NO. 61. — 1908.] SUMPTUARY LAWS OF THE KANDYANS. 123 



paddy, which grows on wet or muddy ground, or any other 

 cultivation, and fieldwork are never done for wages, but by 

 mutual assistance, as in the case of ploughing.* 



If the work is for a headman or some one of consequence , 

 he should go to his neighbours and invite them to do his 

 work by offering them betel. When such is the case, it is 

 not customary to go and work for his neighbours in his 

 turn; but he should give those who work food and drink. 

 The native nobility get their work done in this way. Other 

 classes do their work by mutual help.f 



When a party is entertained at a house , or when there is a 

 festival, the custom is to go round the village and collect the 

 things necessary for it from friends, without any payment. 

 Anything that it is impossible to get this way is bought from 

 the bazaar. 



Though expenditure is curtailed so carefully in such cases , 

 when anything is done for the sake of " show," or when he 

 is involved in a law suit, or seeks to secure a post under 

 Government, the Kandyan spends his money extravagantly. 

 In olden days there was a custom of paying money openly to 

 dignitaries to secure a post. A sum of 500 ridi was offered 

 to the Disawa (chief of a province) for getting charge 

 of a district, &c. For other posts also there were fixed 

 amounts. J Even at the present day, in conformity with 

 that custom, Kandyans do not hesitate to sell their lands 

 in order to gain Government posts. But it is not usual to 

 spend their money so unsparingly either for raiment and 

 ornament, food and drink, or for their ease and comfort. 

 Now as to the social etiquette of the Kandyans. v 

 When a woman is confined, the females in the neigh- 

 bourhood should visit the child and its mother. If the 

 new-born baby is not handed over to the female visitors to 

 take in their arms, it is a breach of etiquette. They would 

 certainly be offended were the custom omitted. When the 



* Some people have now adopted the custom of hiring labourers, 

 f In the work of the ryot there are certain things to be done by 

 women. 



{ [If rumour lies not, the " custom " has not altogether died out. — 

 B., Hon. Sec] 



