Part 22

The original occupation of the caste is said to have been trading, and this may account for the number of exogamous septs which are named after Settis (traders). At the present day, the Gavaras are agriculturists, and they have the reputation of being very hard-working, and among the best agriculturists in the Vizagapatam district. The women travel long distances in order to sell vegetables, milk, curds, and other produce.

The caste titles are Anna, Ayya, and occasionally Nayudu.

Gaya (cow).--An exogamous sept of Kondra.

Gayinta.--Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a small caste of hill cultivators, speaking Oriya and Telugu. The name is said to be derived from gayinti, an iron digging implement. Gayinta is reported to be the same as Gaintia, a name of Enetis or Entamaras.

Gazula.--Gazula or Gazul (glass bangle) has been recorded as a sub-division of Balija, Kapu, and Toreya. The Gazula Balijas make glass bangles. The Toreyas have a tradition that they originated from the bangles of Machyagandhi, the daughter of a fisherman on the Jumna, who was married to king Shantanu of Hastinapur.

Gedala (buffaloes).--A sept of Bonthuk Savara.

Geddam (beard).--An exogamous sept of Boya and Padma Sale.

Gejjala (bells tied to the legs while dancing).--An exogamous sept of Balija and Korava.

Gejjegara.--A sub-caste of the Canarese Panchalas. They are described, in the Mysore Census Report, 1891, as makers of small round bells (gungru), which are used for decorating the head or neck of bullocks, and tied by dancing-girls round their ankles when dancing.

Genneru (sweet-scented oleander).--An exogamous sept of Boya.

Gentoo.--Gentoo or Jentu, as returned at times of census, is stated to be a general term applied to Balijas and Telugu speaking Sudras generally. The word is said by Yule and Burnell [142] to be "a corruption of the Portuguese Gentio, a gentile or heathen, which they applied to the Hindus in contradistinction to the Moros or Moors, i.e., Mahomedans. The reason why the term became specifically applied to the Telugu people is probably because, when the Portuguese arrived, the Telugu monarchy of Vijayanagar was dominant over a great part of the peninsula." In a letter written from prison to Sir Philip Francis, Rajah Nuncomar referred to the fact that "among the English gentry, Armenians, Moores and Gentoos, few there is who is not against me." Gentoo still survives as a caste name in the Madras Quarterly Civil List (1906).

Ghair-i-Mahdi.--The name, meaning without Mahdi, of a sect of Muhammadans, who affirm that the Imam Mahdi has come and gone, while orthodox Muhammadans hold that he is yet to come.

Ghasi.--See Haddi.

Ghontoro.--A small caste of Oriyas, who manufacture brass and bell-metal rings and bangles for the hill people. The name is derived from ghonto, a bell-metal plate.

Gidda (vulture).--A sept of Poroja.

Gikkili (rattle).--A gotra of Kurni.

Giri Razu.--A contraction of Puragiri Razu or Puragiri Kshatriya, by which names some Perikes style themselves.

Goa.--A sub-division of Kudubis, who are said to have emigrated from Goa to South Canara.

Go Brahman.--A name given to Brahmans by Kammalans, who style themselves Visva Brahmans.

