The Fracture in the Robe: How Feudal Politics Shaped Monastic Caste Rules in Kandy

In 1753, with the help of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha, Veliwita Sri Saranankara Thero successfully re-established Higher Ordination (Upasampada) in Sri Lanka by bringing Siamese monks led by Upali Thero, forming the Siyam Nikaya (Siam Opasa).

Grounded in canonical Buddhist philosophy—which strictly rejects caste hierarchy in the Sangha—Saranankara Thero initially ordained individuals based on learning and devotion rather than caste. Among his early distinguished pupils was Sitinamaluwe Dhammajoti Thero, a brilliant southern scholar from a non-Govigama caste.

What Happened to the Katikawata?

  1. Pressure from the Kandyan Aristocracy (Radalas)

    The Kandyan nobility and feudal chiefs strongly objected to lower-caste individuals receiving higher ordination. They feared that if non-Govigama monks held senior positions in the Sangha, it would disrupt the traditional land-tenure system, control over monastic lands (Viharagam), and social hierarchy of the Kandyan Kingdom.

  2. The Enactment of the Exclusionary Katikawata

    Under intense political pressure from the court aristocracy, King Kirti Sri Rajasinha issued a royal decree (Katikawata) restricting higher ordination (Upasampada) within the Siyam Nikaya strictly to the Govigama caste.

  3. Lasting Enforcement in Siyam Nikaya

    This Katikawata was institutionalized, overriding the original egalitarian vision of Saranankara Thero. To this day, both the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters of the Siyam Nikaya enforce this restriction.

  4. The Catalyst for New Monastic Orders

    Because non-Govigama novices were barred from higher ordination under this Katikawata, monks from the maritime regions refused to accept the restriction:

    • In 1799, Ambagahapitiye Gnanavimala Thero and a group of monks traveled to Burma (Myanmar) to obtain higher ordination without caste barriers.

    • They returned in 1800 and established the Amarapura Nikaya, which granted ordination to all castes.

    • Later in 1864, Ambagahawatte Sri Saranankara Thero founded the Ramanna Nikaya under similar egalitarian principles.



Location: Makumbura, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka

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