Part 13

The following legend is narrated concerning the origin of the caste. Brahma, having created Manu, told him to weave clothes for Devas and men. Accordingly Manu continued to weave for some years, and reached heaven through his piety and virtuous life. There being no one left to weave for them, the Devas and men had to wear garments of leaves. Vexed at this, they prayed to Brahma that he would rescue them from their plight. Brahma took them to Siva, who at once created a lustrous spirit, and called him Devalan. Struck with the brilliancy thereof, all fled in confusion, excepting Parvati, who remained near Siva. Siva told her that Devalan was created to weave clothes, to cover the limbs and bodies of Devas and men, whose descendants are in consequence called Devangas (Deva angam, limb of god). Devalan was advised to obtain thread from the lotus stalks springing from the navel of Vishnu, and he secured them after a severe penance. On his way back, he met a Rakshasa, Vajradantan by name, who was doing penance at a hermitage, disguised as a Sanyasi. Deceived by his appearance, Devalan paid homage to him, and determined to spend the night at the hermitage. But, towards the close of the day, the Rishi and his followers threw off their disguise, and appeared in their true colours as Asuras. Devalan sought the assistance of Vishnu, and a chakra was given to him, with which he attempted to overthrow the increasing number of Asuras. He then invoked the assistance of Chaudanayaki or Chaudeswari, who came riding on a lion, and the Asuras were killed off. The mighty Asuras who met their death were Vajradantan (diamond-toothed), Pugainethran (smoke-eyed), Pugaimugan (smoke-faced), Chithrasenan (leader of armies) and Jeyadrathan (owner of a victory-securing car). The blood of these five was coloured respectively yellow, red, white, green, and black. For dyeing threads of different colours, Devalan dipped them in the blood. The Devangas claim to be the descendants of Devalan, and say that they are Devanga Brahmans, on the strength of the following stanza, which seems to have been composed by a Devanga priest, Sambalinga Murti by name:--

Manu was born in the Brahman caste. He was surely a Brahman in the womb. There is no Sudraism in this caste. Devanga had the form of Brahma.

The legendary origin of the Devangas is given as follows in the Baramahal Records. [88] "When Brahma the creator created the charam and acharam, or the animate and inanimate creation, the Devatas or gods, Rakshasas or evil demons, and the human race, were without a covering for their bodies, which displeasing the god Narada or reason, he waited upon Parameshwara or the great Lord at his palace on the Kailasa Parvata or mount of paradise, and represented the indecent state of the inhabitants of the universe, and prayed that he would be pleased to devise a covering for their nakedness. Parameshwara saw the propriety of Narada's request, and thought it was proper to grant it. While he was so thinking, a male sprang into existence from his body, whom he named Deva angam or the body of God, in allusion to the manner of his birth. Deva angam instantly asked his progenitor why he had created him. The God answered 'Repair to the pala samudram or sea of milk, where you will find Sri Maha Vishnu or the august mighty god Vishnu, and he will tell thee what to do.' Deva angam repaired to the presence of Sri Maha Vishnu, and represented that Parameshwara had sent him, and begged to be favoured with Vishnu's commands. Vishnu replied 'Do you weave cloth to serve as a covering to the inhabitants of the universe.' Vishnu then gave him some of the fibres of the lotus flower that grew from his navel, and taught him how to make it into cloth. Deva angam wove a piece of cloth, and presented it to Vishnu, who accepted it, and ordered him to depart, and to take the fibres of trees, and make raiment for the inhabitants of the Vishnu loka or gods. Deva angam created ten thousand weavers, who used to go to the forest and collect the fibre of trees, and make it into cloth for the Devatas or gods and the human race. One day, Deva angam and his tribe went to a forest in the Bhuloka or earthly world, in order to collect the fibre of trees, when he was attacked by a race of Rakshasas or giants, on which he waxed wroth, and, unbending his jata or long plaited hair, gave it a twist, and struck it once on the ground. In that moment, a Shakti, or female goddess having eight hands, each grasping a warlike weapon, sprang from the earth, attacked the Rakshasas, and defeated them. Deva anga named her Chudeshwari or goddess of the hair, and, as she delivered his tribe out of the hands of the Rakshasas, he made her his tutelary divinity."

