Read Ebook: Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7 by Thurston Edgar Rangachari K Contributor

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Bhagadevi.--Rides on a tiger, and protects the community from cholera.

Veyyi Kannula Ammavaru, or the goddess of a thousand eyes, represented by a pot pierced with holes, in which a gingelly oil light is burnt. She attends to the general welfare of the fisher folk.

Jali .--A gotra of Kurni.

Jalli.--Jalli, meaning palm tassels put round the neck and horns of bulls, occurs as an exogamous sept of Jogi. The name occurs further as a sub-division of Kevuto.

Jambava.--A synonym of the Madigas, who claim descent from the rishi Audi Jambavadu.

Jambu .--An exogamous sept of Odde.

Jambuvar .--An exogamous sept of Kondaiyamkottai Maravan.

Jamkhanvala .--An occupational name for Patnulkarans and Patvegars.

Jammi .--A gotra of Gollas, members of which may not use the tree. It is further a gotra of Chembadis. Children of this caste who are named after the caste god Gurappa or Gurunathadu are taken, when they are five, seven, or nine years old, to a jammi tree, and shaved after it has been worshipped with offerings of cooked food, etc. The jammi or sami tree is regarded as sacred all over India. Some orthodox Hindus, when they pass it, go round it, and salute it, repeating a Sanskrit verse to the effect that "the sami tree removes sins; it is the destroyer of enemies; it was the bearer of the bows and arrows of Arjuna, and the sight of it was very welcome to Rama."

Janappan.--The Janappans, Mr. W. Francis writes, "were originally a section of the Balijas, but they have now developed into a distinct caste. They seem to have been called Janappan, because they manufactured gunny-bags of hemp fibre. In Tamil they are called Saluppa Chettis, Saluppan being the Tamil form of Janappan. Some of them have taken to calling themselves Desayis or Desadhipatis , and say they are Balijas. They do not wear the sacred thread. The caste usually speaks Telugu, but in Madura there is a section, the women of which speak Tamil, and also are debarred from taking part in religious ceremonies, and, therefore, apparently belonged originally to some other caste."

The Saluppans say that they have twenty-four gotras, which are divided into groups of sixteen and eight. Marriage is forbidden between members of the same group, but permitted between members of the sixteen and eight gotras. Among the names of the gotras, are the following:--

Vasava. Madalavan. Vamme. Piligara. Mummudi. Mukkanda. Pilli Vankaravan. Vadiya. Makkiduvan. Thonda. Thallelan. Kola. Gendagiri.

The Janappans of the Telugu country also say that they have only twenty-four gotras. Some of these are totemistic in character. Thus, members of the Kappala gotra owe their name to a tradition that on one occasion, when some of the family were fishing, they caught a haul of big frogs instead of fish. Consequently, members of this gotra do not injure frogs. Members of the Thonda or Thonda Maha Rishi gotra abstain from using the fruit or leaves of the thonda plant . The fruits of this plant are among the commonest of native vegetables. In like manner, members of the Mukkanda sept may not use the fruit of Momordica Charantia. Those of the Vamme gotra abstain from eating the fish called bombadai, because, when some of their ancestors went to fetch water in the marriage pot, they found a number of this fish in the water collected in the pot. So, too, in the Kola gotra, the eating of the fish called kolasi is forbidden.

In their marriage customs, those who live in the Telugu country follow the Telugu Puranic form, while those who have settled in the Tamil country have adopted some of the marriage rites thereof. There are, however, some points of interest in their marriage ceremonies. On the day fixed for the betrothal, those assembled wait silently listening for the chirping of a lizard, which is an auspicious sign. It is said that the match is broken off, if the chirping is not heard. If the omen proves auspicious, a small bundle of nine to twelve kinds of pulses and grain is given by the bridegroom's father to the father of the bride. This is preserved, and examined several days after the marriage. If the grain and pulses are in good condition, it is a sign that the newly married couple will have a prosperous career.

There are both Saivites and Vaishnavites among these people, and the former predominate in the southern districts. Most of the Vaishnavites are disciples of Bhatrazus. The Bhatrazu priest goes round periodically, collecting his fees. Those among the Saivites who are religiously inclined are disciples of Pandarams of mutts . Those who have settled in the Salem district seem to consider Damayanti and Kamatchi as the caste deities.

