1837-3 -Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies, Jf$ 



The Sone Kolies are settled along the coast from Angriah's Colabah 

 to Surat. At Bombay and Colabah (old woman's island) there are 

 about two thousand houses of the Sone Kolies ; they are all fishermen r 

 with the exception of a few fhat enter as sailors on board of ships be- 

 longing to native merchants. It is said they have a dislike to going 

 on board of vessels, owned and commanded by Europeans, in case they 

 should lose their caste. They state that they came originally from 

 Angriah's Colabah. They follow the profession of arms there, and do 

 duty in the fort. Their chief men are styled Patells. The chief Patell 

 resides at Angriah's Colabah ; he possesses all the authority of the 

 Goturany, and adjusts all disputes and irregularities connected with the 

 infringement of the usages and rules of their caste. The chief Patell 

 has an agent, termed Shisha (disciple), in each village or community of 

 the Sone Kolies, who settles all disputes of a trifling nature ; but, when 

 it happens to be one of importance, it is submitted to the chief Patell 

 Kanoojee at Colabah, for his consideration. 



Such persons as are proved guilty of unchastity r are repudiated from 

 the caste, and not re-admitted. So are such offenders as infringe their 

 customs, and disregard the authority of the chief Patell. Occasionally 

 a person who has behaved in a vicious and immoral manner, although he 

 may have been rather perverse, yet,, if he subsequently seems very pe- 

 nitent, he is received again by his kinsmen,, after a large quantity of 

 liquor has been expended, producing the inebriation of the greater por- 

 tion of the assembly. In fact these Kolies seldom or never meet in any 

 number, on qccasions of congratulation, or of condolence, or for the ad- 

 justment of affairs connected with the usages and customs of their tribe,, 

 that they do not drink large quantities of spirits. 



Their women, contrary to the usual customs of other Hindoo castes, 

 wear long sleeves to their choullies, or jackets,, and have glass bangles 

 only on the left hand. At the time of their m&rriage, the bangles in- 

 tended for the right wrist are consecrated, and cast into the sea, on 

 which occasion the spirit of the ocean is invoked, and asked to be in- 

 dulgent and kind to her husband, and to preserve her from becoming a 

 widow, while he is traversing the deep in search of a livelihood. As a 

 substitute for the glass bangles thus devoted, three silver ones are worn 

 on the right wrist — several of these Kolies are said to possess great 

 wealth. There are from five to six hundred families of the Sone Kolies 

 settled at Bassein. Some of these serve as palankeen bearers, while 

 those at Bombay are all fishermen. There are a good many of the 

 Aggry Kolies settled at Bombay, Bassein, Thanna, and Punwell ; also 

 along the coast towards Surat. These people are boatmen, and serve 

 as sailors on board of vessels belonging to natives. Some of them are 

 palankeen bearers, cultivators and labourers. Their chief Patells settle 

 matters connected with their caste. They worship the god Khundoba,. &c„ 



