Gabit.—A Bombay fishing caste returned at the census, 1901. To Malpe in the South Canara district, during the fishing season, come fishermen with a flotilla of keeled and outrigged sailing boats from Ratnagiri in the Bombay Presidency. Hither also come fishermen from Goa. The reasons given by the Ratnagiri fishermen for coming southward are that fish are not so abundant off their own coast, competition is keener, and salt more expensive. Moreover, the crystals of Bombay salt are too large for successful curing, and “do not agree with the fish, of which the flesh is turned black.” If, they said contemptuously, they were to sun-dry fish by the local method, their people would laugh at them for bringing back, not fish, but dried cow-dung for fuel. The Ratnagiri boats go well out of sight of land to the fishing ground, where they catch seir, pomfret, cat-fish (Arius), and other big fish near the surface, and sharks in deeper water. If the fishing is not good near Malpe, they may go south as far as Mangalore. To the Ratnagiri fishermen the seir (Cybium) is the most valuable and lucrative fish. Under existing arrangements, by which clashing of interests is avoided, the fishery at Malpe is divided into two zones, viz., the deep sea fished by the large Ratnagiri boats, and the shallow littoral water by the smaller local and Goa boats. Gadaba.—The Gadabas are a tribe of agriculturists, coolies, and hunters in the Vizagapatam district. Hunting is said to be gradually decreasing, as many of the forests are now preserved, and shooting without a There is a tradition that the tribe owes its name to the fact that its ancestors emigrated from the banks of the Godabari (Godavari) river, and settled at Nandapur, the former capital of the Rajas of Jeypore. The Gadabas have a language of their own, of which a vocabulary is given in the Vizagapatam Manual. This language is included by Mr. G. A. Grierson The tribe is apparently divided into five sections, called Bodo (big) or Gutob, Parenga, Olaro, Kaththiri or Kaththara, and Kapu. Of these, the last two are settled in the plains, and say that they are Bodo and Olaro Gadabas who migrated thither from the hills. As among the Gadabas, so among the Savaras, there is a section which has settled on the plains, and adopted Kapu as its name. In the Madras Census Report, 1891, nearly a thousand Gadabas are returned as belonging to the Chenchu sub-division. Chenchu is the name of a separate jungle tribe in the Telugu country, and I have been unable to confirm the existence of a Chenchu sub-division among the Gadabas. In the Madras Census Report, 1871, Mr. H. G. Turner states that “very much akin to the Gadabas are a class called Kerang Kapus. They will not admit any connexion with them; but, as their language is almost identical, such gainsaying cannot be permitted them. They are called Kerang Kapu from the circumstance of their women weaving cloths, which they weave from the fibre of a jungle shrub called Kerang (Calotropis gigantea).” Mr. H. A. Stuart remarks Some Gadaba women wear a bustle or dress improver, called irre or kitte. This article of attire is accounted for by the following tradition. “A goddess visited a Gadaba village incognito, and asked leave of one of the women to rest on a cot. She was brusquely told that the proper seat for beggars was the floor, and she consequently decreed that thenceforth all Gadaba women should wear a bustle to remind them to avoid churlishness.” Some Gadaba women wear immense earrings made of long pieces of brass wire wound into a circle, which hang down from a hole in the ear, and sometimes reach to the shoulders. The wire is sold in the shandy (market) at so much a cubit. The head-dress of some of the women consists of a chaplet of Oliva shells, and strings of beads of various sizes and colours, or the red and black berries of Abrus precatorius, with pendants which hang over the forehead. The women also wear bead necklaces, to which a coin may sometimes be seen attached as a pendant. Bracelets and rings are as a rule made of brass or copper, but sometimes silver rings are worn. Toe-rings and brass or silver anklets are considered fashionable ornaments. Among the Olaro Gadabas, the wearing of brass anklets by a woman indicates that she is married. For teaching backward children to walk, the Gadabas employ a bamboo stick split so as to make a fork, the prongs of which are connected by a cross-bar. The apparatus is held by the mother, and the child, clutching the cross-bar, toddles along. Among the Bodo and Olaro sections, the following septs occur:—Kora (sun), Nag (cobra), Bhag (tiger), Kira (parrot), and Gollari (monkey). The Gadabas who have settled in the plains seem to have forgotten the sept names, but will not injure or kill certain animals, e.g., the cobra. Girls are as a rule married after puberty. When a young man’s parents think it time for him to get married, they repair to the home of an eligible girl with rice and liquor, and say that they have come to ask a boon, but do not mention what it is. They are treated to a meal, and return home. Some time afterwards, on a day fixed by the Disari, three or four aged relatives of the young In a note on marriage among the Parenga Gadabas, Mr. G. F. Paddison writes that they have two forms of marriage rite, one of which (biba) is accompanied by The ghorojavai system, according to which a man works for a stated period for his future father-in-law, is practiced by the Gadabas. But a cash payment is said to be now substituted for service. The remarriage of widows is permitted, and a younger brother may marry the widow of his elder brother. If she does not marry him, the second husband has to pay a sum of money, called in Oriya the rand tonka, to him. When a man divorces his wife, her relations are summoned, and he pays her two rupees before sending her away. Of this sum, one rupee is paid as buchni for suspicion regarding her chastity, and the other as chatni for driving her away. A divorced woman may remarry. In the hills, the village headman is called Janni or Nayako, and in the plains Naidado. He is assisted by a Kirasani, who is also the caste priest. Concerning the religion of the Gadabas, Mr. H. D. Taylor writes “There is,” Mr. G. F. Paddison writes, “rather a curious custom in connection with a village goddess. Close to her shrine a swing is kept. On this swing, once a year at the great village festival, thorns are placed, and the village priest or priestess sits on them without harm. If the pujari is a male, he has been made neuter. But, if the village is not fortunate enough The Gadabas, like other hill tribes, name their children after the day of the week on which they are born. On the plains, however, some give their children low-country names, e.g., Ramudu, Lachigadu, Arjanna, etc. Males are, as a rule, burnt; but, if a person dies in the night or on a rainy day, the corpse is sometimes buried. Women and children are usually buried, presumably because they are not thought worth the fuel necessary for cremation. Only relations are permitted to touch a corpse. Death pollution is observed for three days, during which the caste occupation must not be engaged in. Stone slabs are erected to the memory of the dead, and sacrifices are offered to them now and again. The Gadabas have a devil dance, which they are willing to perform before strangers in return for a small present. It has been thus described by Captain Glasfurd. In recent years, some Gadabas have emigrated to Assam, to work in the tea-gardens. But emigration has now stopped by edict. For the information contained in this article, I am mainly indebted to notes by Mr. C. A. Henderson, Mr. W. Francis, Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao, and the Kumara Raja of Bobbili. Gadi (cart).—An exogamous sept of Mala. Gadidhe Kandla (donkey’s eyes).—An exogamous sept of Boya. Gadu.—A common suffix to the name of individuals among various Telugu classes, e.g., Ramigadu, Subbigadu. Gaduge (throne).