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, but many of them have now acquired lands and are engaged in farming, and some are in Government service. They are quiet, inoffensive, and comparatively honest. In the time of the Nabobs, this last characteristic secured to them the privilege of guarding and carrying treasure, and one sub-division, Bokhasa Gollas, owes its origin to this service. Even now those who are employed in packing and lifting bags of money in the district treasuries are called Gollas, though they belong to other castes. As a fact they do hold a respectable position, and, though poor, are not looked down upon, for they tend the sacred cow. Sometimes they assert a claim to be regarded as representatives of the Go-Vaisya division. Their title is Mandadi, but it is not commonly used." Mr. Stuart writes further [144] that "the social status of the Gollas is fairly high, for they are allowed to mix freely with the Kapu, Kamma, and Balija castes, and the Brahmans will take buttermilk from their hands. They employ Satanis as their priests. In their ceremonies there is not much difference between them and the Kapus. The name Golla is generally supposed to be a shortened form of Sanskrit Gopala" (protector of cows). The Gollas also call themselves Konanulu, or Konarlu, and, like the Tamil Idaiyans, sometimes have the title Konar. Other titles in common use are Anna, Ayya, and occasionally Nayudu. In the Manual of the Kurnool district, it is stated that the Gollas "keep sheep, and sell milk and ghi (clarified butter). They eat and mess with the Balijas, and other high caste Sudras; but, unlike their brethren of the south, in the matter of street processions, they are classed with goldsmiths, or the left-hand section. When any one is reduced to poverty, the others give him each a sheep, and restore his flock. They occasionally dedicate their girls to Venkatesa as Basavis" (prostitutes). It is noted, in the Gazetteer of the Vizagapatam district, that "in the country round Madgole, legends are still recounted of a line of local Golla chieftains, who gave their name to Golgonda, and built the forts, of which traces still survive in those parts". Each Telugu New Year's day, it is stated, Gollas come across from Godavari, and go round the Golla villages, reciting the names of the progenitors of the fallen line, and exhibiting paintings illustrative of their overthrow.