Ragala (ragi: Eleusine Coracana).--An exogamous sept of Chembadi, Korava and Madiga. The equivalent Ragithannaya occurs as an exogamous sept of Bant. Ragi grain constitutes the staple diet of the poorer classes, who cannot afford rice, and of prisoners in jails, for whom it is ground into flour, and boiled into a pudding about the consistency of blanc-mange. The name is derived from raga, red, in reference to the red colour of the grain. Raghindala (pipal: Ficus religiosa).--A gotra of Gollas, the members of which are not allowed to use the leaves of this tree as food-plates. Rajakan.--A Sanskrit equivalent of Vannan (washerman). Rajamahendram.--The name, in reference to the town of Rajahmundry in the Godavari district, of a sub-division of Balija. Rajamakan.--A Tamil synonym for the Telugu Razu. Rajavasal.--The name, denoting those who are servants of Rajas, of a sub-division of Agamudaiyans, which has been transformed into Rajavamsu, meaning those of kingly parentage. The equivalent Rajavamsam is recorded, in the Census Report, 1901, as being returned by some Maravans in Madura and Kurumbans in Trichinopoly. Rajakulam, Rajabasha, or Rajaboga occurs as a sub-division of Agamudaiyan. Rajpinde.--See Arasu. Rajpuri.--The Rajpuris, or Rajapuris, are a Konkani-speaking caste of traders and cultivators in South Canara. Concerning them, Mr. H. A. Stuart writes as follows. [120] "The Rajapuris, also called Balolikars, were originally traders, and perhaps have some claim to be considered Vaisyas. In social status they admit themselves to be inferior only to Brahmans. They wear the sacred thread, profess the Saiva faith, and employ Karadi Brahmans as priests in all their ceremonies. Their girls should be married before the age of puberty, and marriage of widows is not permitted. The marriage ceremony chiefly consists in the hands of the bride and bridegroom being united together, and held by the bride's father while her mother pours water over them. The water should first fall on the bride's hands, and then flow on to those of the bridegroom. This takes place at the bride's house. A curious feature in the ceremony is that for four days either the bride or bridegroom should occupy the marriage bed; it must never be allowed to become vacant. [This ceremony is called pajamadmai, or mat marriage.] On the fourth day, the couple go to the bridegroom's house, where a similar 'sitting' on the marriage bed takes place. They are mostly vegetarians, rice being their chief food, but some use fish, and rear fowls and goats for sale as food. Many are now cultivators." It may be noted that, among the Shivalli Brahmans, the mat is taken to a tank in procession. The bride and bridegroom make a pretence of catching fish, and, with linked hands, touch their foreheads.