—A gotra of Kurni. Gaita.—A sub-division of Konda Razu. Gajjal (a small bell).—A sub-division of Toreya. Gali.—Gali or Galollu, meaning wind, devil, or spirit, is recorded as an exogamous sept of Kamma, Kuruba, and Mala. Gamalla.—The Gamallas are a class of toddy-drawers, and distillers and vendors of arrack in the Telugu country and are supposed to be Idigas who have bettered themselves, and separated from that caste. Both Gamallas and Idigas worship the deity Kattamayya. At the census, 1891, some returned Idiga as their sub-division. In the Cuddapah district some toddy-drawers style themselves Asilivandlu. Possibly the Idiga, Gamalla, and Asili toddy-drawing classes only represent three endogamous sections of a single caste. In the Nellore district, the toddy-drawers style themselves Gamandla or Gavandlavandlu, and say that they have one gotra Kaumandlapu or Gaumandlapu. It is probable that the name Gamandla or Gavandla has been coined by Brahman purohits, to connect the caste with Kaumandala Maharishi of the Puranas. The Gamallas say that they were created to draw toddy by the sage Kavundinya, and that they belong to the Gaundla varnam (caste). I am informed that a Puranam, called Gamandla or Gamudi Puranam, has been created. In the social scale, the toddy-drawers appear to occupy a higher position in the Telugu than in the Tamil country, and they are sometimes said to be Telagas or Balijas, who have adopted toddy-drawing as a profession. The more prosperous members of the community are toddy The Kapus of the Nellore district employ Gamallas as their cooks and domestic servants, and all menial service and cooking are done by Gamallas in the houses of Kapus on the occasion of festivals and marriages. Concerning the origin of the Gamallas, the following legend is current. A Rishi was doing penance by standing on his head, and, like the chamÆleon, living on light and air, instead of food. According to some, the Rishi was Kaumandla, while others do not know his name. An Idiga girl passed by the Rishi, carrying a pot filled with toddy, which polluted the air, so that the Rishi could not continue the penance. Being struck with the girl’s beauty, he followed her to her home, and pointed out to her that she was the cause of his mishap. He asked her to become his wife, but she announced that she was already married. Eventually, however, they became secretly united, and, in consequence, the whole town caught fire. The girl’s husband, returning home with some toddy, was amazed at the sight, and she, to protect him, hid the Rishi in a vat. Into this vat the husband poured the toddy, which made the Rishi breathe hard, so that the toddy, for the first time on record, began to foam. Noticing this, the husband found a lingam, into which the Rishi had been transformed. This lingam was worshipped by the Gamandlas, and they are at the present day Saivites. Like other Telugu castes, the Gamallas have exogamous septs, such as parvathala (hills), kudumalu (a cake), annam (cooked rice), and pandhi (pig). Among gotras, the following may be noted:—kavundinya, karunya, vachalya, and surapandesvara (sura panda, toddy pot). Marriage is, as a rule, adult, and remarriage of widows is permitted, though the tendency at the present day is to abandon the practice. At the wedding of a widow, the bottu (marriage badge) is tied round her neck at night. Prior to the marriage ceremony, the worship of female ancestors must be performed. A new female cloth, betel, and flowers, are placed on a tray, and worshipped by the mothers of the contracting couple. The cloth is given as a present to a sister or other near relation of the bride or bridegroom. Gamallas. Gamallas. The dead are cremated, and the widow breaks one or two of her bangles. Fire must be carried to the burning-ground by the father of the deceased, if he is alive. On the day following cremation, the hot embers are extinguished, and the ashes collected, and shaped into an effigy, near the head of which three conical masses of mud and ashes are set up. To these representatives of Rudra, Yama, and the spirit of the departed, cooked rice and vegetables are offered up on three leaves. One of the leaves is given to the Jangam, who officiates at the rite, another to a washerman, and the third is left, so that the food on it may be eaten by crows. All, who are assembled, wait till these birds collect, and the ashes are finally poured on a tree. On the ninth, tenth, or eleventh day after death, a ceremony called the peddadinam (big day) is performed. Cooked rice, curry, meat, and other things, are placed on a leaf inside the house. Sitting near this leaf, the widow weeps and breaks one or two of the glass bangles, which she wears on the wrist. The food is then taken to a stream or tank (pond), where the agnates, after shaving, bathing, and purification, make an effigy of the dead person on the ground. Close to this cooked rice and vegetables are placed on three leaves, and offered to the Like many other Telugu castes, the Gamallas have a class of beggars, called Eneti, attached to them, for whom a subscription is raised when they turn up. The Gamallas are mostly Saivites, and their priests are Aradhya Brahmans, i.e., Telugu Brahmans, who have adopted some of the customs of the Lingayats. They worship a variety of gods and goddesses, who include Potharaju, Katamayya, Gangamma, Mathamma, and Thallamma, or Thadlamma. Once or twice during the year, a pot of toddy is brought from every house to the shrine of Thallamma, and the liquor contained in some of the pots is poured on the floor, and the remainder given to those assembled, irrespective of caste. At the festival of Dipavali, the celebrants bathe in the early morning, and go, in wet clothes, to an ant-hill, Gamalla muggu. Gamalla muggu. At the festival of Sankaranthi, the principal member of every family observes the worship of ancestors. Various articles are placed in a room on leaf plates representing the ancestors, who are worshipped by the celebrant after he has been purified by bathing. Taking a little of the food from each leaf, he places it on a single leaf, which is worshipped, and placed in the court-yard, so that the crows may partake thereof. The remainder of the food is distributed among the members of the family. At the census, 1901, some Gamallas returned themselves as Settigadu (Chetti). Gampa (basket).—A sub-division of Kamma and Telaga, and an exogamous sept of Odde. The name, among the Kammas, refers to a deadly struggle at Gandikota, in which some escaped by hiding in baskets. Gampa dhompti is the name of a sub-division of the Madigas, whose marriage offerings to the god are placed in a basket. Ganayata.—Recorded, at times of census, as a sub-division of Lingayat Jangams in the Nellore, Cuddapah, and Kurnool districts. The Sanskrit word Ganam means Siva’s attendants. Gandham (sandal paste).—An exogamous sept of Balijas, one sub-division of whom is called Gandhavallu Gandikota.—A sub-division of Kamma. Gandi Kottei is recorded Gandla.—See Ganiga. Gangadikara.—Gangadikara, said doubtfully to mean those who lived on the banks of the Ganges, has been recorded as a sub-division of the Holeyas, Okkiliyans, and Vakkaligas. The name probably refers to Gangavadi, the country of the Gangas, a royal line which ruled over the greater part of the modern Mysore in former times. Gangeddu.