Part 33

Udayakunkuma.--Putting the red kunkuma mark on the foreheads of five matrons before sunrise, with the object of being always able to wear the same mark on her own forehead, i.e., never to become a widow.

Padiharukudumulu.--The presentation of sixteen cakes once a year for sixteen years to a matron. This is for the attaining of wealth.

Kartika Gauri Devi.--Exhibiting to a matron the antimony box, with a preparation of which the eyes are trimmed to give the brilliancy, and wearing on the head turmeric rice (akshatalu). The object of this is said to be to give sight to blind relatives.

Kandanomi.--Abstaining for a year from the use of arum (Amorphophallus Campanulatus), of which the corms are an article of food), and presenting a matron with a silver and gold representation of a kanda to be worn on the neck. The object to be attained is that she who performs the rite may never have to shed tears.

Gummadi Gauri Devi.--The presentation at the end of the year to a matron of a pumpkin in the morning, and another in the afternoon, with a silver one at food time, and a gold one to be worn round the neck. This is for the prolongation of married life.

Gandala Gauri Devi.--The distribution of twenty-five different sorts of things, twenty-five to be distributed to matrons at the rate of five of each sort to each. The object of this is to avert evil accidents of all kinds, which may threaten the husband.

Chittibottu.--Making the kunkuma marks on the foreheads of five matrons in the morning, for the attainment of wealth.

Isalla Chukka.--Rubbing butter-milk, turmeric, kunkuma, and sandalwood paste on the threshold of the door. The object is the same as in the last.

Tavita Navomi.--To avoid touching bran for any purpose, for the prolongation of married life.

Nitya Srungaram.--Offering betel nut, and putting the kunkuma mark on the face of a matron, for the purpose of securing perpetual beauty.

Nallapusala Gauri Devi.--The presentation to a matron of a hundred black beads with one gold one, the object being again to avert widowhood.

Mocheti Padmam.--The worship of some deity, and the making of the forehead mark (bottlu) for four matrons in the first year, eight in the second, and so on, increasing the number by four each year for twenty-seven years, being the number of certain stars. This presentation has to be made in silence. The object is the attainment of enduring wealth.

Mogamudo sellu.--The performer washes her face thirteen times daily in a brass vessel, and offers to some matron some rice, a pearl, and a coral.

Undrallatadde.--On the thirteenth day after the full moon, taking food before sunrise, the girl worships the goddess Gauri in the afternoon, and, at the time of dismissing the deity invoked (udyapana), she presents five round cakes to as many matrons. The object of this is to secure her future husband's affections.

Vara Lakshmi.--The worship of the goddess Lakshmi for the attainment of wealth and salvation, or to make the best of both worlds.

Vavila Gauri Devi.--In order to avert the risk of all accidents for her future lord, the devotee, on each of the four Tuesdays of the month Sravana, worships the goddess Gauri Devi, and distributes Bengal gram to married women.

Savitri Gauri Devi.--The offering of nine different articles on nine different days after the sun has entered the solstice, the sign of Capricorn. This is also practised to secure a husband's affection.

Tsaddikutimangalavaram.--This is a piece of self-mortification, and consists in eating on every Tuesday for one year nothing but cold rice boiled the previous day, and feeding a matron with the same.

The following are some of the ceremonies practised by young women after attaining a marriageable age:--

Prabatcha Adivaram.--Offering worship to a married couple, and limiting the taking of food to a single meal on Sunday. This is done with the object of having children.

Apadaleni Adivaram.--Taking but one meal every Sunday, and making a presentation to five matrons of five cakes with a flat basket of rice, body jackets, and other things. This is for the procuring of wealth.

Adivaram (Sunday).--Total abstinence from some one article of food for one year, another article the next year, and so on for five years; also limitation to a single meal every Sunday, and the presentation of cloths to Brahmans upon the dismissal of the deity invoked for worship. The object of this seems to be to secure re-union with the husband after death.

Chappitti Adivaram.--Abstinence from salt on every Sunday for a year, with a view to secure the longevity of children.

Udayapadmam.--To take for one year a daily bath, and to draw the representation of a lotus with rice-flour every morning near the sacred tulasi plant (Ocimum sanctum), which is kept in many Hindu households, growing on an altar of masonry. The object of this is to restore a dead husband to life again, i.e., to secure re-union in another life.

