Idangai (left-hand).--Recorded, at times of census, as a division of Deva-dasis, who do service for castes belonging to the left-hand section. Idiga.--The Telugu toddy-drawers, whose hereditary occupation is the extraction of the juice of the date and palmyra palms, go by different names in different localities. Those, for example, who live in the Salem, North Arcot and Chingleput districts, are called Idigas or Indras. In the Northern Circars and the Nellore district, they are known as Gamallas or Gamandlas, and in the Cuddapah district as Asilis. It is recorded, in the North Arcot Manual, that "Idiga is one of the toddy-drawing castes of the Telugu country, the name being derived from Telugu idchu, to draw. The Idigas are supposed to be a branch of the Balija tribe, separated on account of their occupation. They are chiefly Vaishnavites, having Satanis as their priests. They are divided into two classes, the Dandu (army) [177] Idigas and the Balija Idigas, of whom the former used originally to distil arrack, but, now that the manufacture is a monopoly, they usually sell it. The Balija Idigas extract toddy, the juice of the palm tree. They differ from the Shanans in some of their professional customs, for, while the Tamilians in climbing tie their knives behind them, the Telugus tie them on the right thigh. Tamilian drawers extract the juice from palmyras and cocoanuts, but rarely from the date, and the Telugus from the palmyras and dates, but never from cocoanuts. The chief object of their worship is Yellamma, the deity who presides over toddy and liquor. On every Sunday, the pots containing liquor are decorated with flowers, saffron, etc., and offerings are made to them." In the Madras Census Report, 1901, it is stated that "it is said that the Idigas are the descendants of Balijas from Rajahmundry in Godavari district, and that their occupation separated them into a distinct caste. They are divided into two endogamous sections called either Dandu and Palli, or Patha (old) and Kotta (new). The headman of the caste is called Gaudu. They employ Brahmans as purohits for their ceremonies, and these Brahmans are received on terms of equality by other Brahmans. They bury their dead, and observe pollution for twelve days, during which they abstain from eating flesh. The consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited, and is severely punished by the headman of the caste. They eat with all Balijas, except the Gazulu section. Their titles are Aiya, Appa, and Gaudu."