Part 10

Munnuti Gumpu.--Recorded, in the Kurnool Manual, as "a mixed caste, comprising the illegitimate descendants of Balijas, and the male children of dancing-girls." It is not a caste name, but an insulting name for those of mixed origin.

Munnuttan (men of the three hundred).--Recorded, at times of census, as a synonym of Velan, and sub-caste of Panan, among the latter of whom Anjuttan (men of five hundred) also occurs. In the Gazetteer of Malabar, Munnuttan appears as a class of Mannans, who are closely akin to the Velans. In Travancore, Munnutilkar is a name for Kumbakonam Vellalas, who have settled there.

Muppan.--Muppan has been defined as "an elder, the headman of a class or business, one who presides over ploughmen and shepherds, etc. The word literally means an elder: mukkiradu, to grow old, and muppu, seniority." At recent times of census, Muppan has been returned as a title by many classes, which include Alavan, Ambalakaran, Kudumi, Pallan, Paraiyan and Tandan in Travancore, Senaikkudaiyan, Saliyan, Shanan, Sudarman and Valaiyan. It has further been returned as a division of Konkana Sudras in Travancore.

During my wanderings in the Malabar Wynad, I came across a gang of coolies, working on a planter's estate, who called themselves Muppans. They were interesting owing to the frequent occurrence among them of a very simple type of finger-print impression (arches).

Muppil (chief).--A sub-division of Nayar.

Murikinadu.--Murikinadu or Murikinati is a territorial name, which occurs as a division of Telugu Brahmans, and of various Telugu classes, e.g., Kamsala, Mala, Mangala, Razu, and Tsakala.

Muriya.--A small class in Ganjam, who are engaged in making a preparation of fried rice (muri) and in cultivation.

Muru Balayanoru (three-bangle people).--A sub-division of Kappiliyan.

Musaliar.--An occupational term, denoting a Muhammadan priest, returned at times of census in the Tamil country.

Musari.--A division of Malayalam Kammalans, whose occupation is that of brass and copper smiths. The equivalent Musarlu occurs among the Telugu Kamsalas.

Mushika (rat).--A gotra of Nagaralu. The rat is the vehicle of the Elephant God, Vignesvara or Ganesa.

Mushtiga.--An exogamous sept of the Gollas, who may not use the mushtiga tree (Strychnos Nux-vomica). It also occurs as a synonym of Jetti.

Mushti Golla.--A class of mendicants, usually of mixed extraction. Mushti means alms.

Mussad.--For the following note on the Mussads or Muttatus of Travancore, I am indebted to Mr. N. Subramani Aiyar. They are known as Muttatus or Mussatus in Travancore and Cochin, and Potuvals (or Poduvals) or Akapotuvals in North Malabar. The word Muttatu means elder, and is generally taken to indicate a community, which is higher than the Ambalavasi castes, as Ilayatu (or Elayad), or younger, denotes a sub-caste slightly lower than the Brahmans. In early records, the word Mupputayor, which has an identical meaning, is met with. Potuval means a common person, i.e., the representative of a committee, and a Muttatu's right to this name is from the fact that, in the absence of the Nambutiri managers of a temple, he becomes their agent, and is invested with authority to exercise all their functions. The work of an Akapotuval always lies within the inner wall of the shrine, while that of the Purapotuval or Potuval proper lies outside. The castemen themselves prefer the name Sivadvija or Saivite Brahman. A few families possess special titles, such as Nambi and Nambiyar. Their women are generally known as Manayammamar, mana meaning the house of a Brahman. There are no divisions or septs among the Muttatus.

