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
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,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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