Krishna Tulasi.--To avert widowhood, those who perform this rite present thirteen pairs of cakes in a gold cup to a Brahman.

Kartika Chalimidi.--The distribution of chalimidi, which is flour mixed with sugar water, for three years; in the first year one and a half seer of rice, in the second year two and a half seers, and in the third year twenty-six seers, the object sought being to restore life to children that may die, i.e., restoration in another world.

Kailasa Gauri Devi.--To grind one and a half viss (a measure) of turmeric without assistance in perfect silence, and then distribute it among 101 matrons, the object being to avert widowhood.

Dhairya Lakshmi.--As a charm against tears, matrons light a magic light, which must have a cotton wick of the weight of one pagoda (a gold coin), and, instead of a quarter of a viss of ghee, clarified butter.

Dhanapalalu.--Giving four different sorts of grain for five years to a Brahman, to atone for the sin of the catamenial discharge.

Nadikesudu.--The distribution of five seers each of nine different sorts of grain, which must be dressed and eaten in the house. This is done for the procuring of wealth.

Nityadhanyamu.--Daily giving a handful of grain to any Brahmin with the object of averting widowhood.

Phalala Gauri Devi.--This is performed by the presentation of sixteen fruits of sixteen different species to any married woman, with the view of securing healthy offspring.

Pamidipuvulu.--With the view to avert widowhood and secure influence with their husbands, young wives practise the daily worship of thirteen flowers for a time, and afterwards present to a Brahmin the representations of thirteen flowers in gold, together with a lingam and panavattam (the seat of the lingam).

Muppadimudupurnamulu.--To avert widowhood, cakes are offered on the occasion of thirty-three full-moons; on the first one cake is eaten, on the second two, and so on up to thirty-three.

Mudukartelu.--For the attainment of wealth, women light seven hundred cotton wicks steeped in oil at the three festivals of full moon, Sankuratri (the time when the sun enters the zodiacal sign of Capricorn), and Sivaratri.

Magha Gauri Devi.--The worship of the goddess Gauri in the month of Magham, with a view to avert widowhood.

Vishnukanta.--For the same purpose, thirteen pairs of cakes are offered in a new pot to some married woman.

Vishnuvidia.--To atone for the sin of the catamenial discharge, food is eaten without salt on the second day after every new moon.

Sokamuleni Somavaram.--The taking of food without salt every Monday, for the restoration of children removed by death.

Chitraguptulu.--Burning twelve wicks daily in oil, for the attainment of happiness in a future state.

Sukravaram.--For the acquisition of wealth, women sometimes limit themselves to one meal on Fridays, and feed five married women on each occasion of dismissing the deity invoked for worship.

Saubhagyatadde.--To avert widowhood, another practice is on the third day after every new moon to distribute, unassisted and in silence, one and a quarter viss of turmeric among thirteen matrons.

Kshirabdhi Dvadasi.--Keeping a fast day specially devoted to the worship of Vishnu, with a view to secure happiness in a future state.

Chinuku.--A woman takes a stalk of Indian corn fresh pulled up, and with it pounds rice-flour mixed with milk in a mortar. This is to avert widowhood in this world, and to secure happiness in the next.

Women who have lost children frequently perform the following two ceremonies for restoration to life or restoration in a future state:--

Kundella Amavasya (hare's new moon).--To give thirteen different things to some married woman every new moon for thirteen months.

Kadupukadalani Gauri Devi.--The presentation of thirteen pairs of cakes to thirteen matrons.

The following ceremonies are often performed after the cessation of the catamenial discharge, to atone for the sin contracted by their occurrence:--

Annamumuttani Adivaram.--The eating of yams and other roots every Sunday for three years, or, under certain conditions, a longer period.

Rushipanchami.--On the fifth day of Bhadrapada month to eat five balusu (Canthium parviflorum) leaves, and to drink a handful of ghee.

Gomayani.--To eat three balls of cow-dung every morning for a year.

Lakshvattulu.--To burn one lac (100,000) of wick lights.

