Karava of Sri Lanka
Genealogy
The Genealogies of a few Sri Lankan Karava families from Rootsweb, defonseka.com etc. are given below.
Please start writing the Genealogy of your own family and email it to us for inclusion here.
Genealogies
Aruma Kankanamge family of Metiyagoda
d' Anderado family of Marawila
De Fonseka families of Panadura
de Silva Jayasuriya Goonewardane family of Galle
de Silva Kularatne family of Galle
Domingo Hewa family of Kathaluwa
Edmond Clarke De Fonseka family
Gampolage John Marshall de Fonseka
Haramanis Dias family of Panadura
Hendrick Pieris family of Moratuwa
Hettiakandage Juan Fernando family of Moratuwa
Jayewardene family of Ambalangoda
Jiris de Silva Jayawickrama Amarasuriya family
Kalutara Vedage de Fonseka family
Kalutarawedage Clarence Solomon de Fonseka
Kalutarawedage Clarence Peduru de Fonseka
Kalutarawedage Lenora de Fonseka
Kalutarawedage Salmon de Fonseka
Kirtisinghe family of Hikkaduwa
Lindamulage (Thakura Artadeva Adithya Guardiavasam) de Silva family of Moratuwa
Lindamulage family of Violet Cottage
Lindon Jussey de Silva family of Moratuwa
Manukulasuriya family
Varnakulasuriya Fernando family of Marawila
Vidanelage Joseph de Mel family of Moratuwa
Varnakula Aditya Arasanilaitta clan
Varnakula Addittya Arasanilaitta Tissera family
Warnadeeptha Kurukulasuriya Pattini Hennedige Rodrigo family of Panadura
Warnakula Adittya Arasanilaitta Don Perera family of Marawila
Who We Are
Karava(pronounced Karaava) also Karawa, Karawe, Karave, Kaurava, Kshatriya, Khatriya, Kuru, Kuru Kula, Kurukulam, Kurukulum, Kurukulather or Kurukulathar is the traditional military (warrior / Kshatriyas / royal ) race, of Sri Lanka. The Karavas were one of the interconnected ruling dynasties of the Indian region. Royal succession in Sri Lanka passed on to Karava rulers during the Polonnaruwa period. Karava king Gajabahu was one of the greatest, and the Kandy Perehera and other annual pageants of Sri Lanka that end with the water cutting ceremony were initially pageants in honour of king Gajabahu's victories . The many kingdoms of Sri Lanka were thereafter ruled by Karava Kings and sub-kings until the last three kingdoms passed over from Karava royal families to Europeans; Kotte and Jaffna in the 16th century to the Portuguese and Kandy in the 19th century to the British (see Timeline of Kings)
True to their royal ancestry, the Karavas are the only Sri Lankan community to bear ancestral family names that signify royal ancestry, possess an array of ancient flags and use royal insignia at family ceremonies.
The fortunes of the Karavas have seen ups and downs over the centuries dependent on Karava royal families and their victories, defeats and alliances with South Indian royal dynasties. European colonisation ended all native dynasties and rulers of the region and was therefore disastrous for the Karavas as well as the Kshatriya Rajputs of India. (see Timeline of the Karava I) The post-independence period too has been particularly disastrous for the Karavas. Whatever lost wealth and power the Karavas had regained during the British period was taken away by Govigama dominated post-independence governments of Sri Lanka. (see Timeline of the Karava II ) and state sponsored propaganda over the past half a century has attempted to falsely portray the Karawas as the "Fisher caste" of Sri Lanka (see Govi supremacy myth )
Kshatriya Maha Sabha, Sri Lanka