—The Gangeddulu are a class of mendicants, who travel about the country exhibiting performing bulls. “The exhibition of sacred bulls, known as Gangeddulu (Ganga’s bulls) is very common in the towns and villages of Southern India. The presence of the swami (god) bull, as he is popularly called, is made known by his keeper playing on a small drum, which emits a dismal, booming sound, in the intervals of addressing his dumb companion in a piercing voice. The bull is led For the following note, I am indebted to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. The Gangeddulu, Erudandis, or Perumal Madukkarans, often acquire and train deformed male calves. It is a popular superstition that for a family to keep such animals in its possession is to court destruction. Consequently, when one is born, information is sent to a Gangeddu, who, on his arrival, is sumptuously fed. The calf is then washed, and a new cloth tied to its horns. A small present of money is made to the Gangeddu, and he takes the animal away. Temples The language of the Gangeddulu is Telugu, but those who have migrated to the Tamil country also speak the language of the south. They profess the Vaishnavite religion, and are of the Tengalai persuasion. They have Brahman gurus (religious preceptors), who reside at Srirangam, Tirupati, and other places. By them the Gangeddulu are branded on the shoulder with the emblems of the chank and chakram, and initiated into the mysteries of the Dasari priesthood. But, though they call themselves Dasaris, the Gangeddulu have no marital or other connection with the Dasaris. In addition to training and exhibiting the performing bulls and cultivating land, the Gangeddulu officiate as Dasaris in the month of Peratasi (September-October). Their principal insignia of office are the chank shell, which is The mistake of a Dasari is excused with an apology. The songs of a Dasari are known only to the god, i.e., they are unintelligible and unreal. For the song of a Dasari alms are the payment, i.e., that is all the song is worth. Sing again what you have sung, oh! Dasari with dirty teeth. When a beggar was asked whether he was a Dasari or a Jangam, he replied that it depends on the next village. This in reference to his being a time-server. A Gangeddu mendicant is, like his bulls, picturesquely attired. He is very punctilious about having his sect-mark on the forehead, invariably wears a turban, and his body is clothed in a long white cloth robe. When going about with the performing bulls, the Gangeddulu generally travel in pairs, one carrying a drum, and the other a bell-metal gong. One of them holds in one hand the nose-rope of the bull, and in the other the whip. The bulls are dressed up in a patch work quilt with two eye-holes in it. Of names which are given to the animals, Rama and Lakshmana are very popular. The tameness of the bulls is referred to in the proverb “As mild as a Gangeddu.” The Perumal Madukkarans, or Perumal Erudukkarans, both of which names indicate those who lead bulls about, are found chiefly in the Chingleput, North and Gangimakkalu.—Gangimakkalu, or Gangaputra, meaning children or sons of Ganga, the goddess of water, is the name of a sub-division of Kabbera. The allied Gangavamsamu, or people of Ganga, is a name for Jalaris. Ganiga or Gandla.—The name Ganiga is derived from the Telugu ganuga, meaning an oil-mill. The Ganigas are said Concerning the Ganigas of the Mysore Province, Mr. V. N. Narasimmiyengar writes as follows. The Ganigas of Sandur, in the little Maratha State of that name, returned Yenne (oil) and Kallu (stone) as sub-divisions. The average cephalic index of these Ganigas was very high, being 80.5 as against 77.6 for the Ganigas of Mysore city. “The oil-mill of the Ganigas is,” Mr. W. Francis writes, The following note refers to the Onteddu (single bullock) Ganigas, who claim superiority over those who employ two bullocks in working their oil-mills. The former belong to the right-hand, and the latter to the left-hand faction. Among them are various sub-divisions, of which the Deva and Onteddu may intermarry, while the Kasi, Teli (gingelly: Sesamum), and Chandanapu are endogamous. Like other Telugu castes they have gotras, some of which are interesting, as there are certain prohibitions connected with them. For example, members of the Badranollu and Balanollu gotras may not cut the tree Erythroxylon monogynum. In like manner, members of the Viranollu and Viththanollu gotras are forbidden to cut Feronia elephantum, and those of the Vedanollu gotra to cut Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. Members of certain other gotras do not cultivate turmeric, sugarcane, or the millet (Panicum miliare). The Onteddu Ganigas are Saivites, and disciples of Lingayat Brahmans (Aradhyas). Some, however, wear the sacred thread, and others bear on the forehead the red streak of the Vaishnavites. In some places, their special deity is Chaudeswara, who is the god of some of the weaving classes. In the Kistna district they claim Mallikarjunasvami as their deity. Their primary occupation is oil-pressing, but some are traders in cotton, oil-seeds, etc., or cultivators. In some localities, the animal which works the oil-mill is not blindfolded, while it is in others, because, it is said, it would otherwise fall down after a few revolutions. Crushing gingelly oil is, according to the Shastras, a sinful act, but condoned inasmuch as Devatas use this oil for lamps, and men in temples. For the removal of the oil-cake, or turning the seeds in the mill, the left hand only is used. Burning the tongue with a piece of gold, as a means of purification after some offence has been committed, is a common practice. Ganga bride and bridegroom. The marriage rites conform, for the most part, to the Telugu type. But, while the wrist thread is being tied on, common salt is held in the hand. A dagger (baku) is then given to the bridegroom, who keeps it with him till the conclusion of the ceremonies. On the wedding day, the bridegroom wears the sacred thread. The tali is not an ordinary bottu, but a thread composed of 101 thin strings, which is removed on the last day, and replaced by a bottu. On the third day, the bride and bridegroom worship a jammi tree (Prosopis spicigera), and the latter, removing his sacred thread, throws it on the tree. Five young men, called Bala Dasulu, also worship the tree, and, if they are wearing the sacred thread, throw it thereon. The dead are as a rule buried, in a sitting posture if the deceased was an orthodox Saivite. If a young man dies a bachelor, the corpse is married to an arka plant (Calotropis gigantea), and decorated with a wreath made of the flowers thereof. The final death ceremonies are performed on the eleventh day. Food is offered to crows and the soul of the dead person, who is represented by a wooden post dressed with his clothes. The bangles of a widow are broken Ganiga further occurs as an occupational name for Lingayat oil-vendors, and for Mogers who are employed as oil-pressers. Ganta.—Ganta or Gantla, meaning a bell, has been recorded as an exogamous sept of Kamma and Balija. Gantelavaru, or men of the bell, is given by Mr. S. M. Natesa Sastri Ganti (a hole pierced in the ear-lobe).—An exogamous sept of Gudala. Garadi.—Garadi or Garadiga is the name of a class of mendicants in the Telugu country and Mysore who are snake-charmers, practice sleight of hand, and perform various juggling and mountebank tricks. Garappa (dry land).—A synonym of Challa Yanadi. Gatti.—A small caste of cultivators, found chiefly near Kumbla and Someswara in the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara. Other names for the caste are Poladava and Holadava, both signifying men of the field. Like the Bants, they follow the aliya santana law of inheritance (in the female line), have exogamous septs or balis, and, on the day of the final death ceremonies, construct car-like structures, if the deceased was an important personage in the community. The Bants and Gattis interdine, but do not intermarry. The Gattu (bank or mound).—An exogamous sept of Devanga. Gaud.—A title of Sadar. Gauda.