The tribal goddess of the Devangas is Chaudeswari, a form of Kali or Durga, who is worshipped annually at a festival, in which the entire community takes part either at the temple, or at a house or grove specially prepared for the occasion. During the festival weaving operations cease; and those who take a prominent part in the rites fast, and avoid pollution. The first day is called alagu nilupadam (erecting, or fixing of the sword). The goddess is worshipped, and a sheep or goat sacrificed, unless the settlement is composed of vegetarian Devangas. One man at least from each sept fasts, remains pure, and carries a sword. Inside the temple, or at the spot selected, the pujari (priest) tries to balance a long sword on its point on the edge of the mouth of a pot, while the alagu men cut their chests with the swords. Failure to balance the sword is believed to be due to pollution brought by somebody to get rid of which the alagu men bathe. Cow's urine and turmeric water are sprinkled over those assembled, and women are kept at a distance to prevent menstrual or other form of pollution. On the next day, called jothiarambam (jothi, light or splendour) as Chaudeswari is believed to have sprung from jothi, a big mass is made of rice flour, and a wick, fed with ghi (clarified butter) and lighted, is placed in a cavity scooped out therein. This flour lamp must be made by members of a pujari's family assisted sometimes by the alagu boys. In its manufacture, a quantity of rice is steeped in water, and poured on a plantain leaf. Jaggery (crude sugar) is then mixed with it, and, when it is of the proper consistency, it is shaped into a cone, and placed on a silver or brass tray. On the third day, called panaka puja or mahanevedyam, jaggery water is offered, and cocoanuts, and other offerings are laid before the goddess. The rice mass is divided up, and given to the pujari, setti, alagu men and boys, and to the community, to which small portions are doled out in a particular order, which must be strictly observed. For example, at Tindivanam the order is as follows:--

Setti (headman). Dhondapu family. Bapatla family. Kosanam family. Modanam family.

Fire-walking does not form part of the festival, as the goddess herself sprang from fire.

In some places in the North Arcot district the festival lasts over ten days, and varies in some points from the above. On the first day, the people go in procession to a jammi (Prosopis spicigera) tree, and worship a decorated pot (kalasam), to which sheep and goats are sacrificed. From the second to the sixth day, the goddess and pot are worshipped daily. On the seventh day, the jammi tree is again visited, and a man carries on his back cooked rice, which may not be placed on the ground, except near the tree, or at the temple. If the rice is not set down en route thereto, it is accepted as a sign that the festival may be proceeded with. Otherwise they would be afraid to light the joti on the ninth day. This is a busy day, and the ceremonies of sandhulu kattadam (binding the corners), alagu erecting, lighting the flour mass, and pot worship are performed. Early in the morning, goats and sheep are killed, outside the village boundary, in the north, east, south, and west corners, and the blood is sprinkled on all sides to keep off all foreign ganams or saktis. The sword business, as already described, is gone through, and certain tests applied to see whether the joti may be lighted. A lime fruit is placed in the region of the navel of the idol, who should throw it down spontaneously. A bundle of betel leaves is cut across with a knife, and the cut ends should unite. If the omens are favourable, the joti is lighted, sheep and goats are killed, and pongal (rice) is offered to the joti. The day closes with worship of the pot. On the last day the rice mass is distributed. All Devanga guests from other villages have to be received and treated with respect according to the local rules, which are in force. For this purpose, the community divide their settlements into Sthalams, Payakattulu, Galugramatulu, Petalu, and Kurugramalu, which have a definite order of precedence.

Among the Devangas the following endogamous sections occur:--(1) Telugu; (2) Canarese; (3) Hathinentu Manayavaru (eighteen house people); (4) Sivachara; (5) Ariya; (6) Kodekal Hatakararu (weavers).

