I 12 



bangle. The wearino- of this ornament appears to be 

 followed in Coimbatore largely because it is an ancient 

 custom, with no further sioriificance beyond what is 

 implied above. It is not now connected with belief in 

 the evil-eve thouo-h it is said to have had this siofnificance 

 in former times. The general belief in the efficacy of 

 the chank as a specific against skin diseases may how- 

 ever be counted as one of the obscure reasons for its 

 continued usage. 



Accordina; to information received from Mr. V. 

 Govindan, in the case of the sub-divisions of the Vella- 

 lans and Idaiyans of Coimbatore where caste custom 

 rigidly enforces the wearing by their women of a chank 

 bano-le, no married woman or Qirl of marriaoeable aee 

 is permitted to appear in public without her chank 

 bangle, and Mr. Govindan states that in the case of 

 Chanku Vellalas if any woman does so appear she is out- 

 casted and not readmitted until she has paid a fine 

 which may amount to as much as Rs. lo. The proceeds 

 of the fine are utilized to pay the expenses of giving a 

 ceremonial dinner to the caste Panchayatdars or village 

 elders. Widows, as usual elsewhere, have to discard 

 these bangles along with their other ornaments on the 

 death of their husband. 



A single bangle only is used, worn on the left wrist. 

 Should the owner break the bangle by accident, she re- 

 places it at the earliest opportunity and till she so does, 

 must remain indoors and not be seen by caste people. 

 The caste rules attach as much importance to this 

 bano-le as to the tali or marriaore bado-e tied around the 

 neck of married women. The Vellalan and Idaiyan 

 chank bangle is stout and thick, measuring from f to 

 I inch in width. According to this informant it is left 

 quite plain, without incised ornament, in order the better 

 to resist rou^h usao^e. The inner surface is rouo-hlv 

 filed and smoothed, the outer is left unworked. From 

 the statement of the Collector of Coimbatore it would 

 however appear that this is not the universal custom as 

 he mentions instances of well-to-do Puluva Vellalans 

 wearing ornamental bangles costing from Rs. 3 to 5 

 per pair. 



These bangles, the plain ones made at Kilakarai on 

 the Ramnad coast, are not usually to be bought in the 

 inland bazaars. Bangle peddlers who pass from village 



