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
Kallan Muppan.--In the Madras Census Report, 1901, Kallan Muppan
is returned as "a sub-caste of the Malabar Kammalans, the members of
which are stone-workers." A correspondent writes to me that, "while the
Kammalans are a polluting and polyandrous class, the Kallan Muppans
are allowed to enter the outside enclosure of temples. They do not
remarry their widows, and are strictly monogamous. Their purohits are
Tamil barbers, who officiate at their marriages. The barber shaves
the bridegroom before the wedding ceremony. The purohit has also to
blow the conch-shell all the way from the bridegroom's house to that
of the bride."
The names Kallan and Kalkotti are also those by which the Malabar
stone-masons are known.
Kallangi.--Kallangi and Kallaveli (Kallan's fence) are fanciful names,
returned by Pallis at times of census.
Kallasari (stone-workers).--The occupational name of a sub-division
of Malayalam Kammalans.
Kallatakurup.--A sub-division of Ambalavasis, who sing in Bhagavati
temples. They play on a stringed instrument, called nandurini, with
two strings and a number of wooden stops glued on to the long handle,
and a wooden plectrum.
Kallu (stone).--A sub-division of Ganiga and Odde. Kallukoti
(stone-mason) is a sub-division of Malabar Kammalans, who work
in stone.
Kallukatti.--It is noted, in the Gazetteer of the South Canara
district, that "a grinding stone made of granite is an article
peculiar to South Canara. It is a semicircular, oval-shaped block with
a flat bottom, and a round hole in the middle of the surface. It has
another oval-shaped block, thin and long, with one end so shaped as
to fit into the hole in the larger block. These two together make
what is known as the grinding-stone of the district, which is used
for grinding curry-stuff, rice, wheat, etc. Mill-stones for pounding
grain are also made of granite. Formerly, a class of people called
Kallukattis used to make such articles, but the industry is now taken
up by other castes as well. Mile-stones, slabs for temple door-frames,
idols and other figures for temple purposes are also made of granite."
Kallur.--Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a name
for the Pulikkappanikkan sub-division of Nayar.
Kalluri (stone village).--An exogamous sept of Medara.
Kal Tacchan (stone-mason).--A sub-division of Kammalan.
Kalti (expunged).--A degraded Paraiyan is known as a Kalti. Amongst
the Paraiyans of Madras, Chingleput and North Arcot, the rule
is that a man who does not abide by the customs of the caste is
formally excommunicated by a caste council. He then joins "those
at Vinnamangalam" near Vellore, i.e., those who have, like himself,
been driven out of the caste.
Kalugunadu (eagle's country).--An exogamous sept of Tamil goldsmiths
in the Madura district.
Kaluthai (possessors of donkeys).--A sub-division of Odde.
Kalyanakulam (marriage people).--A fanciful name returned by some
Mangalas at times of census, as they officiate as musicians at
marriages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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