They are practically divided into two linguistic sections, Canarese and Telugu, of which the former have adopted the Brahmanical ceremonials to a greater extent than the latter, who are more conservative. Those who wear the sacred thread seem to preponderate over the non-thread weavers in the Canarese section. To the thread is sometimes attached metal charm-cylinder to ward off evil spirits.

The following are examples of exogamous septs in the Telugu section:--

Akasam, sky. Anumala, seeds of Dolichos lablab. Boggula, charcoal. Bandla, rock or cart. Chintakai, tamarind fruit. Challa, buttermilk. Chapparam, pandal or booth. Dhoddi, cattle-pen, or courtyard. Dhuggani, money. Yerra, red. Konda, mountain. Kaththi, knife. Bandari (treasurer). Busam, grain. Dhondapu (Cephalandra indica). Elugoti, assembly. Gattu, bank or mound. Paidam, money. Gonapala, old plough. Gosu, pride. Jigala, pith. Katta, a dam. Kompala, houses. Konangi, buffoon. Katikala, collyrium. Kaththiri, scissors. Moksham, heaven. Pasupala, turmeric. Pidakala, dried cow-dung cakes. Pothula, male. Pachi powaku, green tobacco. Padavala, boat. Pouzala, a bird. Pammi, clay lamp. Thalakoka, female cloth. Thutla, hole. Utla, ropes for hanging pots. Vasthrala, cloths. Matam, monastery. Madira, liquor or heap of earth. Medam, fight. Masila, dirt. Olikala, funeral pyre and ashes. Prithvi, earth. Peraka, tile. Punjala, cock or male. Pinjala, cotton-cleaning. Pichchiga, sparrow. Sika (kudumi: tuft of hair). Sandala, lanes. Santha, a fair. Sajje (Setaria italica).

The majority of Devangas are Saivites, and wear the lingam. They do not, however, wash the stone lingam with water, in which the feet of Jangams have been washed. They are not particular as to always keeping the lingam on the body, and give as an explanation that, when they are at work, they have to touch all kinds of people. Some said that merchants, when engaged in their business, should not wear the lingam, especially if made of spatikam (quartz), as they have to tell untruths as regards the value and quality of their goods, and ruin would follow if these were told while the lingam was on the body.

In some parts of Ganjam, the country folk keep a large number of Brahmini bulls. When one of these animals dies, very elaborate funeral ceremonies take place, and the dead beast is carried in procession by Devangas, and buried by them. As the Devangas are Lingayats, they have a special reverence for Basavanna, the sacred bull, and the burying of the Brahmini bull is regarded by them as a sacred and meritorious act. Other castes do not regard it as such, though they often set free sacred cows or calves.

Devangas and Padma Sales never live in the same street, and do not draw water from the same well. This is probably due to the fact that they belong to the left and right-hand factions respectively, and no love is lost between them. Like other left-hand castes, Devangas have their own dancing-girls, called Jathi-biddalu (children of the castes), whose male offspring do achchupani, printing-work on cloth, and occasionally go about begging from Devangas. In the Madras Census Report, 1901, it is stated that "in Madura and Tinnevelly, the Devangas, or Sedans, consider themselves a shade superior to the Brahmans, and never do namaskaram (obeisance or salutation) to them, or employ them as priests. In Madura and Coimbatore, the Sedans have their own dancing-girls, who are called Devanga or Seda Dasis in the former, and Manikkattal in the latter, and are strictly reserved for members of the caste under pain of excommunication or heavy fine."

Concerning the origin of the Devanga beggars, called Singamvadu, the following legend is current. When Chaudeswari and Devalan were engaged in combat with the Asuras, one of the Asuras hid himself behind the ear of the lion, on which the goddess was seated. When the fight was over, he came out, and asked for pardon. The goddess took pity on him, and ordered that his descendants should be called Singamvallu, and asked Devalan to treat them as servants, and support them. Devangas give money to these beggars, who have the privilege of locking the door, and carrying away the food, when the castemen take their meals. In assemblies of Devangas, the hand of the beggar serves as a spittoon. He conveys the news of death, and has as the insignia of office a horn, called thuththari or singam.

