Originally a classist insult used by city dwellers to describe an uneducated village bumpkin, this word has evolved into one of the most heavily used political labels in everyday Sri Lankan conversations.

The meaning shifted around 2014 when former President Mahinda Rajapaksa jokingly asked a cheering crowd, "Kohomada gamey bayyange wada?" (How is the work of the village bayyas?). His hardcore supporters loved the shoutout and proudly adopted the label as a badge of honor.

Today, the general public uses it as a sharp insult. Calling someone a Bayya means you see them as a blind, unquestioning political fanatic. They are the people who will defend the Rajapaksa family to the bitter end, even when the economy is crashing. You will often find a typical Bayya believing in pseudo-science (like magical Covid syrups), bragging that ancient King Ravana flew airplanes, and blaming foreign conspiracies for all the country's problems.

In the holy trinity of Sri Lankan political slang, the Bayya is the hardcore ultra-nationalist. They constantly war in comment sections and family WhatsApp groups against the "Toyya" (the elite, pseudo-liberal UNP supporter) and the "Jeppa" (the socialist JVP supporter).