The origin of the Muttatus, and their place in Malabar society, are questions on which a good deal of discussion has been of late expended. In the Jatinirnaya, an old Sanskrit work on the castes of Kerala attributed to Sankaracharya, it is said that the four kinds of Ambalavasis, Tantri, Bharatabhattaraka, Agrima, and Slaghyavakku, are Brahmans degraded in the Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali ages, respectively, and that those who were so degraded in the Dvapara Yuga--the Agrimas or Muttatus--and whose occupation is to cleanse the stone steps of shrines--are found in large numbers in Kerala. According to Kerala Mahatmya, another Sanskrit work on Malabar history and customs, these Muttatus are also known as Sivadvijas, or Brahmans dedicated to the worship of Siva, occupying a lower position in Malabar society than that of the Brahmans. One of them, disguised as a Nambutiri, married a Nambutiri's daughter, but his real status became known before the marriage was consummated, and the pair were degraded, and allotted a separate place in society. This tradition is not necessary to account for the present position of the Muttatus in Kerala, as, all over India, worship of fixed images was viewed with disfavour even in the days of Manu. Worship in Saivite temples was not sought by Brahmans, and was even considered as despiritualising on account of the divine displeasure which may be expected as the result of misfeasance. It was for a similar reason that the Nambiyans of even Vaishnavite temples on the east coast became degraded in society. The Illayatus and Muttatus have been long known in Malabar as Nyunas or castes slightly lower than the Brahmans, and Avantaras or castes intermediate between Brahmans and Ambalavasis. As, in subsequent days, the Brahmans themselves undertook with impunity the priestly profession in Hindu temples, Saivite as well as Vaishnavite, the Muttatus had to be content with a more lowly occupation, viz., that of guarding the temples and images. According to Suchindra Mahatmyam, eleven Brahmans were ordered by Parasu Rama to partake of the remnants of the food offered to Siva, and to bear the Saivite image in procession round the shrine on occasions of festivals; and, according to the Vaikam Sthalapuranam, three families of Sivadvijas were brought over by the same sage from eastern districts for service at that temple. Whatever may be said in regard to the antiquity or authenticity of many of these Sthalapuranams, corroborative evidence of the Brahmanical origin of the Muttatus may be amply found in their manners and customs. A fresh colony of Sivadvijas is believed to have been invited to settle at Tiruvanchikkulam in Cranganore from Chidambaram by one of the Perumals of Kerala, in connection with the establishment of Saivite temples there. They have preserved their original occupation faithfully enough down to the present day.

The houses of Muttatus are known as illams and mattams, the former being the name of all Nambutiri houses. They are generally built beside some well-known shrine, with which the inmates are professionally connected. The dress of both men and women resembles that of the Nambutiri Brahmans, the injunction to cover the whole of the body when they go out of doors being applicable also to the Manayammamar. Girls before marriage wear a ring and kuzal on the neck, and, on festive occasions, a palakka ring. The chuttu in the ears, and pozhutu tali on the neck are worn only after marriage, the latter being the symbol which distinguishes married women from widows and maidens. Widows are prohibited from wearing any ornament except the chuttu. In food and drink the Muttatus are quite like the Nambutiris.

The Muttatus are the custodians of the images, which they take in procession, and wash the stone steps leading to the inner sanctuary. They live by the naivedya or cooked food offering which they receive from the temple, and various other emoluments. It may be noted that one of the causes of their degradation was the partaking of this food, which Brahmans took care not to do. The Muttatus are generally well-read in Sanskrit, and study astrology, medicine, and sorcery. The social government of the Muttatus rests wholly with the Nambutiris, who enforce the smartavicharam or enquiry into a suspected case of adultery, as in the case of a Nambutiri woman. When Nambutiri priests are not available, Muttatus, if learned in the Vedas, may be employed, but punyaham, or purification after pollution, can only be done by a Nambutiri.

Like the Nambutiris, the Muttatus strictly observe the rule that only the eldest male member in a family can marry. The rest form casual connections with women of most of the Ambalavasi classes. They are, like the Brahmans, divided into exogamous septs or gotras. A girl is married before or after puberty. Polygamy is not uncommon, though the number of wives is never more than four. Widows do not remarry. In their marriage ceremonies, the Muttatus resemble the Nambutiris, with some minor points of difference. They follow two sutras, those of Asvalayana and Baudhayana, the former being members of the Rig Veda and the latter of the Yajur Veda. The former omit a number of details, such as the panchamehani and dasamehani, which are observed by the latter. According to a territorial distinction, Mussad girls of North Malabar cannot become the daughters-in-law of South Malabar families, but girls of South Malabar can become the daughters-in-law of North Malabar families.

The Muttatus observe all the religious rites of the Nambutiris. The rule is that the eldest son should be named after the paternal grandfather, the second after the maternal grandfather, and the third after that of the father. The upanayana ceremony is celebrated between the ages of seven and eleven, and the Gayatri hymn may only be repeated ten times thrice daily. In the funeral rites, the help of the Maran called Chitikan (a corruption of Chaitika, meaning one who is connected with the funeral pyre) is sought. Pollution lasts only ten days.