The manufacture of gunny-bags is still carried on by some members of the caste, but they are mainly engaged in trade and agriculture. In the city of Madras, the sale of various kinds of fruits is largely in the hands of the Janappans.

Sathu vandlu, meaning a company of merchants or travellers, occurs as a synonym of Janappan.

In the Mysore Census Report, 1901, Janappa is returned as a sub-division of the Gonigas, who are sack-weavers, and makers of gunny-bags.

Jandayi .--An exogamous sept of Yanadi.

Janga .--An exogamous sept of Mala.

Jangal Jati.--A synonym, denoting jungle folk, of the Kurivikarans or Kattu Marathis.

Jangam.--It is noted, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, that "strictly speaking, a Jangam is a priest to the religious sect of Lingayats, but the term is frequently loosely applied to any Lingayat, which accounts for the large numbers under this head . Jangams proper are said to be of two classes, Pattadikaris, who have a definite head-quarters, and Charamurtis, who go from village to village, preaching the principles of the Lingayat sect. Many Jangams are priests to Sudras who are not Lingayats, others are merely religious beggars, and others of them go in for trade." In the Census Report, 1891, it is further recorded that "the full name is Jangama Lingayat, meaning those who always worship a moveable lingam, in contradistinction to the Sthavara lingam of the temples. Only two of the sub-divisions returned are numerically important, Ganayata and Sthavara. The sub-division Sthavara is curious, for a Sthavara Jangam is a contradistinction in terms. This sub-division is found only in the two northern districts, and it is possible that the Jangam caste, as there found, is different from the ordinary Jangam, for, in the Vizagapatam District Manual, the Jangams are said to be tailors." In the Telugu country Lingayats are called Jangalu.

The Ganta Jangams are so called, because they carry a metal bell .

The Jangams are thus referred to by Pietro della Valle. "At Ikkeri I saw certain Indian Friars, whom in their language they call Giangama, and perhaps are the same with the sages seen by me elsewhere; but they have wives, and go with their faces smeared with ashes, yet not naked, but clad in certain extravagant habits, and a kind of hood or cowl upon their heads of dyed linen of that colour which is generally used amongst them, namely a reddish brick colour, with many bracelets upon their arms and legs, filled with something within that makes a jangling as they walk. I saw many persons come to kiss their feet, and, whilst such persons were kissing them, and, for more reverence, touching their feet with their foreheads, these Giangamas stood firm with a seeming severity, and without taking notice of it, as if they had been abstracted from the things of the world."

Janjapul .--An exogamous sept of Boya.

Janmi.--Janmi or Janmakaran means "proprietor" or "landlord"; the person in whom the janman title rests. Janman denotes birth, birthright, proprietorship; freehold property, which it was considered disgraceful to alienate. Janmabhogam is the share in the produce of the land, which is due to the Janmi." In 1805-1806, the Collector of Malabar obtained, for the purpose of carrying out a scheme of assessment approved by Government, a return from all proprietors of the seed, produce, etc., of all their fields. This return is usually known as the Janmi pymaish of 981 M.E. .

Writing to me concerning Malabar at the present day, a correspondent states that "in almost every taluk we have jungle tribes, who call themselves the men of Janmis. In the old days, when forests were sold, the inhabitants were actually entered in the contract as part of the effects, as, in former times, the landlord sold the adscripti or ascripti glebae with the land. Now that is not done. However, the relationship exists to the following extent, according to what a Tahsildar tells me. The tribesmen roam about the forests at will, and each year select a place, which has lain fallow for five years or more for all kinds of cultivation. Sometimes they inform the Janmis that they have done so, sometimes they do not. Then, at harvest time, the Janmi, or his agent, goes up and takes his share of the produce. They never try to deceive the Janmi. He is asked to settle their disputes, but these are rare. They never go to law. The Janmi can call on them for labour, and they give it willingly. If badly treated, as they have been at times by encroaching plainsmen, they run off to another forest, and serve another Janmi. At the Onam festival they come with gifts for the Janmi, who stands them a feast. The relation between the jungle folk and the Janmi shows the instinct in a primitive people to have a lord. There seems to be no gain in having a Janmi. His protection is not needed, and he is hardly ever called in to interfere. If they refused to pay the Janmi his dues, he would find it very hard to get them. Still they keep him." In the middle of the last century, when planters first began to settle in the Malabar Wynad, they purchased the land from the Janmis with the Paniyans living on it, who were practically slaves of the landowners.