—The Gaudas or Gaudos are a large caste of Canarese cultivators and cattle-breeders. “Gauda and Gaudo,” Mr. H. A. Stuart writes, “Once a year, in the month of Mituna (June-July), the Gaudas perform a ceremony for the propitiation of all deceased ancestors. They have a special preference for Venkataramaswami, to whom they make money offerings once a year in September. They employ Brahmins to give them sacred water when they are under pollution, but they do not seek their services for ordinary ceremonies. They are, for the most part, farmers, but some few are labourers. The latter receive three or four seers of paddy a day as wages. Their house language is Tulu in some places, and Canarese in others, but all follow the ordinary system of inheritance, and not the custom of descent through females. Their title is Gauda.” As bearing on the superstitious beliefs of the people of South Canara, the following case, which was tried before the Sessions Judge in 1908, may be cited. A young Gauda girl became pregnant by her brother-in-law. After three days’ labour, the child was born. The accused, who was the mother of the girl, was the midwife. Finding the delivery very difficult, she sent for a person named Korapulu to come and help her. The child was, as they thought, still-born. On its head was a red protuberance like a ball; round each of its forearms were two or three red bands; the eyes and ears were fixed very high in the head; and the eyes, nose, and mouth were abnormally large. Korapulu and the girl’s younger sister at once carried the mother out of the out-house lest the devil child should do her harm or kill her. The accused called for a man named Isuf Saiba, who was standing in the yard outside. He came in, and she asked him to call some of the neighbours, to decide Gauda or Gaudu further occurs as a title of Idiga, Kuruba, and Vakkaliga, an exogamous sept and gotra of Kuruba and Kurni, and a sub-division of Golla. Gaudi.—It is recorded, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, that a Maleru (temple servant) woman, Gaudo.—The Gaudos are described, in the Madras Census Reports, 1891 and 1901, as “the great pastoral caste of the Ganjam Oriyas. Like those of all the cowherd classes, its members say that they are descended from the Yadava tribe, in which Krishna was born (cf. Idaiyan). The majority of the Gaudos in the northern districts are now cultivators, but there is evidence that the keeping and breeding of cattle is their traditional occupation. The most important sub-division is Sollokhondia; many of them are herdsmen and milk-sellers. Fourteen sub-divisions have been reported. They are Apoto, Behara, Bolodiya, Dongayato, Dumalo, Gopopuriya, Kolata, Komiriya, Kusilya, Ladia, Madhurapurya, Mogotho, Pattilia, and Sollokhondia.” In the Census Report, 1871, it is noted that “there are many Gowdus of high social standing, who have gotten unto themselves much wealth in cattle. These men own, in many instances, large herds of buffaloes, which, being reared in the boundless pastures of the hills, are much prized by the cartmen of the low country for draught purposes.” Of the sub-division noted above, Behara is apparently a title only. Bolodiya is the name of a section of the Tellis, who use pack-bullocks (bolodi, a bull) for carrying grain about the country. Pattilia must be a mistake for Pachilia. The sections among the Gaudos which are recognised by all castes in the Ganjam district are Sollokhondia, Bhatta, Gopopuriya, Madhurapuriya, Mogotho, Apoto, and Pachilia. These, with the exception of Gopopuriya and Madhurapuriya, seem to be endogamous sub-divisions. The Bhatta Gaudos go by the name of Gopopuriya in some places and Madhurapuriya in others, both these names being connected with The Sollokhondia Gaudos are agriculturists, rear cattle and sheep, and sometimes earn a living by driving carts. They have gotras, among which the most common are Moiro (peacock), Nagasiro (cobra), and Kochimo (tortoise). Their caste council is presided over by a hereditary headman called Mahankudo, who is assisted by a Bhollobaya, Desiya, and Khorsodha or Dhondia. The Khorsodha is the caste servant, and the Desiya eats with a delinquent who is received back into the fold after he has been tried by the council. The Sollokhondias are for the most part Paramarthos, i.e., followers of the Chaitanya form of Vaishnavism. They show a partiality for the worship of Jagannathaswami, and various Takuranis (village deities) are also reverenced. Bairagis are the caste priests. The marriage prohibitions among the Sollokhondias are those which hold good among many Oriya castes, but marriage with the maternal uncle’s daughter (menarikam) is sometimes practiced. On the evening preceding the marriage day (bibha), after a feast, the bride and bridegroom’s parties go to a temple, taking with The dead, excepting young children, are burnt. The eldest son carries a pot of fire to the burning ground. On the day following cremation, the mourners revisit the spot, and, after the fire has been extinguished, make an image of a man with the ashes on the spot where the corpse was burnt. To this image food is offered. Seven small flags, made of cloths dyed with turmeric, are stuck into the shoulders, abdomen, legs, and head of the image. A fragment of calcined bone is carried away, put into a lump of cow-dung, and kept near the house of the deceased, or near a tank (pond). On the ninth day after death, towards evening, a bamboo, split or spliced into four at one end, is set up in the ground outside the house beneath the projecting roof, and on it a pot filled with water is placed. On the spot where the deceased breathed his last, a lamp is kept. A hole is made in the bottom of the pot, and, after food has been offered to the dead man, the pot is thrown into a tank. On the tenth day, a ceremony is performed on a tank bund (embankment). The piece of bone, which has been preserved, is removed from its cow-dung case, and food, fruits, etc., are offered to it, and thrown into the tank. The bone is taken home, and buried near the house, food being offered to it until the twelfth day. On All sections of the Gaudos have adopted infant marriage. If a girl fails to secure a husband before she attains puberty, she has to go through a form of marriage called dharma bibha, in which the bridegroom is, among the Sollokhondias, represented by an old man, preferably the girl’s grandfather, and among the other sections by a sahada or shadi tree (Streblus asper) or an arrow (khando). Like various other Oriya castes, the Gaudos worship the goddess Lakshmi on Thursdays in the month of November, which are called Lakshmi varam, or Lakshmi’s day. The goddess is represented by a basket filled with grain, whereon some place a hair ball, which has been vomited by a cow. The ball is called gaya panghula, and is usually one or two inches in diameter. The owner of a cow which has vomited such a ball regards it as a propitious augury for the prosperity of his family. A feast is held on the day on which the ball is vomited, and, after the ball has been worshipped, it is carefully wrapped up, and kept in a box, in which it remains till it is required for further worship. Some people believe that the ball continues to grow year by year, and regard this as a very good sign. Bulls are said not to vomit the balls, and only very few cows do so. Gauliar.—A synonym for Lingayat Gollas, or Kannadiyans. Gaundala.—A synonym of Gamalla. Gauri.—A division of Okkiliyan, named after Gauri, Siva’s consort. The equivalent Gaura occurs among the Komatis, and Gauriga among the Medaras. One division of the Kabberas is called Gaurimakkalu, or sons of Gauri. Gautama.—A Brahmanical gotra adopted by Bhatrazus, Khatris, and Kondaiyamkottai Maravans. Gautama was a sage, and the husband of Ahalya, who was seduced by Indra. Gavala (cowry shell: CyprÆa arabica).—An exogamous sept of Madiga. A cotton thread string, with cowries strung on it, is one of the insignia of a Madiga Matangi. Gavalla.—A synonym for Gamalla. Gavara.