Putiya Islam.--Pu Islam or Putiya Islam is the name returned mostly by Mukkuvans, in reference to their new conversion to the Muhammadan faith. Putta (ant-hill).--An exogamous sept of Kamma, Kuruba, Mala, Medara, and Padma Sale. 'White-ant' (Termites) hills are frequently worshipped as being the abode of snakes. Puttiya.--A sub-division of Rona. Puttur.--Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nayar. Puzhi Tacchan (sand carpenter).--The name of a small section of Malabar Kammalans. R Racha (= Raja).--Racha or Rachu, signifying regal, occurs as the title of various Telugu classes, for example, Balija, Golla, Kapu, Konda Dora, Koya, Majjulu, and Velama. Some Perikes, who claim to be Kshatriyas, call themselves Racha Perikes. Racha is further given as an abbreviated form of Mutracha. Rachevar.--It is noted, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, that "there are three broad distinctions founded on the traditional occupation, but there are two main exclusive divisions of Telugu and Kannada Rachevars. One set, called Ranagare, are military, and most of them are found employed in His Highness the Maharaja's Rachevar and Bale forces. The second, consisting of the Chitragaras or Bannagaras, make good paintings, decorations, and lacquered ware and toys. The last consists of the Sarige, or gold lace makers. These people claim to be Kshatriyas--a pretension not generally acquiesced in by the other castes. They trace their origin to a passage in Brahmanda Purana, wherein it is said that, for an injury done to a Brahman, they were condemned to follow mechanical occupations." In connection with recent Dasara festivities at Mysore, I read that there were wrestling matches, acrobatic feats, dumb-bell and figure exercises by Rachevars. In the Tanjore Manual it is noted that the Rachevars are "descendants of immigrants from the Telugu country, who apparently followed the Nayak viceroys of the Vijayanagar empire in the sixteenth century. They are more or less jealous of the purity of their caste. Their language is Telugu. They wear the sacred thread." In the city of Madras, and in other places in Tamil country, the Rachevars are called Razus or Mucchis, who must not be confused with the Mucchis of Mysore and the Ceded districts, who are shoe-makers, and speak Marathi. In the Telugu country, there are two distinct sections of Rachevars, viz., Saivite and Vaishnavite. The Saivite Rachevars in the Kistna district style themselves Arya Kshatriyalu, but they are commonly called Nakash-vandlu, which is a Hindustani synonym of Chitrakara or Jinigiri-vandlu. The Vaishnavites are known as Jinigiri-vandlu, and are said not to intermarry with the Saivites. Rafizi.--A term, meaning a forsaker, used by Sunni Muhammadans for any sect of Shiahs. The name appears, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as Rabjee.