The Ethnology of the British Colonies and DependenciesLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology
These stand in remarkable contrast with the rest of the population of
Orissa; whose language is the Udiya, a tongue which, according to many,
belongs to a wholly different class, or, at least, to a different
division of the present.
South of Chicacole, however, the Tamul tongues are spoken continuously.
I cannot say where the southern limits of the Súr population come in
contact with the northern ones of the--
_Chenchwars_--who occupy the same range of mountains, in the parts
between the rivers Kistna and Pennar, and, probably, extending as far
south as the neighbourhood of Madras. Their language is the Telugu, the
language of the parts around, and of Tamul origin.[37] The contrast
between the Chenchwars of the hills, and the Telingas of the lower
country lies in their mythologies; the former retaining much of the
original creed of their country, the latter being Brahminists.
Below Madras, the mountain range changes its direction, and the next
locality under notice is the Neilgherry hills.
The families here are--
1. _The Cohatars_--so little Indianized as to eat of the flesh of the
cow, amounting to about two thousand in number, and occupants of the
highest part of the range.
2. _The Tudas._--An interesting monograph by Captain Harkness has drawn
unusual attention to these mountaineers, the chief points of importance
being the comparative absence of all elements of Brahminism, and the
occurrence in their physiognomy of the most favourable points of Hindú
beauty--regular and delicate features, oval face, and a clear brunette
skin. Free from the other religious and social characteristics of
Hinduism as the Tudas may be, they still admit a sort of caste; _e.g._,
whilst the _Peiki_, or _Toralli_, may perform any function, the _Kuta_,
or _Tardas_, are limited. Neither did they always intermarry, though
they do now; their offspring being called _Mookh_, or _descendants_.
3. _The Curumbas_, called by the Tudas _Curbs_, inhabit a lower level
than the preceding populations, but a higher one than--
4. _The Erulars_ at the foot of the hills; falling into two
divisions--_a_, the _Urali_ (a name to be noticed), and _b_, the
_Curutali_.
Between the Neilgherries and Cape Comorin, the hill-tribes are worth
enumerating, if only for the sake of showing their complexity. According
to Lieutenant Conner in the "Madras Journal," they are--1, Cowders; 2,
Vaishvans; 3, Múdavenmars; 4, Arreamars, or Vailamers; 5, Ural-Uays.
Besides these, there is a population of predial slaves, divided and
subdivided.
1. Vaituvan, Konaken.
2. Polayers--
_a._ Vulluva.
_b._ Kunnaka.
_c._ Morny Pulayer.
3. Pariahs.
4. Vaidurs.
5. Ulanders and Naiadi.
To return to the Neilgherries, and follow the western Ghauts upwards, a
population more numerous than any hitherto mentioned is that of the--
_Buddugurs_, called also _Marvés_. This name takes so many forms that
_Berdar_ may be one of them. One division of Buddugurs is called
_Lingait_.
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