The Muttatus stand above all sections of the Ambalavasi group, and below every recognised section of the Brahman and Kshatriya communities, with whom they do not hold commensal relations in any part of Kerala. They are thus on a par with the Illayatus, but the latter have their own hierarchy, and lead a social life almost independent of the Brahmans. The Muttatus seek their help and advice in all important matters. The Muttatus are, however, privileged to take their food within the nalampalam (temple courts), and the leaf-plates are afterwards removed by temple servants. The Ambalavasis do not possess a right of this kind. At Suchindram, the Nambutiri by whom the chief image is served is not privileged to give prasada (remains of offerings) to any worshipper, this privilege being confined to the Muttatus engaged to serve the minor deities of the shrine. The washing of the stone steps leading to the inner sanctuary, the mandapa, kitchen, feeding rooms, and bali stones, both inside and outside the shrine, are done by Muttatus at temples with which they are connected. All Ambalavasis freely receive food from Muttatus.

It is further noted, in the Cochin Census Report, 1901, that "there is a pithy saying in Malayalam, according to which the Muthads are to be regarded as the highest of Ambalavasis, and the Elayads as the lowest of Brahmans. Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the exact social status of Muthads. For, while some hold that they are to be regarded as degraded Brahmans, others maintain that they are only the highest class of Ambalavasis. In the opinion, however, of the most learned Vydikan who was consulted on the subject, the Muthads are to be classed as degraded Brahmans. They are supposed to have suffered social degradation by their having tattooed their bodies with figures representing the weapons of the god Siva, and partaking of the offerings made to that god."

A correspondent, who has made enquiry into caste questions in Malabar, writes to me as follows. There are several ways of spelling the name, e.g., Mussu, Mussad, and Muttatu. Some people tried to discriminate between these, but I could not work out any distinctions. In practice, I think, all the classes noted below are called by either name indifferently, and most commonly Mussad. There are several classes, viz.:--

(1) BRAHMAN OR QUASI-BRAHMAN.

(a) Ashtavaidyanmar, or eight physicians, are eight families of hereditary physicians. They are called Jatimatrakaras (barely caste people), and it is supposed that they are Nambudiris slightly degraded by the necessity they may, as surgeons, be under of shedding blood. Most of them are called Mussad, but one at least is called Nambi.

(b) Urili Parisha Mussad, or assembly in the village Mussad, who are said to be degraded because they accepted gifts of land from Parasu Rama, and agreed to take on themselves the sin he had contracted by slaying the Kshetriyas. This class, as a whole, is called Sapta or Saptagrastan.

(2) AMBALAVASI.

(c) Mussad or Muttatu.--They appear to be identical with the Agapothuvals, or inside Pothuvals, as distinguished from the Pura, or outside Pothuvals, in North Malabar. They are said to be the descendants of a Sivadvija man and pure Brahman girl. According to another account, they lost caste because they ate rice offered to Siva, which is prohibited by one of the anacharams, or rules of conduct peculiar to Kerala. They perform various duties in temples, and escort the idol when it is carried in procession on an arrangement called tadambu, which is like an inverted shield with a shelf across it, on which the idol is placed. They wear the punul, or sacred thread.

(d) Karuga Mussad.--So called from the karuga grass (Cynodon Dactylon), which is used in ceremonies. Their exact position is disputed. They wear the sacred thread (cf. Karuga Nambudiris in North Malabar), who cook rice for the sradh (memorial ceremony) of Sudras,

(e) Tiruvalayanath or Kovil (temple) Mussad.--They also wear the sacred thread, but perform puja in Bhadrakali temples, incidents of which are the shedding of blood and use of liquor. They seem to be almost identical with the caste called elsewhere Adigal or Pidaran, but, I think, Adigals are a little higher, and do not touch liquor, while Pidarans are divided into two classes, the lower of which does not wear the thread or perform the actual puja, but only attends to various matters subsidiary thereto.

