1850.] Eastern Districts of the SoulaJi of Hyilralad. 



19? 



lows a year or two to elapse between each marriage, but this licence 

 is indulged in by the rich only and that too but seldom. A Brah- 

 min usually contents himself with one wife, except in cases of 

 sterility, when he takes another, but he is bound to support his 

 first wife, repudiation not being permitted, so that when the wife 

 of a Brahmin commits adultery, there is nothing for him but to 

 abandon her. Brahmin girls are married from five to eight years 

 of age, but not afterwards, except in cases of extreme povert}^ 

 By their shasters an unmarried girl who attains the age of eight, 

 should be taken to some holy stream, and consigned to its current, 

 but this is not practised more frequently than the spartan punish- 

 ment for incontinence was enforced, and for the same cause. 



The Eamannj Brahmins are Purists, and will not perform poo- 

 jah to Hunnooman, which ail the other Brahmins do. There is a 

 temple at Kotaguttoo on the western borders of the Warungul 

 Sircar to the fish Avatar of Vishnu. 



To the better castes, the Eamannj and Ahradloo Brahmins, con- 

 descend to act as gooroos, but the lowest castes they will not ap- 

 proach, who are in consequence obliged to have recourse for spiritu- 

 al advice, consolation and intercession to Jungums, Dekkulwars, 

 and other religious mendicants. The Brahmins affect to sacrifice 

 no live animal, but leave the slaughter to a race of beggars called 

 Pubblewars, on the outbreak of disease, when they wink at, oir 

 secretly encourage the usage. 



Poojari Brahmins are Eamannj, and are then called Urtchuk, 

 ■ and occasionally a Swamart of the Telingani sect, Mudwacharyaloo 

 are seldom Poojaries, and when they are so, devote themselves sole- 

 ly to the service of Hunnooman, as at 'Eaeherlah in Elgundel, 

 where there is a shrine to that deity, held to be very sacred. All 

 secular Brahmins are called Veopari, when they take to reading or 

 to begging they are called Yydee. There is no necessity imposed 

 on these last to remain Yydees, they can secularize themselves at 

 any time without loss of caste. Brahmins are allowed the use of 

 opium, tobacco, and even ganjah, without loss of caste, although, 

 when they make an intemperate use of them, they lose their repu- 

 tation and character, like the rest of the world : they are prevented 

 the use of all kinds of fish, and flesh, of carrots, radishes, onions, 

 garlic, the fruit of the palmyrah tree, and vine, and every kind 

 of intoxicating liquor whether from the palm ; grape, mawah tree, 



