Kandyan Elitism as an Eastern Brand of Elitism and Formulating Kandyan Elite Domestic Architecture

This paper attempts to discern the condition of elitism with relation to a unique Eastern situation – the indigenously- governed Kandyan regions of Ceylon – that only saw light of the relentless forces of Western-led globalization as late as 1815. Kandyan elitism, over the years, has been either misinterpreted or addressed facilely by scholars, while being indifferent to the separation between Kandyan elites and sub-elites. The objective here is to make explicit the factors underlying this division, which could be manifested through Kandyan elite and sub-elite domestic architectures. Identifying ambivalences evident in the two types is intrinsic to this exercise.

DOI: 10.4038/besl.v9i1-2.3062

Built - Environment - Sri Lanka - Vol. 09 - 10, Issue 01 - 02 : 2011 pp.21-36