The Dutch Houses in Ceylon

Sinhalese was Buddhist or Hindus
Portuguese was Catholic
Dutch was Protestant; they killed all others
Moors were Muslims; they retreated to highlands of the interior

Sinhalese call it Sri Lanka
Portuguese called it Ceilao
Dutch called it Zeyland/Zeilan
British called it Ceylon


When the Dutch occupied Ceylon after the Portuguese, they lived inside the Portuguese forts until they were overcrowded and had to live outside the forts. The Dutch lived in their own communities and enclaves. They were in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and many highland towns. They had initially occupied the lowlands, but floods forced them to retreat to the hills.

Today, after 221 years, the remains of the Dutch dwellings can still be seen at many places in Sri Lanka (old Ceylon). Some have been restored to beautiful boutique hotels. Many have been left dilapidated and are now in crumbles and remains can still be seen on the ground.

The architecture of these Dutch dwellings are a delight to know. They are distinct items of architecture - the Dutch houses, Dutch doors, Dutch windows and courtyards. They are brick houses, built in a U-formation and have corridors with gigantic cylindrical cloumns. The doors are huge and the windows with glass inside frames and external wooden shutters. They have porcelain roof tiles, typical of those at the time.

The ground outside is loose red stones. The lawn can be expansive and with trees to demarcate the boundaries. The dwellings are built high in the hills, with tiny roads leading up to the front courtyard.

The furniture is typical Dutch black wooden chairs, tables, sofas and hutches. There is also a wine cabinet for tiny wine bottles. There are wicker ottomans and winged upholstered chairs. There are cushions with owner's family crest. There is also a family name or household name inscribed on the lowest step.

Most of the Dutch dwellings in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) are similar to the ones we find in Malaya (now Malaysia). Dutch Malacca still has some of the Dutch & British colonial homes, but they are the restored or newly rebuilt ones. Only a few such houses have withstood 220+ years.

The British fought against the Dutch & Kandyans at Kandy in 1803 and in the end won Kandy in 1815. After wining Kandy, the Kandyans were stripped of land ownership and were reduced to poverty. Kandy was cool and conducive for growing initially coffee, later replaced by tea, spices and rubber. Ceylon tea was highly profitable and indentured labourers were imported from South India.

Under British rule, the population was divided and each ruled differently. The British favoured the Burghers, upper-class Sinhalese and Tamils in the north. The poor Sinhalese had no support. Thus, enmity grew between the colonials and the colonized.

When World War II (WW2) occurred, Colombo was bombed. The Colombo Fort was also bombed. The Indians who were the economists of Ceylon fled home to India. Ceylon had less Indians.


External links
http://rwpl.net/blog/dutch-elitist-neighborhoods-of-ceylon/
http://sacredtearsbook.com.au/sri-lanka/european-colonial-rule/
http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/02/15/fea20.asp
http://www.srilankainstyle.com/hotels/dutch-house-bandarawela/
http://www.mansionkandy.com/#
http://www.srilankanexpeditions.com/accommodation.php?id=188
https://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/the-burghers-in-sri-lanka-a-hunt-for-photographs/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/350928995937555089/
http://www.genealogysrilanka.com/the-dutch-reformed-church-kalpitiya/
https://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Attraction_Review-g1404719-d4103325-Reviews-Dutch_Church_Kalpitiya-Kalpitiya_North_Western_Province.html
http://www.wolvendaal.org/gallery/governors

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