Govigamaとは 意味・読み方・使い方

Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been responsible for the cultivation of the lands as the landed gentry of the country, in accordance with the traditional Rajakariya system (Sri Lanka’s Tenurial system of land holding). Most of the Govi cast had been exempted from Rajakariya as they were the leaders and the landlords of the country.Sri Lanka has traditionally been an agrarian civilization for 2500 years and hence the relationship between cultivator, land-owner and feudal authority is understandable.Cultivation was so important to the sustainability of kingdoms, that the kings even built reservoirs in villages throughout Sri Lanka. Monarchy of Sri Lanka was from the high class family of Govi cast.Even in the present,it is the norm that the head of the country is a Govi cast member,though President Premadasa was not. The Mahavamsa describes how the Kings of Sri Lanka participated in the Vap Magula (Ceremonial Plowing) at the beginning of the paddy season. The status as cultivators in a largely agricultural society are undisputed associations predating Colonial occupation of Sri Lanka, establishing Govigama as a major caste in Sri Lanka from pre-colonial times. The Sri Lankan Tamil equivalent of Govigama is the Vellala caste.