Kandyan Artisans and the British Land Laws

This episode explores the devastating economic impact of the Waste Lands Ordinance of 1840 on Sri Lanka’s traditional artisans, particularly the woodcarvers and architects who built the Kandyan Kingdom’s sacred spaces. We examine how the British colonial administration’s seizure of unregistered land stripped these craftsmen of their royal patronage and livelihoods. Lucas details the specific plight of the Vanniyar class and the independent guilds in Kandy, while Luna asks about the survival of their techniques. We trace the shift from temple construction to commercial timber, highlighting figures like Keppetipola Disawe and the cultural loss behind the legal texts. The conversation connects the architectural grandeur of the Dalada Maligawa to the quiet desperation of its makers under colonial rule.

#SriLankaHistory #KandyanKingdom #WasteLandsOrdinance #BritishCeylon #ArtisanCrafts #Woodcarving #TempleArchitecture #ColonialEconomics #KeppetipolaDisawe #DaladaMaligawa #Vanniyar #SouthAsianHistory #PostColonialStudies #LandReform #CulturalHeritage #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #Kandy

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