—It is noted, in the Madras Census Report, 1891, that “this caste is practically confined to the Vizagapatam district, and they have been classed as cultivators on the strength of a statement to that effect in the District Manual. Gavara is, however, an important sub-division of Komatis (traders), and these Gavaras are probably in reality Gavara Komatis. These are so called after Gauri, the patron deity of this caste.” For the following note I am indebted to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. A tradition is current that the Gavaras originally lived at Vengi, the ancient capital of the Eastern Chalukyan kings, the ruins of which are near Ellore in the Godavari district. The king was desirous of seeing one of their women, who was gosha (in seclusion), but to this they would not consent. Under orders from the king, their houses were set on fire. Some of them bolted themselves in, and perished bravely, while others locked up their women in big boxes, and escaped with them to the coast. They immediately set sail, and landed at Pudimadaka in the The Gavaras speak Telugu, and, like other Telugu castes, have various exogamous septs or intiperulu. Girls are married either before or after puberty. The custom of menarikam, by which a man marries his maternal uncle’s daughter, is in force, and it is said that he may also marry his sister’s daughter. The remarriage of widows is permitted, and a woman who has had seven husbands is known as Beththamma, and is much respected. Some Gavaras are Vaishnavites, and others Saivites, but difference in religion is no bar to intermarriage. Both sections worship the village deities, to whom animal sacrifices are offered. The Vaishnavites show special reverence to Jagganathaswami of Orissa, whose shrine is visited by some, while others take vows in the name of this god. On the day on which the car festival is celebrated at Puri, local car festivals are held in Gavara villages, and women carry out the performance of their vows. A woman, for example, who is under a vow, in order that she may be cured of illness or bear The Vaishnavites are burnt, and the Saivites buried in a sitting posture. The usual chinna (little) and pedda rozu (big day) death ceremonies are performed. Men wear a gold bangle on the left wrist, and another on the right arm. Women wear a silver bangle on the right wrist, and a bracelet of real or imitation coral, which is first worn at the time of marriage, on the left wrist. They throw the end of their body-cloth over the left shoulder. They do not, like women of other non-Brahman castes in the Vizagapatam district, smoke cigars. The original occupation of the caste is said to have been trading, and this may account for the number of exogamous septs which are named after Settis (traders). At the present day, the Gavaras are agriculturists, and they have the reputation of being very hard-working, and among the best agriculturists in the Vizagapatam district. The women travel long distances in order to sell vegetables, milk, curds, and other produce. The caste titles are Anna, Ayya, and occasionally Nayudu. Gaya (cow).—An exogamous sept of Kondra. Gayinta.—Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a small caste of hill cultivators, speaking Oriya and Telugu. The name is said to be derived from gayinti, an iron digging implement. Gayinta is reported to be the same as Gaintia, a name of Enetis or Entamaras. Gazula.—Gazula or Gazul (glass bangle) has been recorded as a sub-division of Balija, Kapu, and Toreya. The Gazula Balijas make glass bangles. The Toreyas Gedala (buffaloes).—A sept of Bonthuk Savara. Geddam (beard).—An exogamous sept of Boya and Padma Sale. Gejjala (bells tied to the legs while dancing).—An exogamous sept of Balija and Korava. Gejjegara.—A sub-caste of the Canarese Panchalas. They are described, in the Mysore Census Report, 1891, as makers of small round bells (gungru), which are used for decorating the head or neck of bullocks, and tied by dancing-girls round their ankles when dancing. Genneru (sweet-scented oleander).—An exogamous sept of Boya. Gentoo.—Gentoo or Jentu, as returned at times of census, is stated to be a general term applied to Balijas and Telugu speaking Sudras generally. The word is said by Yule and Burnell Ghair-i-Mahdi.—The name, meaning without Mahdi, of a sect of Muhammadans, who affirm that the Imam Mahdi has come and gone, while orthodox Muhammadans hold that he is yet to come. Ghasi.—See Haddi. Ghontoro.—A small caste of Oriyas, who manufacture brass and bell-metal rings and bangles for the hill people. The name is derived from ghonto, a bell-metal plate. Gidda (vulture).—A sept of Poroja. Gikkili (rattle).—A gotra of Kurni. Giri Razu.—A contraction of Puragiri Razu or Puragiri Kshatriya, by which names some Perikes style themselves. Goa.—A sub-division of Kudubis, who are said to have emigrated from Goa to South Canara. Go Brahman.—A name given to Brahmans by Kammalans, who style themselves Visva Brahmans. Godagula.—The Godagulas are recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as being the same as the Gudalas, who are a Telugu caste of basket-makers. According to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao, to whom I am indebted for the following note, they are a distinct caste, speaking Oriya, and sometimes calling themselves Odde (Oriya) Medara. Like the Medaras, they work in split bamboo, and make sundry articles which are not made by other castes who work in this medium. Unlike the Gudalas, they are a polluting class, and have the following legend to account for their social degradation. God told them to make winnows and other articles for divine worship. This, they did, and, after they had delivered them, they attended a marriage feast, at which they eat flesh and drank liquor. On their return, God called on them to vomit the food which they had partaken of, and Goda-jati (wall people).—A sub-division of Kammas. The name has reference to a deadly struggle at Gandikota, in which some escaped by hiding behind a wall. Goda-poose (wall polishing).—An exogamous sept of Tsakala. Godari.—Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as Telugu leather-workers in Ganjam and Vizagapatam. They are stated, in the Vizagapatam Manual, to make and sell slippers in that district. Godari is, I gather, a synonym of Madiga, and not a separate caste. Goddali (spade or axe).—An exogamous sept of Odde and Panta Reddi. Godomalia (belonging to, or a group of forts).—A sub-division of Bhondari, the members of which act as barbers to Rajahs who reside in forts. Golaka.—Recorded in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a name meaning bastard, and clubbed with the Moilis, or temple servants in South Canara descended from dancing-girls. In the Mysore Census Report, 1901, it is defined as a term applied to the children of Brahmans by Malerus, or temple servants. Goli (Portulaca oleracea: a pot-herb).—An exogamous sept of Gauda. Golkonda.—A sub-division of Tsakala. Golla.—“The Gollas,” Mr. H. A. Stuart writes, In the Manual of the Kurnool district, it is stated that the Gollas “keep sheep, and sell milk and ghi (clarified butter). They eat and mess with the Balijas, and other high caste Sudras; but, unlike their brethren of the south, in the matter of street processions, they are classed with goldsmiths, or the left-hand section. When any one is reduced to poverty, the others give him each a sheep, and restore his flock. They occasionally dedicate their girls to Venkatesa as Basavis” (prostitutes). It is noted, in the Gazetteer of the Vizagapatam district, that “in the country round Madgole, legends are still recounted of a line of local Golla chieftains, who “At Vajragada (diamond fort) are the ruins of a very large fortress, and local tradition gives the names of seven forts, by which it was once defended. These are said to have been constructed by the Golla kings. A tale is told of their having kidnapped a daughter of the ruler of Madgole, and held out here against his attacks for months, until they were betrayed by a woman of their own caste, who showed the enemy how to cut off their water-supply. They then slew their womenkind, says the story, dashed out against the besiegers, and fell to a man, fighting to the last.” Concerning the Gollas of Mysore, I gather Golla juggler. Golla