Chap. XXV. CASTE PREJUDICES. 423 



come the Sudras, who represent the upper classes of the 

 Tamil race. The Vellaler or agricultural caste comes uext, 

 and then the Maravar and Kallar, or robber castes. The 

 Prince of Kamnad, who is hereditary guardian of Rama's 

 bridge, belongs to the Maravars, and the Eajah of Tondiman 

 to the Kallars. Below the robber castes are the Shanars or 

 toddy-di'awers, who are free and proprietors of land ; then 

 the Pariars ^" and chucklers or slaves ; then the Korawars or 

 vagi-ant basket-makers, and last of all the shoemakers and 

 low-caste washermen. 



The higher castes had recently been outraged by the 

 Shanars having been allowed to go in procession along the 

 road, on the occasion of a marriage at Arpucate, a populous 

 mercantile town in the Madura district. This was done in 

 defiance of all ancient customs and usages connected with 

 caste, which are clearly defined and acknowledged by all 

 classes of Hindus. The high-caste people defend their feel- 

 ing of exclusiveness by urging that the Shanars and Pariars 

 are guilty of one or other of the five great sins, namely, 

 killing the sacred cow, theft, di'uukenness, adultery, and 

 lying : for that the Shanars draw toddy, and the Pariars eat 

 meat. They claim for immemorial custom the same authority 

 that is given in England to common law, and declare that 

 the Shanars never had the right of parading the streets in 

 procession, with music and flags. In considering this ques- 

 tion it should not be forgotten that the Shanars and other 

 low castes will no more allow a man of still lower caste to 

 overstep his privileges by one hair's breadth than will a 

 Sudra or a Brahmin. Even the Pariars are a M-ell-defined, 

 distinct, and ancient caste, jealous of the encroachments of 

 the castes both above and below them: they have strong 

 caste feelin2;s, and treat the caste of shoemakers with con- 



From Paiei, a drum, as they act as drummers at funerals. 



