Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
family, the amputation of part of two fingers of women of the caste
was instituted.
"Since the prohibition of cutting off the fingers," Mr. L. Rice writes,
[52] "the women content themselves with putting on a gold or silver
finger-stall or thimble, which is pulled off instead of the finger
itself."
Morasa Kapulu women never touch the new grain of the year without
worshipping the sun (Surya), and may not eat food prepared from
this grain before this act of worship has been performed. They
wrap themselves in a kambli (blanket) after a purificatory bath,
prostrate themselves on the ground, raise their hands to the forehead
in salutation, and make the usual offering of cocoanuts, etc. They
are said, in times gone by, to have been lax in their morals and to
have prayed to the sun to forgive them.
Morasu has further been returned as a sub-division of Holeya, Mala and
Odde. The name Morasu Paraiyan probably indicates Holeyas who have
migrated from the Canarese to the Tamil country, and whose women,
like the Kallans, wear a horse-shoe thread round the neck.
Motati.--A sub-division of Kapu.
Moyili.--The Moyilis or Moilis of South Canara are said [53] by
Mr. H. A. Stuart to be "admittedly the descendants of the children of
women attached to the temples, and their ranks are even now swelled
in this manner. Their duties are similar to those of the Stanikas"
(q.v.). In the Madras Census report, 1901, Golaka (a bastard) is
clubbed with Moili. In the Mysore Census Report, this term is said
to be applied to children of Brahmans by Malerus (temple servants
in Mysore).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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