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Thole which are known to the people here, are, Sankara Devaru, who lives atChangamau near Trinomaly; Bhufagara Swami, at Naraftngha pura, near Arnee ;Gangadhara Swami, at Kunji; Senavera Devaru, at Chinamangala near Trinomaly jand Gurufiddha Devaru, at Trinomaly : all which places are in the Lower Carnatic.Thefe Putta Devaru have their matarns at the places above mentioned ; but traveloccasionally through the country occupied by the weavers, collecting the contributions*of the charitable, bellowing advice on the adults, and the linga on the children,who receive it with fome particular ceremonies. Each of the Putta Devarus educatesa boy, who is of the facred clafs by birth, who is intended to be the fuccelfor of hismailer, and who is called Mari. The Putta Devaru, if he choofes, may deliver overhis office to the Mari, and take a wife ; in which cafe he is degraded to the rank of acommon Einaru. This is frequently done, as my informants were obliged to confefs ;though they did fo with great reludlance; for they were unwilling to difgrace theirfwamalus before their neighbours, who confider celibacy as a much more honourableHate than marriage. The married Einaru have their houfes near the different matarns.Some of them live with the Sannyafis, and are their menial fervants ; but thegreater part of them, that are able to undergo the fatigue, wander about to colledcharity for their fupport. In the Lower Carnatic they are faid to fell glafs rings, andother trinkets.
The people of this call, with whom I converfed, were either fo ignorant, or founwilling to fpeak on the fubjedl of their religion, that I cannot depend much onwhat they faid. The Jangamas of the Pancham Banijigaru allege, that the Swamalus ofthe Shayr.agas are of their fed : and the Mahantina, no doubt, attend at the funeralsand other public ceremonies of the Shaynagas ; but thofe allege that this is merelyfor the purpofe of begging, and that they perform no part of the ceremony. ThePanchanga reads mantrams at marriages and births, and receives the ufual fees.
The Coramas, or Coramaru, are a fet of people confidered by the Brahmans as ofan impure or mixed breed. They make balkets, and trade in grain and fait to aconliderable extent; but none of them can read or write. They live, in general,in fmall camps of moveable huts, which are foinetimes llationary near large towns;but they are often in a Hate of daily motion, while the people are following theirmercantile concerns. The coramas confift of four families, Maydraguta, Cavadiru,Maynapatru, and Satipatru. Thefe are analogous to the Gotrains of the Brahmans ;for a man and woman of the fame family never intermarry, being confidered as toonearly allied by kindred. The men are allowed a plurality of wives, and purchafethem from their parents. The agreement is made for a certain number of fanarns,which are to be paid by inftalments, as they can be procured by the young woman'sinduftry; for the women of this caff are very diligent in lpinning, and carrying onpetty traffic. When the bargain has been made, the bridegroom provides fourffieep, and fome country rum, and gives a feaft to the call'; concluding the ceremonyby wrapping a piece of new cloth round his bride. Should a man’s wife proveunfaithful, he generally contents himfelf with giving her a beating, as ffie is toovaluable to be parted with on flight grounds; but, if he choofes, ffie may bedivorced. In this cafe, he muff affemble the caff to a feaft, where he publicly declareshis refolution; and the woman is then at liberty to marry any perfon that ffie choofes,who is willing to take her.
The coramas do not follow nor employ the Brahmans; nor have they any priefts,or facred order. When in diftrefs, they chiefly invoke Vencaty Ramana, theTripathi Viffinu, and vow fmall offerings of money to his temple, ffiould they
efcape.