Natives in Central Lidia, 45 



ing to, in every village after night-fall you may see the repre- 

 sentations of the battles, and hear the Kccli Katr describing 

 the heroes' deeds. 



Their females are very virtuous, and one woman has been 

 known to give birth to twelve children. Reading and writing 

 is unknown among them. Their dress and food are the same 

 as the Hindus among whom they dwell. 



They live in square huts formed of grass sewed together, 

 the whole being perhaps a rupee in value. These they them- 

 selves make and carry with them at their periodical migrations, 

 which custom renders obligatory every three months, — a longer 

 stay would, they say, subject them to some dire calamity ; and 

 as the third moon passes by, the spot that yesterday was a 

 merry encamping ground is to-day a desolate and unoccupied 

 waste. 



The Muddikpor seemed to me to have no idea of a supremo 

 being. They pay their devotions to the transparent figures 

 with which the battles of the Panch Pandya are represented : 

 the box of bamboo containing them is each morning placed on 

 a part of the floor fresh covered with cow dung ; and on the lid 

 being opened to expose the drawings, they burn frankincense, 

 and bow down to the ground in worship, — " Oh Panch Pandya, 

 by you we live, continue to give us our daily bread I'** 



They are not restricted to one wife, and they bury all their 

 dead, except lepers, whom they burn. 



The languages spoken by these tribes arc not understood 

 by any one of a tribe different from their own. though there 

 seems a general similarity among them, as will be seen from the 

 few words I obtained. The Sanscrit, Tamil, Telagoo, Guze- 

 rattee, and Maharattee, have been placed to enable a compa- 

 rison to be made. 