juggler. Concerning the Adivi, or forest Gollas, Mr. F. Fawcett writes as follows. It is stated Writing in the early part of the last century about the Gollas, Buchanan informs us that “this caste has a particular duty, the transporting of money, both belonging The Golla caste has many sub-divisions, of which the following are examples:— Erra or Yerra (red). Said to be the descendants of a Brahman by a Golla woman. Ala or Mekala, who tend sheep and goats. Puja or Puni. Gangeddu, who exhibit performing bulls. Gauda, who, in Vizagapatam, visit the western part of the district during the summer months, and settle outside the villages. They tend their herds, and sell milk and curds to the villagers. Karna. Pakanati. Racha (royal). Peddeti. Mostly beggars, and considered low in the social scale, though when questioned concerning themselves they say they are Yerra Gollas. At the census, 1901, the following were returned as sub-castes of the Gollas:— Dayyalakulam (wrestlers), Perike Muggalu or Mushti Golla (beggars and exorcists), Podapotula (who beg from Gollas), Gavadi, and Vadugayan, a Tamil synonym for Gollas in Tinnevelly. Another Tamil synonym for Golla is Bokhisha Vadugar (treasury northerners). Golla has been given as a sub-division of Dasaris and Chakkiliyans, and Golla Woddar (Odde) as a synonym of a thief class in the Telugu country. In a village near Dummagudem in the Godavari district, the Rev. J. Cain writes, Like many other Telugu castes, the Gollas have exogamous septs or intiperu, and gotras. As examples of the former, the following may be quoted:—
Some of these sept names occur among other classes, as follows:—
Those who belong to the Raghindala (Ficus religiosa) gotra are not allowed to use the leaves of the sacred fig or pipal tree as plates for their food. Members of the Palavili gotra never construct palavili, or small booths, inside the house for the purpose of worship. Those who belong to the Akshathayya gotra are said to avoid rice coloured with turmeric or other powder (akshantalu). Members of the Kommi, Jammi, and Mushti gotras avoid using the kommi tree, Prosopis spicigera, and Strychnos Nux-vomica respectively. Of the various sub-divisions, the Puja Gollas claim superiority over the others. Their origin is traced to Simhadri Raju, who is supposed to have been a descendant of Yayathi Raja of the Mahabaratha. Yayathi had six sons, the last of whom had a son named Kariyavala, whose descendants were as follows:— The Gollas are believed to be descended from the four last kings. According to another legend, there were five brothers, named Poli Raju, Erranoku Raju, Katama Raju, Peddi Raju, and Errayya Raju, who lived at Yellamanchili, which, as well as Sarvasiddhi, they built. The Rajas of Nellore advanced against them, and killed them, with all their sheep, in battle. On this, Janagamayya, the son of Peddi Raju, who escaped the general slaughter, made up his mind to go to Kasi (Benares), and offer oblations to his dead father and uncles. This he did, and the gods were so pleased with him that they transported him in the air to his native place. He was followed by three persons, viz., (1) Kulagentadu, whose descendants now recite the names of the progenitors of the caste; (2) Podapottu (or juggler), whose descendants carry metal bells, sing, and produce snakes by magic; (3) Thevasiyadu, whose descendants paint the events which led to the destruction of the Golla royalty on large cloths, and exhibit them to the Gollas once a year. At the time when Janagamayya was translated to heaven, they asked him how they were to earn their living, and he advised them to perform the duties indicated, and beg from the caste. Even at the present day, their descendants go round the country once a year, after the Telugu New Year’s day, and collect their dues from Golla villages. By religion the Gollas are both Vallamulu (Vaishnavites) and Striramanthulu (Saivites), between whom marriage is permissible. They belong to the group of castes who take part in the worship of Ankamma. A special feature of their worship is that they place in a bamboo or rattan box three or four long whip-like ropes made of cotton or Agave fibre, along with swords, sandals and idols. The ropes are called Virathadlu, or heroes’ ropes. The contents of the box are set beneath Golla Ganga muggu. Golla Ganga muggu. Some Karna Gollas earn their living by selling poultry, or by going about the country carrying on their head a small box containing idols and Virathadlu. Placing this at the end of a street, they do puja (worship) before it, and walk up and down with a rope, with which they flagellate themselves. As they carry the gods (Devarlu) about, these people are called Devara vallu. As the Gollas belong to the left-hand section, the Pedda Golla, or headman, has only a Madiga as his assistant. At the marriages of Mutrachas, Madigas, and some other classes, a form of worship called Virala puja is performed with the object of propitiating heroes or ancestors (viralu). A kindred ceremony, called Ganga puja, is carried out by the Gollas, the expenses of which amount to about a hundred rupees. This Ganga worship lasts over three days, during which nine patterns, called muggu, are drawn on the floor in five colours, and represent dhamarapadmam (lotus flower), palavili (booth), sulalu (tridents), sesha panpu (serpent’s play?), alugula simhasanam (throne of Sakti), Viradu perantalu (hero and his wife), Ranivasam (Rani’s palace), bonala (food), and Ganga. The last is a female figure, and probably represents Ganga, the goddess of water, though one of the Golla ancestors was named Gangi Raju. The patterns must be drawn by Madigas or Malas. It is stated in the Manual of the Nellore district that, when a Golla bridegroom sets out for the house of his mother-in-law, he is seized on the way by his companions, who will not release him until he has paid a piece of gold. The custom of illatom, or application of a son-in-law, obtains among the Gollas, as among the Kapus and some other Telugu-classes. In connection with the death ceremonies, it may be noted that the corpse, when it is being washed, is made to rest on a mortar, and two pestles are placed by its side, and a lighted lamp near the head. There is a proverb to the effect that a Golla will not scruple to water the milk which he sells to his own father. Another proverb refers to the corrupt manner in which he speaks his mother-tongue. The insigne of the caste at Conjeeveram is a silver churning stick. Gollari (monkey).—An exogamous sept of Gadaba. Gomma.—Recorded by the Rev. J. Cain as the name for Koyis who live near the banks of the Godavari river. Villages on the banks thereof are called gommu ullu. Gonapala (old plough).—An exogamous sept of Devanga. Gondaliga.—The Gondaligas are described, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, as being mendicants “of Mahratta origin like the Budabudikes, and may perhaps be a sub-division of them. They are worshippers of Durgi. Their occupation, as the name indicates, is to perform gondala, or a kind of torch-light dance, usually Gondaliga musicians. Gondaliga musicians. Gone (a sack).—An exogamous sept of Maala. The Gone Perikes have been summed up as being a Telugu caste of gunny-bag weavers, corresponding to the Janappans of the Tamil country. Gunny-bag is the popular and trading name for the coarse sacking and sacks made from jute fibre, which are extensively used in Indian trade. The Gonigas of Mysore are described, in the Census Report, 1901, as sack-weavers and makers of gunny-bags, agriculturists, and grain porters at Bangalore; and it is noted that the abnormal fall of 66 per cent. in the number of the caste was due to their being confounded with Ganigas. Gonjakari.—A title of Haddi. Gonji (Glycosmis penlaphylla).—An exogamous sept of Mala. Gopalam (alms given to beggars).—An exogamous sept of Togata. Gopalan (those who tend cattle).—A synonym of Idaiyan. Gopopuriya.