Which caste is powerful in Sri Lanka?
The agricultural society have mainly the castes of the Vellalar, Pallar, Nalavar and Koviar, whereas the Vellalar caste is the dominating one, particularly in Northern Sri Lanka. They constitute approximately half of the Sri Lankan Tamil population and are the major land owning and agricultural caste.
Which religion is highest in Sri Lanka?
Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of Sri Lanka, with about 70.2% of the country’s population as followers.
What is the official religion of Sinhala?
The Sinhalese majority generally follows Buddhism, which has seen the faith gain special status over other religions despite not being the official religion of the country. Those who identify as Hindu tend to be ethnic Tamils, while those who identify as Muslim are generally Sri Lankan Moors.
Is Sri Lanka Buddhist or Hindu?
Buddhism is the largest religion of Sri Lanka with 70.2% of the population practicing the religion; then, there are Hindus with 12.6%; Muslims with 9.7% and Christians with 7.4%. The census indicates that most Muslims are Sunni while the Christians are mainly Roman Catholic.
Does Sri Lanka have caste system?
Sri Lanka has three parallel caste systems for each of the country’s main population groups: the Sinhalese majority; the Sri Lankan Tamils to the north and east; and the Indian Tamils who are mainly found in the tea plantations and at the bottom of the urban social hierarchy.
Who are the major religious figures in Sri Lanka?
The population declined since the 1981 census on account of Sri Lankan Tamil emigration overseas and the repatriation of ‘Indian’ Tamils. A significant Hindu religious figure in Sri Lankan modern history is Satguru Siva Yogaswami of Jaffna.
What kind of people are the Tamils in Sri Lanka?
According to the anthropological and archaeological evidence, Sri Lankan Tamils have a very long history in Sri Lanka and have lived on the island since at least around the 2nd century BCE . The Sri Lankan Tamils are mostly Hindus with a significant Christian population.
What is the symbol of Tamil nationalism in Sri Lanka?
Inspired by the Tamil Eelam flag, the tiger also used by the LTTE, has become a symbol of Tamil nationalism for Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora. There is little scholarly consensus over the presence of the Sri Lankan Tamil people in Sri Lanka, also known as Eelam in Sangam literature.
Which is the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka?
According to the 2012 census there were 2,270,924 Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka, 11.2% of the population. Sri Lankan Tamils constitute an overwhelming majority of the population in the Northern Province and are the largest ethnic group in the Eastern Province.