Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
Some Gavaras are Vaishnavites, and others Saivites, but difference in
religion is no bar to intermarriage. Both sections worship the village
deities, to whom animal sacrifices are offered. The Vaishnavites show
special reverence to Jagganathaswami of Orissa, whose shrine is visited
by some, while others take vows in the name of this god. On the day
on which the car festival is celebrated at Puri, local car festivals
are held in Gavara villages, and women carry out the performance
of their vows. A woman, for example, who is under a vow, in order
that she may be cured of illness or bear children, takes a big pot
of water, and, placing it on her head, dances frantically before the
god, through whose influence the water, which rises out of the pot,
falls back into it, instead of being spilt.
The Vaishnavites are burnt, and the Saivites buried in a sitting
posture. The usual chinna (little) and pedda rozu (big day) death
ceremonies are performed.
Men wear a gold bangle on the left wrist, and another on the right
arm. Women wear a silver bangle on the right wrist, and a bracelet of
real or imitation coral, which is first worn at the time of marriage,
on the left wrist. They throw the end of their body-cloth over the
left shoulder. They do not, like women of other non-Brahman castes
in the Vizagapatam district, smoke cigars.
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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