Tissera. JP<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> -=
General Secretary / Vice President Colombo Chetty Association of Sri
Lanka (1984- 2004), Chairman-=
Board
of Trustees of Vimukthi Niwasa,
District Governor of Lions District 306C (1991/92), President -South Asian Federation =
of NGO
- SAFNGO 1995 (membership of all SAARC countries), President -International Federatio=
n of
NGOs -IFNGO 2003-2005 (membership of 45 Countries and Regional Bodies), President of the Community Front f=
or
Prevention of AIDS - CFPA, Co-ordinator / Treasurer Congress of Religions,<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Vice Chairman, CCM of the Global F=
und,
Ministry of Health GFATM and
Company Director.