The office of headman, or Pattagar, is hereditary, and he is assisted by an official called Sesha-raju or Umidisetti who is the servant of the community, and receives a small fee annually for each loom within his beat.

Widow remarriage is permitted in some places, and forbidden in others. There may be intermarriage between the flesh-eating and vegetarian sections. But a girl who belongs to a flesh-eating family, and marries into a vegetarian family, must abstain from meat, and may not touch any vessel or food in her husband's family till she has reached puberty. Before settling the marriage of a girl, some village goddess, or Chaudeswari, is consulted, and the omens are watched. A lizard chirping on the right is a good omen, and on the left bad. Sometimes, red and white flowers, wrapped up in green leaves, are thrown in front of the idol, and the omen considered good or bad according to the flower which a boy or girl picks up. At the marriage ceremony which commences with distribution of pan-supari (betel) and Vigneswara worship, the bride is presented with a new cloth, and sits on a three-legged stool or cloth-roller (dhonige). The maternal uncle puts round her neck a bondhu (strings of unbleached cotton) dipped in turmeric. The ceremonies are carried out according to the Puranic ritual, except by those who consider themselves to be Devanga Brahmans. On the first day the milk post is set up being made of Odina Wodier in the Tamil, and Mimusops hexandra in the Telugu country. Various rites are performed, which include tonsure, upanayanam (wearing the sacred thread), padapuja (washing the feet), Kasiyatra (mock pilgrimage to Benares), dharadhattam (giving away the bride), and mangalyadharanam (tying the marriage badge, or bottu). The proceedings conclude with pot searching. A pap-bowl and ring are put into a pot. If the bride picks out the bowl, her first-born will be a girl, and if the bridegroom gets hold of the ring, it will be a boy. On the fifth day, a square design is made on the floor with coloured rice grains. Between the contracting couple and the square a row of lights is placed. Four pots are set, one at each corner of the square, and eight pots arranged along each side thereof. On the square itself, two pots representing Siva and Uma, are placed, with a row of seedling pots near them. A thread is wound nine times round the pots representing the god and goddess, and tied above to the pandal. After the pots have been worshipped, the thread is cut, and worn, with the sacred thread, for three months. This ceremony is called Nagavali.

When a girl reaches puberty, a twig of Alangium Lamarckii is placed in the menstrual hut to keep off devils.

The dead are generally buried in a sitting posture. Before the grave is filled in, a string is tied to the kudumi (hair knot) of the corpse, and, by its means, the head is brought near the surface. Over it a lingam is set up, and worshipped daily throughout the death ceremonies.

The following curious custom is described by Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. Once in twelve years, a Devanga leaves his home, and joins the Padma Sales. He begs from them, saying that he is the son of their caste, and as such entitled to be supported by them. If alms are not forthcoming, he enters the house, and carries off whatever he may be able to pick up. Sometimes, if he can get nothing else, he has been known to seize a lighted cigar in the mouth of a Sale, and run off with it. The origin of this custom is not certain, but it has been suggested that the Devangas and Sales were originally one caste, and that the former separated from the latter when they became Lingayats. A Devanga only becomes a Chinerigadu when he is advanced in years, and will eat the remnants of food left by Padma Sales on their plates. A Chinerigadu is, on his death, buried by the Sales.

Many of the Devangas are short of stature, light skinned, with sharp-cut features, light-brown iris, and delicate tapering fingers. Those at Hospet, in the Bellary district, carried thorn tweezers (for removing thorns of Acacia arabica from the feet), tooth-pick and ear-scoop, suspended as a chatelaine from the loin-string. The more well-to-do had these articles made of silver, with the addition of a silver saw for paring the nails and cutting cheroots. The name Pampanna, which some of them bore, is connected with the nymph Pampa, who resides at Hampi, and asked Parameswara to become her husband. He accordingly assumed the name of Pampapathi, in whose honour there is a tank at Anagundi, and temple at Hampi. He directed Pampa to live in a pond, and pass by the name of Pampasarovara.

