Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 3 of 7 — John Shaqi
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 3 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 3 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
A peculiar method of selecting a bride, called siru tali kattu (tying
the small tali), is said to be in vogue among some Kaikolans. A
man, who wishes to marry his maternal uncle's or paternal aunt's
daughter, has to tie a tali, or simply a bit of cloth torn from her
clothing, round her neck, and report the fact to his parents and the
headman. If the girl eludes him, he cannot claim her, but, should
he succeed, she belongs to him. In some places, the consent of the
maternal uncle to a marriage is signified by his carrying the bride
in his arms to the marriage pandal (booth). The milk-post is made of
Erythrina indica. After the tali has been tied, the bridegroom lifts
the bride's left leg, and places it on a grinding-stone. Widows are
stated by Mr. Stuart to be "allowed to remarry if they have no issue,
but not otherwise; and, if the prevalent idea that a Kaikola woman
is never barren be true, this must seldom take place."
On the final day of the death ceremonies, a small hut is erected,
and inside it stones, brought by the barber, are set up, and offerings
made to them.
The following proverbs are current about or among the Kaikolans:--
Narrate stories in villages where there are no Kaikolans.
Why should a weaver have a monkey?
This, it has been suggested, [25] implies that a monkey would
only damage the work.
On examining the various occupations, weaving will be found to
be the best.
A peep outside will cut out eight threads.
The person who was too lazy to weave went to the stars.
The Chetti (money-lender) decreases the money, and the weaver
the thread.
The titles of the Kaikolans are Mudali and Nayanar.
Among the Kaikolan musicians, I have seen every gradation of colour
and type, from leptorhine men with fair skin and chiselled features,
to men very dark and platyrhine, with nasal index exceeding 90.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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