THE COAST OF MALABAR. 5 



-mentions that, after this defeat of Kijhen Rao's army, 

 Shunker y a fuppofed fon of Mahadeo> (the principal 

 of the Hindu Gods,) regulated the cafts in Malabar, 

 and reftricted the various fubdivifions of the four 

 general tribes to their particular duties, down to the 

 loweft orders of the fourth, confrfting of the artificers, 

 tillers of the foil, and inhabitants of the woods, 

 whom he declared it unlawful for the other caffs to 

 approach, infomuch, that the bare meeting with them 

 on the road entailed pollution, for which the party of 

 the fuperior call is required to bathe.* ' 



A 3 VII. It 



* Of the feveral cafts in Malabar, and their diftinttions, I 

 received the following fummary account from the Rajah of Car- 

 tinad. 1. Namboory Brdhmens. 2. Nayrs, each of various de- 

 nominations. 3. Teer. 4. Malere. 5. Polere, called (he fays) 

 D'ers in Hindoftan. The Teers are cultivators of the ground, but 

 freemen. The Maieres are muficians and conjurers, and alfo 

 freemen. The Poleres, or Poliars, are bondfinen, attached to the 

 foil in the lower part of Malabar, in like manner as are the Pu- 

 nters above the Ghauts. The proper name of the Ghaut hills is, 

 the Rajah adds,,, Sukhien Purbut, or hills of Sukhien, with the 



guttural Kk pronounced as * 



N. B. Pouliats and Poulichis, mentioned by Raynal, are only 

 the one the male, and the other the female, of Polere aforefaid. 

 The fyftem of obfervations in regard to di fiance to be obferved 

 by the feveral cafts in Malabar, are 'according to the Rajah of 

 Cartinad's explanation) as under fpecified. 



1. A Nayr may approach, but mull not touch, a Namboory 

 Brahmen. 



A Teer is to remain thirty- fix fteps off from one. 

 A Malere three or four fteps further. 

 A Polere ninety-fix fteps. 



2. A Teer is to remain twelve fteps diftant from a Nayr* 

 A Malere three or four fteps further. 



A Polere ninety-fix fteps. 



3. A Malere may approach, but is not to touch, the Teer. 



4. APolere is not to come near even to a Malere. or any other caff, 

 but a Manilla, the name given to the Mahommedans who are 

 natives of Malabar. If a Polere wifhes to fpeak to a Brahmen, 

 or Nayr, or Teer, or Malere, he muft ftand at the above prescribed 

 diftance, and cry aloud to them. 



If a Polere touch a Brahmen, the latter rauft make expiation by 

 immediately bathing, and reading much of the divine book?, 

 and changing his Brahmenical thread. If a Poltrc touch a Nayr, 

 he is only to bathe, and fo of the other cafts. 