The Sedans of Coimbatore, at the time of my visit in October, were hard at work making clothes for the Dipavali festival. It is at times of festivals and marriages, in years of prosperity among the people, that the weavers reap their richest harvest.

In the Madras Census Report, 1901, Bilimagga (white loom) and Atagara (weavers and exorcists) are returned as sub-castes of Devanga. The usual title of the Devangas is Chetti.

The shortness of stature of some of the weaving classes which I have examined is brought out by the following average measurements:--

cm. Padma Sale 159.9 Sukun Sale 160.3 Togata 160.5 Suka Sale 161.1

Devendra.--A name assumed by some Pallans, who claim to be descended from the king of the gods (devas).

Dhabba (split bamboo).--Dhabba or Dhabbai is the name of a sub-division of Koravas, who split bamboos, and make various articles therefrom.

Dhakkado.--A small mixed class of Oriya cultivators, concerning whom there is a proverb that a Dhakkado does not know his father. They are described, in the Census Report, 1891, as "a caste of cultivators found in the Jeypore agency tracts. They are said to be the offspring of a Brahman and a Sudra girl, and, though living on the hills, they are not an uncivilised hill tribe. Some prepare and sell the sacred thread, others are confectioners. They wear the sacred thread, and do not drink water from the hands of any except Brahmans. Girls are married before puberty, and widow marriage is practiced. They are flesh-eaters, and their dead are usually buried."

In a note on the Dhakkados, Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao writes that "the illegitimate descendant of a Brahman and a hill woman of the non-polluting castes is said to be known as a Dhakkado. The Dhakkados assume Brahmanical names, but, as regards marriages, funerals, etc., follow the customs of their mother's caste. Her caste people intermarry with her children. A Dhakkado usually follows the occupation of his mother's caste. Thus one whose mother is a Kevuto follows the calling of fishing or plying boats on rivers, one whose mother is a Bhumia is an agriculturist, and so on."

Dhakur.--Stated, in the Manual of the Vizagapatam district, to be illegitimate children of Brahmans, who wear the paieta (sacred thread).

Dhanapala.--A sub-division of Gollas, who guard treasure while it is in transit.

Dhangar.--Dhangar, or Donigar, is recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a Marathi caste of shepherds and cattle-breeders. I gather, from a note [89] on the Dhangars of the Kanara district in the Bombay Presidency, that "the word Dhangar is generally derived from the Sanskrit dhenu, a cow. Their home speech is Marathi, but they can speak Kanarese. They keep a special breed of cows and buffaloes, known as Dhangar mhasis and Dhangar gais which are the largest cattle in Kanara. Many of Shivaji's infantry were Satara Dhangars."

Dhaniala (coriander).--An exogamous sept of Kamma. Dhaniala Jati, or coriander caste, is an opprobrious name applied to Komatis, indicating that, in business transactions, they must be crushed as coriander fruits are crushed before the seed is sown.

Dhare.--An exogamous sept of Kuruba. In the Canara country, the essential and binding part of the marriage ceremony is called dhare (see Bant).

Dharmaraja.--An exogamous sept of the Irulas of North Arcot. Dharmaraja was the eldest of the five Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharatha.

Dhippo (light).--An exogamous sept of Bhondari. The members thereof may not blow out lights, or extinguish them in any other way. They will not light lamps without being madi, i.e., wearing silk cloths, or cloths washed and dried after bathing.

Dhobi.--A name used for washerman by Anglo-Indians all over India. The word is said to be derived from dhoha, Sanskrit, dhav, to wash. A whitish grey sandy efflorescence, found in many places, from which, by boiling and the addition of quicklime, an alkali of considerable strength is obtained, is called Dhobi's earth. [90] "The expression dhobie itch," Manson writes, [91] "although applied to any itching ringworm-like affection of any part of the skin, most commonly refers to some form of epiphytic disease of the crutch or axilla (armpit)." The disease is very generally supposed to be communicated by clothes from the wash, but Manson is of opinion that the belief that it is contracted from clothes which have been contaminated by the washerman is probably not very well founded.