MTSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR.

643

and the widow is fometimes buried alive at the fame time, but not in the fame gravewith the deceafed hulband. Widows cannot marry a fecond time, as is the cafethroughout India with females of any cafl: above thofe that are reckoned impure.The men are allowed a plurality of wives; but, except for adultery, can neitherconfine nor divorce them. They cannot legally eat animal food, nor drink fpirituousliquors. The laymen are permitted to read feveral Puranas; fuch as the BafwaPurana, which gives an account of the laws of their religion: and the Shalay IvvaraPurana, which is extracted from a book called the Brahmanda Purana, and containsthe rules of their particular feet, as the original work contains the rules of every feetwhatever.

The worfhippers of Vifhnu, among this clafs of weavers, are called Padma Shalay,and give the following account of their origin. The whole Shalay formerly worethe linga; but a houfe having been poflefled by a devil, and this feet having beencalled upon to call him out, all their prayers were of no avail. At length ten per-fons, having thrown afide the linga, and offered up their fupplications to Vifhnu,they fucceeded in expelling the enemy; and ever afterwards followed the worfhip ofthis god, in which they have been imitated by many of their brethren. The def-cendants of thefe men, who are called Sadana Afhorlu, or the celebrated heroes,never work; and having dedicated themfelves to the fervice of god, live upon thecharity of the induftrious part of the call, with whom they difdain to intermarry.

The Guru of the Padma Shalay is Tata Acharya, one of the hereditary chiefs ofthe Sri Vaifhnavam Brahmans. He lives at Doda Bala-pura, and bellows upadefa andchakrantikam. He has here a deputy, a Vaidika Brahman, who attends at births,marriages, and burials. Widows are never buried alive. The Padma Shalay areallowed a plurality of wives; but cannot confine their women, nor divorce them,except for adultery. They cannot legally eat animal food, nor drink fpirituousliquors; but are permitted to ufe ganja, or hemp, which the Englifh in India ufuallycall bang. Some among them are able to read poetry, and have a book calledMarkandiya Purana, which is alfo followed by feveral feds that wear the linga, andis faid to have been written by a Rifhi named Markanda.

The Comatigas fay, that they are the only true Vaifya, which is the third in rankof the pure calls; and they pretend, that now they are next in rank to the Brah-mans, as the fecond pure cafl has become extind. In both thefe pretenfions theyare fupported by all the Brahmans who are not defirous of flattering fome Raja thatpretends to be a Kfhatri. They are found thinly fcattered in every part of India , andare not prevented from eating in common, or from intermarriage, by any differenceof nation or fed. A Comatiga coming from Kafi or Benares, on being examined,and found to be acquainted with certain cufloms peculiar to the cafl, and which arekept fecret, is received here into all families, and may marry any of their women.They deal in cloth, and all kinds of merchandize, efpecially money and jewels; butare not allowed to fell fpirituous liquors, nor any intoxicating fubflance; nor do theyever cultivate the ground, or follow any mechanical profeffion. They have here-ditary chiefs, called Pedda Chitties; and the chief of each town or diflrid is totallyindependent of the others. When a town is very large, the chief, for the parts thatare remote from his houfe, appoints inferior officers, who fettle trivial difputes.Thefe chiefs poflefs the ufual jurifdidior., and enjoy more than common immunities,for they pay nothing to government. They can in no cafe ad without the affiftanceof all the elders in the place. The Comatigas are not allowed to take animal food,nor any thing that will intoxicate. Polygamy is allowed to the men, and the women

4 n 2 are