Lakshmivarapu Ekadasi.--From the time when the eleventh day after new moon falls on a Thursday, to observe a fast, and to worship the tulasi plant for eleven days.

Margasira Lakshmivaram.--The mistress of a family will often devote herself to the worship of Lakshmi on every Thursday of the month of Margasira, in order to propitiate the goddess of wealth.

Somisomavaram.--A special worship performed on every new moon that falls on Monday, with the giving away of 360 articles, two or three on each occasion. This is performed with the view of attaining atonement for sins, and happiness in a future state.

There are many ceremonies performed by women to whom nature has denied the much-coveted joys of maternity. Among these may be noted:--

Asvadhapradakshinam.--In villages is often to be seen a margosa (Melia Azadirachta)tree, round which a pipul tree (Ficus religiosa) has twined itself. The ceremony consists in a woman walking round and round this tree several times daily for a long period.

The sub-divisions of the Telugu Brahmans are as follows:--

A.--Vaidiki.

1. Murikinadu. 2. Telaganyam. 3. Velnadu. 4. Kasalnadu. 5. Karnakammalu. 6. Veginadu. 7. Konesime. 8. Arama Dravida. 9. Aradhya. 10. Prathamasaki.

B.--Niyogi.

1. Aruvela. 2. Nandavarikulu. 3. Kammalu. 4. Pesalavayalu. 5. Pranganadu.

C.--Tambala.

D.--Immigrants.

1. Pudur Dravida. 2. Thummagunta Dravida.

All these sections are endogamous, and will eat together, except the Tambalas, who correspond to the Gurukkals among the Tamil Brahmans. Vaidikis are supposed to be superior to Niyogis. The former do not generally grow moustaches, while the latter do. For sradh ceremonies, Niyogis do not generally sit as Brahmans representing the ancestors, Vaidikis being engaged for this purpose. In some places, e.g., the Nandigama taluk of the Kistna district, the Niyogis are not referred to by the name Brahman, Vaidikis being so called. Even Niyogis themselves point to Vaidikis when asked about Brahmans.

Velnadu, Murikinadu, and Veginadu seem to be territorial names, and they occur also among some of the non-Brahman castes. The Aradhyas are dealt with in a special article (see Aradhya). Among the Karnakammas are certain sub-sections, such as Ogoti and Koljedu. They all belong to Rig Saka. Of the Telaganyams, some follow the Rig Veda, and others the Yejur Veda (both black and white Yajus). The Nandavarikulu are all Rig Vedis, and regard Chaudeswari, the goddess of the Devangas, as their tutelary deity. When a Nandavariki Brahman goes to a Devanga temple, he is treated with much respect, and the Devanga priest gives up his place to the Nandavariki for the time being. The Nandavariki Brahmans are, in fact, gurus or priests to the Devengas.

A special feature of the Telugu Brahmans is that, like the Telugu non-Brahman classes, they have house names or intiperulu, of which the following are examples:--Kota (fort), Lanka (island), Puchcha (Citrullus Colocynthis), Chintha (tamarind), Kaki (crow). Niyogi house-names sometimes terminate with the word razu.

IV. Carnataka.--The sub-divisions of the Carnatakas or Canarese-speaking Brahmans are as follows:--

A.--Smartha.

1. Aruvaththuvokkalu. 2. Badaganadu. 3. Hosalnadu. 4. Hoisanige or Vaishanige. 5. Kamme (Bobburu, Karna, and Ulcha). 6. Sirnadu. 7. Maraka.

B.--Madhva.

1. Aruvela. 2. Aruvaththuvokkalu. 3. Badaganadu. 4. Pennaththurar. 5. Prathamasaki. 6. Hyderabadi.

The Carnatakas very closely resemble the Andhras in their ceremonial observances, and, like them, attach much importance to vratams. The Madhva Carnatakas are recent converts from Carnataka or Andhra Smarthas. The Pennaththurars are supposed to be Tamil Brahmans converted into Madhvas. They retain some of the customs peculiar to the Tamil Brahmans. The marriage badge, for example, is the Tamil tali and not the bottu. Intermarriages between Smarthas and Madhvas of the same section are common. Madhvas, excepting the very orthodox, will take food with both Carnataka and Andhra Smarthas.

