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Buchanan’s journey through
thefe fix tribes are again divided into Go trams, and a man and woman of the fameGotram can never marry. The Gotrams of the Curivina are fixty-fix in number.Thev may marry as many wives as they pleafe; but cannot divorce them, exceptfor adultery; and it is not unufual for a huiband to keep his wife'after fhe hasbeen guilty of this crime. Women are marriageable even after the age of puberty ;and widows may live with a man in a kind of left-hand marriage, and be calledCutigas, or concubines ; but both the man with whom they live, and their children,are confidered as legitimate. If a woman leaves her huiband, and cohabits withanother man of the fame call, Ihe is called a Hadra; but her children are notdifgraced. Any woman, even an unmarried one, who has connexion with a manof a ftrange call, is excommunicated. A widow ought to bury herfelf alive in herIiulband’s grave ; but the cuftom has become entirely obfolete. The people of thiscall eat no animal food, nor drink any intoxicating liquor. They never take thevow of Daferi. They are allowed to read all the books belonging to the fedt,among which they do not reckon the Vedas. They wear the linga, and theiradorations are principally directed to that emblem of Siva. Their women offer fruitand flowers to Marima, and the other Saktis ; but this is not done by the men.They do not believe in the Virika, or fpirits of chafte men. Their Gurus are thefame with thofe of the Pancham Banijigaru ; the five chief thrones being calledParavutta at Humpa, Verupacfhy near the Tungabhadra river , Hujiny, Balahully, andNidamavudy. Their lay followers of this call; thefe Gurus make what is calledDetcha. The Detcha, having Ihaved and wafhed his head, is inftrudted in fomemantrams, or forms of prayer, which are in the vulgar tongue, but which, like theupadefa of the Brahmans, are kept a profound fecret. The Guru then beftows onthe Detcha fome confecrated herbs and water, and the Dechta in return gives himfome money. This ceremony is analagous to the Dhana of the Brahmans. TheGurus on their circuits receive alio from their followers dharma, or charity, orrather duty, but have no fixed dues. The Einaru attend at marriages, births, andfunerals, at Mala-paklha, as the tithi of the Sudras is called, and at all great feafts.On thefe occafions they perform puja to the linga, reading fome mantrams, in thevulgar tongue however, and pouring over it fome water and flowers, which by thismeans are confecrated, and then are divided among the people whom the occafionhas afiembled. The Einaru then eats fomething that has been prepared for him,and at marriages receives a fmall fum of money. The panchanga, or village aftrologer,attends on fimilar occafions, and reads mantrams in the vulgar language. He is ofcourfe paid for his trouble.
Here, fome Devangas of the Karnata nation do not wear the linga ; but Hill theyconfider Cari Bafwa Uppa as their Guru. They will eat in the houfe of a Devangawho wears the linga, but he will not return the compliment. They eat in common,but do not intermarry with the Telinga Devangas, who, like themfelves, worlhipSiva, without wearing his indecent badge. They eat animal food ; an indulgencewhich has probably occafioned the feparation. They ought not to drink fpirituousliquors. As a kind of excufe, or pretence for eating the flelh, they offer bloodyfacrifices to the Saktis . They take the vow of Daferi, but do not pray to the Virika,or fpirits of men fainted for chaftity. They acknowledge tranfmigration, as a futureftate of reward and punilhment.
The Sadru Woculigas are a caff: of Karnata origin and Sudra birth ; they are dividedinto two tribes that feem to have no communion ; the Cuinblagataru Sadru, and theSadru Amply fo called. The Sadru Proper are cultivators, both as mailers and fervants;
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