Wahabi.—The Wahabis are a sect of Muslim revivalists founded by Muhammad ibn ’Abdu’l Wahhab, who was born in A.D. 1691. Wahabyism has been defined as the Puritanism of Islam, “hated by the so-called orthodox Musalmans, as the Lutherans were hated by Leo, and the Covenanters by Claverhouse.”1 It is recorded, in the Manual of North Arcot (1895), that since 1806 (the year of the Vellore mutiny) “two alarms have been raised in the district, both at Vellore, which is largely inhabited by Muhammadans. The last alarm occurred in 1869. Early in May of that year, anonymous petitions were received by the Joint Magistrate and the Assistant Superintendent of Police, stating that the Wahabi Muhammadans of Vellore were in league against Government, and had arranged a plot for the massacre of all the European residents, in which the 28th Regiment of Native Infantry, then stationed at Vellore, was deeply implicated. An East Indian subordinate of the Public Works Department also reported that he had overheard a Muhammadan munshi of the Small Cause Court speaking to a shopman of his faith about the seditious preaching of a certain Khazi. The munshi was sent for, and described what he said had occurred in a certain mosque, where sedition had been openly advocated by a Wahabi missionary who had recently arrived from Hyderabad, as well as by others.” It appeared, from the investigations of the Inspector-General of Police, that the whole affair had been nothing more than a conspiracy among the orthodox Muhammadans to arouse alarm regarding the designs of the Wahabis, and to prevent these sectarians from frequenting their mosques.

Wudder.—See Odde.

Wynad.—Returned, at times of census, as a territorial division of Chetti. There are at Gudalur near the boundary between the Nilgiri district and Malabar, and in the Wynad, two classes called, respectively, Mandadan Chettis (q.v.) and Wynadan Chettis.

The following account of the Wynadan or Wynaadan Chettis is given in the Gazetteer of the Nilgiris. “They speak Malayalam, and follow marumakkatayam (inheritance in the female line). They say they were originally Vellalas from Coimbatore, followed makkatayam (inheritance from father to son), spoke Tamil, and wore the Tamil top-knot. In proof of this, they point out that at their weddings they still follow certain Tamil customs, the bridegroom wearing a turban and a red cloth with a silver girdle over it and being shaved, and the woman putting on petticoats and nose-rings. They have headmen called Kolapallis, subordinate to whom are Mantiris, but these are liable to be overruled by a nad council. No wedding may take place without the headman’s leave. Two forms of marriage are recognised. In one, the couple exchange garlands after the Tamil fashion, and the father (a relic of the makkatayam system) conducts the ceremony. Preliminaries are arranged by go-betweens, and the chief of the numerous rites is the placing of a bracelet on the girl’s upper arm under a pandal (booth) before the priest and the assembled relatives. The other form is simpler. The bridegroom goes to the girl’s house with some men friends, and, after a dinner there, a go-between puts on the bangle. Before marriage, a tali-kettu ceremony resembling that of the Nayars is often gone through, all the girls of a family who are of marriageable age having talis tied round their necks on the same day by a maternal uncle. Married women are allowed intimacy with their husbands’ brothers. Widows are permitted to marry again. The dead are usually burnt, but those who have met their deaths by accidents and epidemics are buried. Water from a vessel containing rice and a gold coin is poured into a dying person’s mouth. Should the spirit of the dead disturb the dreams of the relatives, a hut for it is built under an astrologer’s directions close to the house, and in this lights are lit morning and evening, and periodical offerings of food are made. The Wynaadan Chettis reverence the deities in the Ganapati, Mahamari and Kalimalai Tambiran temples near Sultan’s Battery, Airu Billi of the Kurumbas, and one or two others. The women wear in their distended ear-lobes gold discs which are so characteristic of the Nayars, and many necklaces. They wear two white cloths, tying one round the waist and another across their breasts.”

It is recorded, in the Gazetteer of Malabar, that the Wynad or Wynaadan Chettis “claim to be Sudras, and are in appearance and customs very similar to the Nayars. They are polluted by all castes below Nayars. Their marriage customs seem to be a mixture of east and west coast practices. They follow the marumakkattayam system, and perform the tali-kettu kalianam; but this is done on the tenth day after puberty, and two talis have to be tied on the girl, one by her maternal uncle, and one by the senior female of her house. They also celebrate a regular marriage ceremony, at which a bracelet is put on the bride’s right arm, and bride and bridegroom garland each other; while next morning a kanam or bride-price has to be paid to the bride’s karnavan (senior male in a family). They are bold shikaris (sportsmen), and tiger spearing is a favourite pastime, closely connected with their religion.

“The tiger is encircled by a wall of netting six feet high, which is gradually closed up, and then speared. The carcass is not skinned, but is stretched on a pole, and hung up as a sacrifice to their deity.”