Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 6 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 6 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
When a girl attains maturity, she is placed apart in a room. On the
seventh day, she is anointed by seven young women, who give an offering
to the demons, if she is possessed by any. This consists of the bark
of a plantain tree made into the form of a triangle, on which small
bits of tender cocoanuts and little torches are fixed. This is waved
round the girl's head, and floated away on water. As regards marriage,
the Pulluvans observe both tali-kettu and sambandham. In the vicinity
of Palghat, members of the caste in the same village intermarry,
and have a prejudice against contracting alliances outside it. Thus,
the Pulluvans of Palghat do not intermarry with those of Mundur and
Kanghat, which are four and ten miles distant. It is said that, in
former days, intercourse between brother and sister was permitted. But,
when questioned on this point, the Pulluvans absolutely deny it. It
is, however, possible that something of the kind was once the case,
for, when a man belonging to another caste is suspected of incest,
it is said that he is like the Pulluvans. Should the parents of a
married woman have no objection to her being divorced, they give her
husband a piece of cloth called murikotukkuka. This signifies that
the cloth which he gave is returned, and divorce is effected.
The Pulluvans follow the makkathayam law of inheritance (from father
to son). But they seldom have any property to leave, except their hut
and a few earthen pots. They have their caste assemblies (parichas),
which adjudicate on adultery, theft, and other offences.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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