The hereditary rights and perquisites claimed, in their villages, by the astrologer, carpenter, goldsmith, washerman, barber, etc., are called Cherujanmam.

Janni.--The name of the caste priests of Jatapus.

Japanese.--At the Mysore census, 1901, two Japanese were returned. They were managers of the silk farm instituted on Japanese methods by Mr. Tata of Bombay in the vicinity of Bangalore.

Jat.--A few members of this North Indian class of Muhammadans, engaged in trade, have been returned at times of census in Mysore.

Jatapu.--The Jatapus are defined, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as "a civilised section of the Khonds, who speak Khond on the hills and Telugu on the plains, and are now practically a distinct caste. They consider themselves superior to those Khonds who still eat beef and snakes, and have taken to some of the ways of the castes of the plains."

For the following note, I am indebted to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. The name Jatapu is popularly believed to be an abbreviated form of Konda Jatapu Doralu, or lords of the Khond caste. To this caste the old chiefs of the Palkonda Zamindari are said to have belonged. It is divided into a number of septs, such, for example, as:--

Thorika or Thoyika, who revere the thorika kodi, a species of wild fowl.

Kadrika, who revere another species of fowl.

Mamdangi, who revere the bull or cow.

Addaku, who revere the addaku , which is used by low-country people for eating-platters.

Konda Gorre, who revere a certain breed of sheep.

Navalipitta, who revere the peacock.

Arika, who revere the arika .

Other septs, recorded in the Census Report, 1901, are Koalaka , Kutraki , and Vinka .

Marriage is celebrated either before or after a girl reaches puberty. A man may claim his paternal aunt's daughter as his wife. The marriage ceremonies closely resemble those of the low-country Telugu type. The bride-price, called voli, is a new cloth for the bride's mother, rice, various kinds of grain, and liquor. The bride is conducted to the house of the bridegroom, and a feast is held. On the following morning, the kallagolla sambramam ceremony takes place, and, later on, at an auspicious hour, the wrist threads are tied on the wrists of the contracting couple, and their hands joined together. They then bathe, and another feast is held. The remarriage of widows is allowed, and a younger brother may marry the widow of his elder brother. Divorce is permitted, and divorc?es may remarry.

The dead are usually buried, but those who die from snake-bite are said to be burnt. Death pollution lasts for three days, during which the caste occupation of cultivating is not carried on. An annual ceremony is performed by each family in honour of the dead. A fowl or goat is killed, a portion of the day's food collected in a plate, and placed on the roof of the house. Once in twenty years or so, all the castemen join together, and buy a pig or cow, which is sacrificed in honour of the ancestors.

The caste goddess is Jakara Devata, who is propitiated with sacrifices of pigs, sheep, and buffaloes. When the crop is gathered in, the first fruits are offered to her, and then partaken of.

The caste headman is called Nayudu or Samanthi, and he is assisted by the Janni, or caste priest, who officiates at ceremonials, and summons council meetings.

The caste titles are Dora, Naiko, and Samanto.

Jatikirtulu.--Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a class of beggars in the Cuddapah district. The name means those who praise the caste, and may have reference to the Bhatrazus.

Jati Pillai .--A general name for beggars, who are attached to particular castes, from the members of which they receive alms, and at whose ceremonies they take part by carrying flags in processions, etc. It is their duty to uphold the dignity of the caste by reciting the story of its origin, and singing its praises. As examples of Jati Pillais, the following may be cited:--

Mailari attached to Komatis. Viramushti attached to Beri Chettis and Komatis. Nokkan attached to Pallis. Mastiga attached to Madigas.

It is recorded by Mr. M. Paupa Rao Naidu that some Koravas, who go by the name of Jatipalli Koravas, "are prevalent in the southern districts of the Madras Presidency, moving always in gangs, and giving much trouble. Their women tattoo in return for grain, money, or cloths, and help their men in getting acquainted with the nature and contents of the houses."

Jaura.--The Jauras are a small Oriya caste, closely allied to the Khoduras, the members of which manufacture lac bangles and other articles. Lac, it may be noted, is largely used in India for the manufacture of bangles, rings, beads, and other trinkets worn as ornaments by women of the poorer classes. Dhippo and mohiro occur as common exogamous septs among the Jauras, and are objects of reverence. The Jauras are mainly Saivites, and Suramangala and Bimmala are the caste deities. Titles used by members of the caste are Danse, Sahu, Dhov, and Mahapatro.

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