3S0 



Account of the Province of Rdtnndd. 



[Aprii, 



in high veneration by the Hindus. There is a large reservoir on the 

 west side of the temple ; south of which arcseveral pavilions built for 

 the zemindars accommodation, surrounded by a wall. Here is a small 

 manufacture of coarse cloths, which are taken to the neighbouring mar- 

 kets and sold. 



Parmagudi, a large and populous town of commerce, is situated on 

 the southern bank of the Vigay river. It lies twenty-one miles north- 

 west of the capital, and through it runs the high road from Ramnad to 

 Madura. It is chiefly inhabited by weavers, and contains upwards of 

 one thousand one hundred houses, for the most part covered with tiles ; 

 the streets are numerous, but dirty, and very irregularly formed. 

 Manufactures of the best cloths, silks, muslins, silk carpets of great 

 value, vestures, turbans, women's silk, and coloured cloths, are 

 carried on here, and these articles constitute the best part of its 

 trade. There are several ranges of bazars, and an annual festival 

 is celebrated by a contribution raised by the weavers and merchants. 

 A large and spacious stone pavilion, substantially built, is seated near 

 the west end of the town, adjoining which is a chattiram, where alms 

 are daily distributed among twelve poor Brahmans, or other travellers. 

 Yams thrive here, and are in great abundance. The ironsmiths here 

 are Musulmans, who are seldom krown to follow this trade in other 

 places. 



Paindoni is a small village situated about two miles to the south-east f 

 commanding an extensive view of fields of paddy, cotton, and dry grain. 



Abramam, a populous and flourishing town on the high road to 

 Madura, seated below the bank of a very large lake, which is named 

 from it, lies five miles north-east of Kamuri, and thirteen miles south- 

 west of Parmagudi. It is inhabited by merchants and tradesmen, who 

 are principally Musalmans and Chetties.* The farmers are Marra- 

 varsf and Velalars, who carry on an extensive cultivation of paddy, 

 which, from the ample supply of water that the lake affords, yields two 

 crops annually. The town is about half a mile in length, divided by 

 two well-formed but narrow streets. On the north side is a well faced 

 with stones, which has a clear spring of excellent water, affording an 

 abundant supply throughout the year, although there are many other 

 wells about it, the waters of which are brackish. The trade is consi- 

 derable in grain, cotton, and cloths. It is the popular belief, that 

 within an area of two miles in circumference of the town, the bite of a 

 snake, or of any other venomous reptile, has not the usual poisonous 



* A cast of Hin<Ms whose principal occupation is merchandise. 



+ A cast of Hindtis who appear to he almost confined to this part of the country. Their 

 Occupation is husbandry. In customs they differ from the Velalars, and most other 

 castes of Hindus, and allow their widows to marry a second, thiid, or fourth time.— Ed. 



