Appuhamy

Appuhamy, or Appuhamilage (Sinhalese: අප්පුහාමි) from Appoe (Gentleman) and Hamie (Lord) (Hamie is a derivation of Sanskrit word Swami) is a Sinhala surname or given name use in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) as a title usually among Govi Vamsa and a term used for Chamberlains (Dugaganna Rala) of Kandyan era Kings,Equivalent terms for a wife of an Appuhamy are Hamine, Manike, or sometimes Kumarihamy.

.

Those members of three families of the King’s men referred also as Chamberlains who rendered their services in their capacity as Watchmen or Guardsmen (In-charge of) at Barrier of Royal Bed Chamber called Hathapenage,and those at The Royal Time Keepers Point barrier watchmen (or in-charge of) or guardsmen called Atapattu Murapola and then The Royal Gold Weaponry or Armory guardsmen (In-Charge of) called The Ran Avuda Mandapa, all of whom were allocated as a mark of Respect and a title of appreciation,the General appellation called Appuhamys respectively. It was in referring to them that the title called Dugaganna Rala or Dugaganna Nilame was also applied to. Those officers were derived from families with proven loyalty and sacrificial devotion to his Majesty and from those traditional families commanding high respect and honour from the countrymen. As these posts were starting points for other vital and strategic posts in his Majesty's services,they were highly competitive or contested. Although King Veera Parakrama Narendra Singha contemplated that it suffices if these officers were made to serve his Majesty every other month-like all other King’s officers-and that going by shifts. But when the Appuhamys pointed out that,with this shifts system,they too would fall into the same despicable level as the other officers of the King,and consequently appealed to his Majesty-that they be allowed to or grant them permission to-render their services to him continually,and as and when they wanted releasment for personal reasons they would make themselves absent,of course with prior approval from the Throne. Just adhering to the literary meaning of the Sinhala word Dugganna Rala,these King’s men were even alert to-never hesitated to-sacrifice their own lives for the good of His Majesty The King. The last Kandyan King,deserted by his own ministers and country men,and when on his fleeing to Madha Mahanuwara,when taking rest at Gallahawatte Arachchi’s home,that Bed Chamber was guarded by a Hathapenage Appuhamy.

...
Wikipedia