In an account of the annual ceremony at the Pishari temple near Quilandy in Malabar in honour of Bhagavati, Mr. F. Fawcett informs [67] that the Mussad priests repeat mantrams (prayers) over the goats for an hour as a preliminary to the sacrifice. Then the chief priest, with a chopper-like sword, decapitates the goats, and sacrifices several cocks. The Mussads cook some of the flesh of the goats, and one or two of the cocks with rice. This rice, when cooked, is taken to the kavu (grove) to the north of the temple, and there the Mussads again ply their mantrams.

Musu Kamma.--The name of a special ear ornament worn by the Musu Kamma sub-division of Balijas. In the Salem District Manual, Musuku is recorded as a sub-division of this caste.

Mutalpattukar.--A synonym of Tandan in Travancore, indicating those who received an allowance for the assistance they were called on to render to carpenters.

Mutracha.--Mutracha appears, in published records, in a variety of forms, such as Muttaracha, Muttirajulu, Muttarasan, and Mutratcha. The caste is known by one of these names in the Telugu country, and in the Tamil country as Muttiriyan or Palaiyakkaran.

Concerning the Mutrachas, Mr. H. A. Stuart writes as follows. [68] "This is a Telugu caste most numerous in the Kistna, Nellore, Cuddapah, and North Arcot districts. The Mutrachas were employed by the Vijayanagar kings to defend the frontiers of their dominions, and were honoured with the title of paligars (cf. Palaiyakkaran). The word Mutracha is derived from the Dravidian roots mudi, old, and racha, a king; but another derivation is from Mutu Raja, a sovereign of some part of the Telugu country. They eat flesh, and drink liquor. Their titles are Dora and Naidu." Mr. Stuart writes further [69] that in the North Arcot district they are "most numerous in the Chendragiri taluk, but found all over the district in the person of the village taliari or watchman, for which reason it is often called the taliari caste. They proudly call themselves paligars, and in Chendragiri doralu or lords, because several of the Chittoor palaiyams (villages governed by paligars) were in possession of members of their caste. They seem to have entered the country in the time of the Vijayanagar kings, and to have been appointed as its kavilgars (watchmen). The caste is usually esteemed by others as a low one. Most of its members are poor, even when they have left the profession of taliari, and taken to agriculture. They eat in the houses of most other castes, and are not trammelled by many restrictions. In Chendragiri they rarely marry, but form connections with women of their caste, which are often permanent, though not sanctioned by the marriage ceremony, and the offspring of such associations are regarded as legitimate."

In the Nellore Manual, the Mutrachas are summed up as being hunters, fishermen, bearers, palanquin-bearers, and hereditary watchmen in the villages. At times of census, Mutracha or Mutarasan has been recorded as a sub-division of Urali, and a title of Ambalakkaran. Muttiriyan, which is simply a Tamil form of Mutracha, appears as a title and sub-division of Ambalakkaran (q.v.). Further, Tolagari is recorded as a sub-division of Mutracha. The Tolagaris are stated [70] to be a small cultivating caste, who were formerly hunters, like the Palayakkarans. Most of the Mutrachas are engaged in agriculture. At Paniyam, in the Kurnool district, I found some employed in collecting winged white-ants (Termites), which they sun-dry, and store in large pots as an article of food. They are said to make use of some special powder as a means of attracting the insects, in catching which they are very expert.

In some places, the relations between the Mutrachas and Gollas, both of which castes belong to the left-hand section, are strained. On occasions of marriage among the Madigas, some pan-supari (betel leaves and areca nuts), is set apart for the Mutrachas, as a mark of respect.