—A sub-division of Gaudo. Gorantla (Lawsonia alba: henna).—An exogamous sept of Golla and Padma Sale. The leaves of this plant are widely used by Natives as an article of toilet for staining the nails, and by Muhammadans for dyeing the hair red. Gorava.—A synonym of Kuruba. Goravaru.—A class of Canarese mendicants. Gore.—Recorded, at times of census, as a synonym of Lambadi. Gora means trader or shop-keeper, and trading Lambadis may have assumed the name. Gorige (Cyamopsis psoralioides).—An exogamous sept of Devanga. Gorrela (sheep).—An exogamous sept of Golla, Kamma, and Kapu. Konda gorri (hill sheep) occurs as an exogamous sept of Jatapu. Gosangi.—A synonym for Madiga, recorded as Kosangi, in the Madras Census Report, 1901. The Gosangulu are described in the Vizagapatam Manual (1869), as “beggars who style themselves descendants of Jambavanta, the bear into which Brahma transformed himself, to assist Rama in destroying Ravana. The Gosangis are considered to be illegitimate descendants of Madigas, and a curious thing about them is that their women dress up like men, and sing songs when begging. As mendicants they are attached to the Madigas.” Gosayi or Goswami.—The Gosayis are immigrant religious mendicants from Northern and Western India. I gather from the Mysore Census Reports that “they mostly belong to the Dandi sub-division. The Gosayi is no caste; commonly any devotee is called a Gosayi, whether he lives a life of celibacy or not; whether he roams about the country collecting alms, or resides in a house like the rest of the people; whether he leads an idle existence, or employs himself in trade. The mark, however, that distinguishes all who bear this name is that they are devoted to a religious life. Some besmear their bodies with ashes, wear their hair dishevelled and uncombed, and in some instances coiled round the head like a snake or rope. They roam about the country in every direction, visiting especially spots A few Gosayis, at the Mysore census, returned gotras, of which the chief were Achuta and Daridra (poverty-stricken). In the Madras Census Report, 1901, Mandula (medicine man) and Bavaji are returned as a sub-division and synonym of Gosayi. The name Guse or Gusei is applied to Oriya Brahmans owing to their right of acting as gurus or family priests. Gosu (pride).—An exogamous sept of Devanga. Goundan.—It is noted, in the Salem Manual, that “some of the agricultural classes habitually append the title Goundan as a sort of caste nomenclature after their names, but the word applies, par excellence, to the head of the village, or Ur Goundan as he is called.” As examples of castes which take Goundan as their title, the Pallis, Okkiliyans, and Vellalas may be cited. A planter, or other, when hailing a Malayali of the Shevaroy hills, always calls him Goundan. Goyi (lizard: Varanus).—An exogamous sept of Bottada. Gramani.—The title of some Shanans, and of the headman of the Khatris. In Malabar, the name gramam (a village) is applied to a Brahmanical colony, or collection of houses, as the equivalent of the agraharam of the Tamil country. Gudala.—The Gudalas are a Telugu caste of basket-makers in Vizagapatam and Ganjam. The name is derived from guda, a basket for baling water. For the following note I am indebted to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. The original occupation of the caste is said to have been the collection of medicinal herbs and roots for native Like other Telugu castes, the Gudalas have exogamous septs or intiperulu, e.g., korra (Setaria italica), paththi (cotton), nakka (jackal) and ganti (hole pierced in the ear-lobe). The custom of menarikam, whereby a man should marry his maternal uncle’s daughter, is practiced. Marriage generally takes place before a girl reaches puberty. A Brahman officiates at weddings. The bride-price (voli) consists of a new cloth for the bride, and seven rupees for her parents, which are taken by the bridegroom’s party to the bride’s house, together with some oil and turmeric for the bridal bath, and the sathamanam (marriage badge). A feast is held, and the sathamanam is tied on the bride’s neck. The newly married pair are conducted to the house of the bridegroom, where a further feast takes place, after which they return to the bride’s home, where they remain for three days. Widows are permitted to remarry thrice, and the voli on each successive occasion is Rs. 3, Rs. 2, and Rs. 2–8–0. When a widow is remarried, the sathamanam is tied on her neck near a mortar. The members of the caste reverence a deity called Ekkaladevata, who is said to have been left behind at their original home. The dead are cremated, and the chinna rozu (little day) death ceremony is observed. On the third day, cooked rice is thrown over the spot where the corpse was burnt. Gudavandlu.—Recorded, in the Nellore Manual, as Vaishnavites, who earn their livelihood by begging. The name means basket people, and probably refers to Satanis, who carry a basket (guda) when begging. Gudi (temple).—A sub-division of Okkiliyan, an exogamous sept of Jogi, and a name for temple Dasaris, to distinguish them from the Donga or thieving Dasaris. Gudigara.—In the South Canara Manual, the Gudigaras are summed up as follows. “They are a Canarese caste of wood-carvers and painters. They are Hindus of the Saivite sect, and wear the sacred thread. Shivalli Brahmans officiate as their priests. Some follow the aliya santana mode of inheritance (in the female line), others the ordinary law. They must marry within the caste, but not within the same gotra or family. Infant marriage is not compulsory, and they have the dhare form of marriage. Among those who follow the aliya santana law, both widows and divorced women may marry again, but this is not permitted among the other sections. The dead are either cremated or buried, the former being the preferential mode. The use of alcoholic liquor, and fish and flesh is permitted. Their ordinary title is Setti.” “The Gudigars, or sandal-wood carvers,” Mr. D’Cruz writes, The following extracts from Mr. L. Rice’s ‘Mysore Gazetteer’ may be appropriately quoted. “The designs with which the Gudigars entirely cover the boxes, desks, and other articles made, are of an extremely involved and elaborate pattern, consisting for the most part of intricate interlacing foliage and scroll-work, completely enveloping medallions containing the representation of some Hindu deity or subject of mythology, and here and there relieved by the introduction of animal forms. The details, though in themselves often highly incongruous, are grouped and blended with a skill that seems to be instinctive in the East, and form an exceedingly rich and appropriate ornamentation, decidedly oriental in style, which leaves not the smallest portion of the surface of the wood untouched. The material is hard, and the minuteness of the work demands the utmost care and patience. Hence the carving of a desk or cabinet involves a labour of many months, and the artists are said to lose their eyesight at a comparatively early age. European designs they imitate to perfection.” And again: “The articles of the Gudigar’s manufacture chiefly in demand are boxes, caskets and cabinets. These are completely covered with minute and delicate scroll-work, interspersed with figures from the Hindu Pantheon, the general effect of the profuse detail being extremely rich. The carving of Sorab is considered superior to that of Bombay or Canton, and, being a very tedious process requiring great care, is When a marriage is contemplated, the parents of the couple, in the absence of horoscopes, go to a temple, and receive from the priest some flowers which have been used for worship. These are counted, and, if their number is even, the match is arranged, and an exchange of betel leaves and nuts takes place. On the wedding day, the bridegroom goes, accompanied by his party, to the house of the bride, taking with him a new cloth, a female jacket, and a string of black beads with a small gold ornament. They are met en route by the bride’s party. Each party has a tray containing rice, a cocoanut, and a looking-glass. The females of one party place kunkuma (red powder) on the foreheads of those of the other party, and sprinkle rice over each other. At the entrance to the marriage pandal (booth), the bride’s brother pours water at the feet of the bridegroom, and her father leads him into the pandal. The new cloth, and other articles, are taken inside the house, and the mother or sister of the bridegroom, with the permission of the headman, ties the necklet of black beads on the bride’s neck. Her maternal uncle takes her up in his arms, and carries her to the pandal. Thither the bridegroom is conducted by the bride’s brother. A cloth is held as a screen between the contracting couple, who place garlands of flowers round each other’s necks. The screen is then removed. Gudisa (hut).