Godagula.--The Godagulas are recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as being the same as the Gudalas, who are a Telugu caste of basket-makers. According to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao, to whom I am indebted for the following note, they are a distinct caste, speaking Oriya, and sometimes calling themselves Odde (Oriya) Medara. Like the Medaras, they work in split bamboo, and make sundry articles which are not made by other castes who work in this medium. Unlike the Gudalas, they are a polluting class, and have the following legend to account for their social degradation. God told them to make winnows and other articles for divine worship. This, they did, and, after they had delivered them, they attended a marriage feast, at which they eat flesh and drank liquor. On their return, God called on them to vomit the food which they had partaken of, and they accordingly brought up the meat and drink, whereon God cursed them, saying "Begone, you have eaten forbidden food." They craved for forgiveness, but were told in future to earn their living as bamboo-workers. The custom of menarikam, according to which a man should marry his maternal uncle's daughter, is so rigidly enforced that, if the uncle refuses to give his daughter in marriage, the man has a right to carry her off, and then pay a fine, the amount of which is fixed by the caste council. A portion thereof is given to the girl's parents, and the remainder spent on a caste feast. If the maternal uncle has no daughter, a man may, according to the eduru (or reversed) menarikam custom, marry his paternal aunt's daughter. Six months before the marriage ceremony takes place, the pasupu (turmeric) ceremony is performed. The bridegroom's family pay six rupees to the bride's family, to provide the girl with turmeric, wherewith she adorns herself. On the day fixed for the wedding, the parents of the bridegroom go with a few of the elders to the bride's house, and couple the request to take away the girl with payment of nine rupees and a new cloth. Of the money thus given, eight rupees go to the bride's parents, and the remainder to the caste. The bride is conducted to the home of the bridegroom, who meets her at the pandal (booth) erected in front of his house. They are bathed with turmeric water, and sacred threads are put on their shoulders by the Kula Maistri who officiates as priest. The couple then play with seven cowry (Cyproea arabica) shells, and, if the shells fall with the slit downwards, the bride is said to have won; otherwise the bridegroom is the winner. This is followed by the mudu akula homam, or sacrifice of three leaves. A new pot, containing a lighted wick, is placed before the couple. On it are thrown leaves of the rayi aku (Ficus religiosa), marri aku (Ficus Bengalensis), and juvvi aku (Ficus Tsiela). The Kula Maistri of the bridegroom's party spreads out his right hand over the mouth of the pot. On it the bride places her hand. The bridegroom then places his hand on hers, and the Kula Maistri of the bride's village puts his hand on that of the bridegroom. The elders then call out in a loud voice "Know, caste people of Vaddadi Madugula; know, caste people of Kimedi; know, caste people of Gunupuram and Godairi; know, caste people of all the twelve countries, that this man and woman have become husband and wife, and that the elders have ratified the ceremony." The contracting couple then throw rice over each other. On the morning of the following day, the saragatha ceremony is performed. The bridegroom's party repair to the bank of the local stream, where they are met by the caste people, who are presented with betel, a cheroot, and a pot of jaggery (crude sugar) water as cool drink. The sacred threads worn by the bride and bridegroom are removed at the conclusion of the marriage ceremonies. The remarriage of widows is permitted, and a younger brother may marry the widow of an elder brother, or vice versâ. Divorce is also allowed, and a divorcée may remarry. Her new husband has to pay a sum of money, a portion of which goes to the first husband, while the remainder is devoted to a caste feast. The dead are burnt, and the chinna rozu (little day) death ceremony is observed.

Goda-jati (wall people).--A sub-division of Kammas. The name has reference to a deadly struggle at Gandikota, in which some escaped by hiding behind a wall.

Goda-poose (wall polishing).--An exogamous sept of Tsakala.

Godari.--Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as Telugu leather-workers in Ganjam and Vizagapatam. They are stated, in the Vizagapatam Manual, to make and sell slippers in that district. Godari is, I gather, a synonym of Madiga, and not a separate caste.

Goddali (spade or axe).--An exogamous sept of Odde and Panta Reddi.

Godomalia (belonging to, or a group of forts).--A sub-division of Bhondari, the members of which act as barbers to Rajahs who reside in forts.

Golaka.--Recorded in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a name meaning bastard, and clubbed with the Moilis, or temple servants in South Canara descended from dancing-girls. In the Mysore Census Report, 1901, it is defined as a term applied to the children of Brahmans by Malerus, or temple servants.

Goli (Portulaca oleracea: a pot-herb).--An exogamous sept of Gauda.

Golkonda.--A sub-division of Tsakala.

Golla.--"The Gollas," Mr. H. A. Stuart writes, [143] "are the great pastoral caste of the Telugu people. The traditions of the caste give a descent from the god Krishna, whose sportings with the milk maids play a prominent part in Hindu mythology. The hereditary occupation of the Gollas is tending sheep and cattle, and selling milk, b