The Marakas are thus described by Mr. Lewis Rice. [175] "A caste claiming to be Brahmans, but not recognised as such. They worship the Hindu triad, but are chiefly Vishnuvites, and wear the trident mark on their foreheads. They call themselves Hale Kannadiga or Hale Karnataka, the name Marka [176] being considered as one of reproach, on which account also many have doubtless returned themselves as Brahmans of one or other sect. They are said to be descendants of some disciples of Sankaracharya, the original guru of Sringeri, and the following legend is related of the cause of their expulsion from the Brahman caste to which their ancestors belonged. One day Sankaracharya, wishing to test his disciples, drank some toddy in their presence, and the latter, thinking it could be no sin to follow their master's example, indulged freely in the same beverage. Soon after, when passing a butcher's shop, Sankaracharya asked for alms; the butcher had nothing but meat to give, which the guru and his disciples ate. According to the Hindu shastras, red-hot iron alone can purify a person who has eaten flesh and drunk toddy. Sankaracharya went to a blacksmith's furnace, and begged from him some red-hot iron, which he swallowed and was purified. The disciples were unable to imitate their master in the matter of the red-hot iron, and besought him to forgive their presumption in having dared to imitate him in partaking of forbidden food. Sankaracharya refused to give absolution, and cursed them as unfit to associate with the six sects of Brahmans. The caste is making a strong effort to be readmitted among Brahmans, and some have recently become disciples of Parakalaswami. Their chief occupations are agriculture, and Government service as shanbogs or village accountants." It is recorded, in the Mysore Census Report, 1891, that "some of the more intelligent and leading men in the clan give another explanation (of the legend). It is said that either in Dewan Purnaiya's time, or some time before, a member of this micro-caste rose to power, and persecuted the people so mercilessly that, with characteristic inaptitude, they gave him the nickname Maraka or the slaughterer or destroyer, likening him to the planet Mars, which, in certain constellations, is astrologically dreaded as wielding a fatal influence on the fortunes of mortals. There is, however, no doubt that, in their habits, customs, religion and ceremonials, these people are wholly Brahmanical, but still they remain entirely detached from the main body of the Brahmans. Since the census of 1871, the Hale Kannadigas have been strenuously struggling to get themselves classified among the Brahmans. About 25 years ago, the Sringeri Math issued on behalf of the Smarta portion of the people a Srimukh (papal bull) acknowledging them to be Brahmans. A similar pronouncement was also obtained from the Parakal Math at Mysore about three years later on behalf of the Srivaishnavas among them. And the Local Government directed, a little after the census of 1881, that they should be entered as Brahmans in the Government accounts."

The Madhva Brahmans commence the marriage ceremony by asking the ancestors of the bridal couple to bless them, and be present throughout the performance of the rites. To represent the ancestors, a ravike (bodice) and dhotra (man's cloth) are tied to a stick, which is placed near the box containing the salagrama stone and household gods. In consequence of these ancestors being represented, orthodox Vaidiki Brahmans refuse to take food in the marriage house. When the bridegroom is conducted to the marriage booth by his future father-in-law, all those who have taken part in the Kasiyatra ceremony, throw rice over him. A quaint ceremony, called rangavriksha (drawing), is performed on the morning of the second day. After the usual playing with balls of flowers (nalagu or nalangu), the bridegroom takes hold of the right hand of the bride, and, after dipping her right forefinger in turmeric and chunam (lime) paste, traces on a white wall the outline of a plantain tree, of which a sketch has previously been made by a married woman. The tracing goes on for three days. First the base of the plant is drawn, and, on the evening of the third day, it is completed by putting in the flower spikes. On the third night the bridegroom is served with sweets and other refreshments by his mother-in-law, from whose hands he snatches the vessels containing them. He picks out what he likes best, and scatters the remainder about the room. The pollution caused thereby is removed by sprinkling water and cow-dung, which is done by the cook engaged for the marriage by the bridegroom's family. After washing his hands, the bridegroom goes home, taking with him a silver vessel, which he surreptitiously removes from near the gods. Along with this vessel he is supposed to steal a rope for drawing water, and a rice-pounding stone. But in practice he only steals the vessel, and the other articles are claimed by his people on their return home.