—An exogamous sept of Boya and Kapu. Gudiya.—The Gudiyas are the sweet-meat sellers of the Oriya country. They rank high in the social scale, and some sections of Oriya Brahmans will accept drinking water at their hands. Sweet-meats prepared by them are purchased for marriage feasts by all castes, including Brahmans. The caste name is derived from gudo (jaggery). The caste is divided into two sections, one of which is engaged in selling sweet-meats and crude sugar, and the other in agriculture. The former are called Gudiyas, and the latter Kolata, Holodia, or Bolasi The Gudiyas are as particular as Brahmans in connection with the wearing of sect marks, and ceremonial ablution. Cloths worn during the act of attending to the calls of nature are considered to be polluted, so they carry about with them a special cloth, which is donned for the moment, and then removed. Like the Gudiyas, Oriya Brahmans always carry with them a small cloth for this purpose. The titles of the Gudiyas are Behara, Sahu, and Sasumallo. In the Madras Census Report, 1901, the caste name is given as Godiya. Gudugudupandi.—A Tamil synonym for Budubudukala. Guha Vellala.—The name assumed by some Sembadavans with a view to connecting themselves with Guha (or Kuha), who rowed the boat of Rama to Ceylon, and, as Vellalas, gaining a rise in the social scale. Maravans also claim descent from Guha. Gujarati.—A territorial name, meaning people from Gujarat, some of whom have settled in the south where they carry on business as prosperous traders. In the Madras Census Report, 1901, Gujjar is returned as a synonym. At a public meeting held in Madras, in 1906, to concert measures for establishing a pinjrapole (hospital for animals) it was resolved that early steps should be taken to collect public subscriptions from the Hindu community generally, and in particular from the Gulimi (pickaxe).—An exogamous sept of Kuruba. Gullu (Solanum ferox).—A gotra of Kurni. Gulti.—A section of Boya, members of which are to be found in Choolay, Madras City. Gummadi (Cucurbita maxima).—An exogamous sept of Tsakalas, who will not cultivate the plant, or eat the pumpkin thereof. Guna.—Guna or Guni is a sub-division of Velama. The name is derived from the large pot (guna), which dyers use. Guna Tsakala (hunchbacked washerman).—Said to be a derisive name given to Velamas by Balijas. Gundala (stones).—An exogamous sept of Golla. Gundam (pit).—An exogamous sept of Chenchu. Gundu (cannon-ball).—A gotra of Kurni. Guni.—Guni is the name of Oriya dancing-girls and prostitutes. It is derived from the Sanskrit guna, meaning qualifications or skill, in reference to their possession Gunta (well).—A sub-division of Boyas, found in the Anantapur district, the members of which are employed in digging wells. Guntaka (harrow).—An exogamous sept of Kapu. Guntala (pond).—An exogamous sept of Boya. Gupta.—A Vaisya title assumed by some Muttans (trading caste) of Malabar, and Tamil Pallis. Guri.—Recorded, in the Vizagapatam Manual, as a caste of Paiks or fighting men. Gurikala (marksman) occurs, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Patra. Gurram (horse).—An exogamous sept of Chenchu, Golla, Mala, Padma Sale, and Togata. The Gurram Togatas will not ride on horseback. Kudire, also meaning horse, occurs as a gotra or exogamous sept of Kurni and Vakkaliga. Gurukkal.—For the following note on the Gurukkals or Kurukkals of Travancore, I am indebted to Mr. N. Subramani Aiyar. The Kurukkals are priests of castes, whose religious rites are not presided over by Ilayatus. They are probably of Tamil origin. Males are often called Nainar and females Nachchiyar, which are the usual titles of the Tamil Kurukkals also. In the Keralolpatti the caste men are described as Chilampantis, who are the adiyars or hereditary servants of Padmanabhaswami in Trivandrum. They seem to have been once known also as Madamutalis or headmen of matts, and Tevara Pandarams, or Pandarams who assisted the Brahman priest in the performance of religious rites in the Maharaja’s palace. It is said that the Kurukkals originally belonged to the great Vaisya branch of Manu’s fourfold system of caste, and migrated from the Pandyan The Kurukkals are generally not so fair in complexion as other sections of the Ambalavasis. Their houses are known as bhavanams or vidus. They are strict vegetarians, and prohibited from drinking spirituous liquor. The females (Kurukkattis) try to imitate Nambutiri Brahmans in their dress and ornaments. The arasilattali, which closely resembles the cherutali, is worn round the neck, and the chuttu in the ears. The mukkutti, but not the gnattu, is worn in the nose. The minnu or marriage The Kurukkals are under the spiritual control of certain men in their own caste called Vadhyars. They are believed to have been originally appointed by the Kuppakkara Pottis, of whom they still take counsel. The Kurukkals observe both the tali-kettu kalyanam and sambandham. The male members of the caste contract alliances either within the caste, or with Marans, or the Vatti class of Nayars. Women receive cloths either from Brahmans or men of their own caste. The maternal uncle’s or paternal aunt’s daughter is regarded as the most proper wife for a man. The tali-kettu ceremony is celebrated when a girl is seven, nine or eleven years old. The date for its celebration is fixed by her father and maternal uncle in consultation with the astrologer. As many youths are then selected from among the families of the inangans or relations as there are girls to be married, the choice being decided by the agreement of the horoscopes of the couple. The erection of the first pillar of the marriage pandal (booth) is, as among other Hindu castes, an occasion for festivity. The ceremony generally lasts over few days, but may be curtailed. On the wedding day, the bridegroom wears a sword and palmyra leaf, and goes in procession to the house of the bride. After the tali has been tied, the couple are looked on as being impure, and the pollution is removed by bathing, and the pouring of water, consecrated by the hymns of Vadhyars, over their heads. For the The Kurukkals observe most of the religious ceremonies of the Brahmans. No recitation of hymns accompanies the rites of namakarana and annaprasana. The chaula and upanayana are performed between the ninth and twelfth years of age. On the previous day, the family priest celebrates the purificatory rite, and ties a consecrated thread round the right wrist of the boy. The tonsure takes place on the second day, and on the third day the boy is invested with the sacred thread, and the Gayatri hymn recited. On the fourth day, the Brahmacharya rite is closed with a ceremony corresponding to the Samavartana. When a girl reaches puberty, some near female relation invites the women of the village, who visit the house, bringing sweetmeats with them. The girl bathes, and reappears in public on the fifth day. Gutob.—A sub-division of Gadaba. Gutta Koyi.—Recorded by the Rev. J. Cain as a name for hill Koyis. Guvvala (doves).—An exogamous sept of Boya and Mutracha. |