Sub-castes
Traditionally, the Salagama were divided into four sub-castes:
- Panividakara ('Special messengers') or - headmen (equal to Mohottalas)
- Hewapanne ('soldiers' & military officers) - militia
- Kurundukara (Kurunthukarar in Tamil means ('cinnamon workers').
- Uliyakkara- Palanquin bearers and fan bearers)
However, in modern times there is a simple twofold division between the Hewapanne and the Kurundukara. The former are of higher status, including landowners in their ranks,the "Kurundukara's" enjoyed a high status in Sinhala society,before being punished by the King of Kotte in 1406 and downgraded to a lower status,who also imposed cinnamon as a tax, at one stage the tax exceeded their manpower, and became virtually unbearable, and it took a heavy toll in their mortality rate, some of them were subsequently forced to change their names to other castes to escape it.
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