Karaiyan.--A name for Tamil sea-fishermen, who live on the coast (karai). The fishing section of the Palles is known as Palle Kariyalu. See Pattanavan. Karalan.--In the Census Report, 1891, the Karalans (rulers of clouds) are returned as a tribe of hunters and cultivators found in the hills of Salem and South Arcot. In the Report, 1901, Karalan is given as a synonym for Vellala in Malabar, and also as a name for Malayalis. At the census, 1901, many of the Malayalis of the Shevaroy hills in the Salem district returned themselves as Vellalas and Karalans. And the divisions returned by the Karalans, e.g., Kolli, Pacchai, Periya, and Perianan, connect them with these Malayalis (q.v.). Karepaku.--Karepaku or Karuvepilai is a name for Koravas, who hawk for sale leaves of the curry-leaf plant (Murraya Koenigii). Karichcha.--Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nayar. Karimbarabannaya (sugar-cane sept).--An exogamous sept of Kelasi. Karimpalan.--The Karimpalans are a small hunting and cultivating forest tribe in Malabar. They are "punam (shifting) cultivators, hewers of wood, and collectors of wild pepper, and are found in all the foot hills north of the Camel's Hump. They wear the kudumi (hair knot), and are said to follow the marumakkatayam system of inheritance in the female line, but they do not perform the tali kettu ceremony. They are supposed to have the power of exorcising the demon Karuvilli, possession by whom takes the form of fever." [117] Kariya.--A sub-division of Kudubi. Karkadabannaya (scorpion sept).--An exogamous sept of Bant. Karkatta.--A synonym of Karaikattu Vellala. Karna.--A sub-division of Golla, and an exogamous sept of Mala. Karnabattu.--The Karnabattus, or Karnabhatus, are a Telugu weaving caste, found chiefly in the Godavari district. The story goes that there once lived a king, who ruled over a portion of the country now included in this district, and was worried by a couple of demons, who carried off some of his subjects for their daily food. The king prayed Siva for deliverance from them, and the god, being gratified at his devotion to him, produced nine persons from his ears, and ordered them to slay the demons. This they did, and their descendants are the Karnabhatus, or ear soldiers. By religion, the Karnabattus are either ordinary Saivites or Lingayats. When a girl reaches maturity, she remains under a pollution for sixteen days. Early marriage is the rule, and a Brahman officiates at weddings. The dead, as among other Lingayats, are buried in a sitting posture. The caste is organised in the same manner as the Sales, and, at each place, there is a headman called Kulampedda or Jatipedda, corresponding to the Senapatbi of the Sales. They weave coarse cloths, which are inferior in texture to those manufactured by Patta Sales and Silevantas.