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fanams (3I. 7s. id.) to the parents of the girl whom he wanted to marry; but thisis now reduced to two fanams (is. 4d.) to the father, a piece of cloth to the mother,and a hundred cocoa-nuts as emblematical of the original price. The marriages aremade in an affembly of the tribe; and the ceremony con fids in the bridegroom andbride walking thrice round a flake, which is ereded for the purpofe. Next morningthey give another feaft, and prefent the company with betel. The panchanga, oraftrologer, does not attend, nor are there any prayers (mantrams) read on the occafion.In cafe of adultery, the cuftotn of the caft is to put the woman to death ; but thisfeverity is not always ufed. In cafe of a man’s treating his wife very harfhly, {he mayretire to her mother’s houfe, and live there ; but, without his contenting to divorceher, {he cannot marry again. The cuftom of the caft is to bury the dead; and,although the women are very harfhly ufed by their hufbands while drunk, and al-though widows are not prevented from marrying again, yet it is faid, that perhapsone widow in a hundred throws herfelf into a pit filled with fire, and burns herfelfnear the grave of her huiband. The Brahmans do not officiate at funerals; but onthofe occasions money is diftributed among them and other mendicants.
The Guru of the caft is Tata Acharya, one of the hereditary chiefs of the SriVaifhnavam Brahmans who lives at Penu-conda. They go either to him, or to forneof his relations, who live in different parts of the country, and receive chakrantikam,and advice to wear the marks of the god Viffinu; and, according to their abilities,give in return, from one to three fanams. They are allowed to attend at the feftivalsof the great gods, although their claim to be of a Sudra, or pure defcent, is ratherdoubtful. Many of them can read and write accompts ; but they attempt no higherkind of learning. Although the Woddaru pray to Viflinu, and offer facrifices toMarima, Gungoma, Virapaefhima, Durgama, Putalima, and Mutialima, yet the pro-per object of worftiip belonging to the caft is a goddefs called Yellama, one of thedeftroying fpirits. The image is carried, conftantly with their baggage; and in herhonour, there is an annual feaft, which lafts three days. On this occafion they builda fhed, under which they place the image, and one of the tribe officiates as prieff,or pujari. For thefe three days offerings of brandy, palm-wine, rice, and flowersare made to the idol, and bloody facrifices are performed before the ffied. TheWoddas abftain from eating the bodies of the animals facrificed to ’their own deity; buteat thofe which they facrifice to the other Saktis . This caft frequently vow Daferi,or dedicate themfelves to the fervice of God ; which does not prevent from tradingthofe who are rich or induftrious; thofe who are idle live entirely by begging. Theduty of a Daferi requires that he fhould daily wafh his head, and take care, when heeats in company with the profane, that their victuals do not intermix with his. OnSaturday night, after having waffied his head, and prayed for fome hours, he muft cookhis viduals. in a clean pot. He learns by rote a fet form of prayer in the poetical lan-guage, or Andray; and while he repeats it, he rings a bell, and at intervals blows ona conch. The hereditary chiefs of this caft poffefs the ufual jurifdidion. The finesimpofed by them never exceed three fanams (two {hillings,) and three cocoa-nuts;and are always expended on drink.
The Whallias, or Whalliaru, by the Muffulmans called alfo Dsedh, and Ballagai-jat,as forming the moll active combatants on the right hand fide, are nearly the famewith the Parriar of the people who fpeak the Tamul language, and with the Mali-wanlu of thofe who ufe the Telinga dialed. Like the Brahmans, the Whallias of allnations can eat together; but two perfons of different countries never intermarry.Although this caft be looked upon as the very lowefl of all others, they are defirous of
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