In consequence of the fact that some Mutrachas have been petty chieftains, they claim to be Kshatriyas, and to be descended from Yayathi of the Mahabaratha. According to the legend, Devayana, the daughter of Sukracharya, the priest of the Daityas (demons and giants), went to a well with Charmanishta, the daughter of the Daitya king. A quarrel arose between them, and Charmanishta pushed Devayana into a dry well, from which she was rescued by king Yayathi. Sukracharya complained to the Daitya king, who made his daughter become a servant to Yayathi's wife, Devayana. By her marriage Devayana bore two sons. Subsequently, Yayathi became enamoured of Charmanishta, by whom he had an illegitimate son. Hearing of this, Sukracharya cursed Yayathi that he should be subject to old age and infirmity. This curse he asked his children to take on themselves, but all refused except his illegitimate child Puru. He accordingly cursed his legitimate sons, that they should only rule over barren land overrun by Kiratas. One of them, Durvasa by name, had seven children, who were specially favoured by the goddess Ankamma. After a time, however, they were persuaded to worship Maheswara or Virabhadra instead of Ankamma. This made the goddess angry, and she caused all flower gardens to disappear, except her own. Flowers being necessary for the purpose of worship, the perverts stole them from Ankamma's garden, and were caught in the act by the goddess. As a punishment for their sin, they had to lose their lives by killing themselves on a stake. One of the seven sons had a child named Ravideviraju, which was thrown into a well as soon as it was born. The Naga Kannikas of the nether regions rescued the infant, and tended it with care. One day, while Ankamma was traversing the Naga lokam (country), she heard a child crying, and sent her vehicle, a jackal (nakka), to bring the child, which, however, would not allow the animal to take it The goddess accordingly herself carried it off. The child grew up under her care, and eventually had three sons, named Karnam Raju, Gangi Raju, and Bhupathi Raju, from whom the Mutrachas are descended. In return for the goddess protecting and bringing up the child, she is regarded as the special tutelary deity of the caste.

There is a saying current among the Mutrachas that the Mutracha caste is as good as a pearl, but became degraded as its members began to catch fish. According to a legend, the Mutrachas, being Kshatriyas, wore the sacred thread. Some of them, on their way home after a hunting expedition, halted by a pond, and were tempted by the enormous number of fish therein to fish for them, using their sacred threads as lines. They were seen by some Brahmans while thus engaged, and their degradation followed.

In the Telugu country, two divisions, called Paligiri and Oruganti, are recognised by the Mutrachas, who further have exogamous septs or intiperulu, of which the following are examples:--

Avula, cow. Arigala, a dish carried in processions. Busi, dirt. Ella, boundary. Guvvala, doves. Indla, house. Iga, fly. Koppula, hair-knot. Katari, dagger. Marri, Ficus bengalensis. Nakka, jackal. Puli, tiger. Talari, watchman. Tota, garden. Uyyala, a swing. Thumu, iron measure for measuring grain.

During the first menstrual seclusion of a girl, she may not have her meals served on a metal plate, but uses an earthen cup, which is eventually thrown away. When she reaches puberty, a girl does up her hair in a knot called koppu.

In the case of confinement, pollution ends on the tenth day. But, if a woman loses her infant, especially a first-born, the pollution period is shortened, and, at every subsequent time of delivery, the woman bathes on the seventh or ninth day. Every woman who visits her on the bathing day brings a pot of warm water, and pours it over her head.

Muttal (substitute).--A sub-division of Maran.

Muttan.--In the Madras Census Report, 1901, the Muttans are summed up as "a trading caste in Malabar. The better educated members of it have begun to claim a higher social status than that usually accorded them. Formerly they claimed to be Nayars, but recently they have gone further, and, in the census schedules, some of them returned themselves as Vaisyas, and added the Vaisya title Gupta to their names. They do not, however, wear the sacred thread, or perform any Vedic rites, and Nayars consider themselves polluted by their touch."

It is recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1891, under the conjoint heading Muttan and Tarakan, that "these two are allied castes, but the latter would consider it a disgrace to acknowledge any affinity with the former. Tarakan literally means a broker. Dr. Gundert says that these were originally warehouse-keepers at Palghat. Muttan is probably from Muttavan, an elder, Tarakans have returned Muttan as a sub-division, and vice versâ, and both appear as sub-divisions of Nayar. We have in our schedules instances of persons who have returned their caste as Tarakan, but with their names Krishna Muttan (male) and Lakshmi Chettichiar (female). A Muttan may, in course of time, become a Tarakan, and then a Nayar. Both these castes follow closely the customs and manners of Nayars, but there are some differences. I have not, however, been able to get at the real state of affairs, as the members of the caste are very reticent on the subject, and simply assert that they are in all respects the same as Nayars. One difference is that a Brahmani does not sing at their tali-kettu marriages. Again, instead of having a Marayan, Attikurissi, or Elayad as their priest, they employ a man of their own caste, called Choratton. This man assists at their funeral ceremonies, and purifies them at the end of pollution, just as the Attikurissi does for Nayars. Kali temples seem to be specially affected by this caste, and these Chorattons are also priests in these temples. The Muttan and Tarakan castes are practically confined to Palghat and Walluvanad taluks."