MANUAL OF THE NTLAGIl;! DISTRICT. 221 



emigration of the Wddeas to the Hills, presuming that chiefs of CHAP. IX, 

 the caste were not already iu authority there, and their pride and PART V. 

 pretensions to the priesthood are both explained. Ethnology. 



Second are the Kongas. The Rev. W, Stokes considers them _ 

 to be identical with the Wodea, but Mr. Metz, whose acquaint- 

 ance with them was even longer, calls them a distinct sect. 



He says their ancestors came from Sargur ^ by the Gajalhatti 

 Pass on the Coimbatore side of the Hills, where they still live, and 

 they take their name from Kongu, the name by which Coimbatore 

 is known to the hill tribes. They generally wear the lingam, 

 but a part of the tribe have lost their caste and the privilege of 

 wearing it through the weakness of one of their number. A 

 Konga fell in love with a low caste girl, and to jjlease her tasted 

 meat which is forbidden to all Lijngayats. Against this, however, 

 the Kongas can boast that one of the Badaga rdjas of former 

 days once married a girl of their caste. ^ 



The Adhikdris are divided into two sets, Lingadhikaris who — Adhikdria. 

 wear the lingam, and Meatadhikdris, who have come from the 

 village of Nellitore. 



The Kanalcas or accountants are the only class who can read —Kanakas, 

 and write. They are also physicians and exorcists. They were 

 probably introduced when the hills were under the sway of 

 Tamil chiefs, this officer (accountant) being called Shanbhog in 

 Mysore. 



The Chitfre class came to the Hills with the Wodeas, it is said, — Chittre. 

 in the train of the Raja of Malekota, a ruined fort near the head 

 of the Segur ghAt. 



The Belli or silver class are said to be the most cunning of the —Belli. 

 Badagas. There is an outcaste of this name in Mysore. The 

 village of Jackatalla is inhabited by this class, whence the 

 Badaga proverb, " If you are not very wide-awake, do not go 

 to Jackatalla," i.e., Wellington. 



The Hdruvas are a degenerate class of Brahmans ; they may be — Haruvas. 

 connected with the Harihara, i.e., the Vishnu- Siva sect, who 

 combine the worship of these divinities. They still wear the 

 Brahminical string and officiate as priests at the harvest festivals. 

 Every second year they profess to perform the miracle of walking 

 with bare feet over burning coals. The first settlers of this caste 

 do not appear to have brought any women with them. 



These are the seven principal castes. The remaining eleven Minor castes, 

 are as follows : — The Hatara or marriage caste, the Ancas, who 



I: 1 Sargur is not near the Gajalhatti Pass, but north-west of Gnndelpet. 



* See Metz' Tribes of the Neil^herries. By Badaga R^jas some Wddea Rija is 

 |- probably meant. 

 , This ia now prohibited. 



