1847.] 



Of the Curumhars. 



91 



distinguishing mark of devotees of that class, I conceive it to be not 

 impossible that the crushed mass, with drinking vessels, &c. were put 

 into those jars and so buried. The contemptuous name given to the 

 said jars traditionally, of course by Hindus, tends to confirm the 

 supposition. 



In a brief document which I find annexed to the foregoing, it is 

 stated, that the Curumbars had sixty-four forts. It is also stated, 

 that they took part in the wars of the Pdndavas, and were greatly 

 scattered in consequence. The name of their original country is 

 stated to be Toda-nadu ; which, in a striking manner, would indicate 

 the Toda-var of the Neilgherries as their descendants. The chief 

 occupation of the Curumhars was also keeping flocks. A jocular 

 proverb, it seems, was hence formed at their expense ; they being a 

 little dull of wit. 



In case of a death occurring among them many of the tribe con- 

 gregated together; and each one had his head cleanly shaved. Oc- 

 casion was taken hence to kill many hundreds of them, at a place 

 called Nerumhur. In another paper I remember this treachery is 

 ascribed to the Wiyalvdr of the Agnlculam.^ and it was accomplished 

 by means of the barber tribe. Mention is made of twelve of their 

 forts. Portal (the red-hills) being the chief one. But one is named 

 Fuliyur, and I suppose-^' Pullicondah to be a hill near that town. 



l^he fire-race (agniculam) are supposed to be Siberian in origin. 

 Hence it is open to doubt whether cromlechs, caves, &;c. were the 

 work of Curumhars, or of different classes of their conquerors. The 

 papers translated seem to indicate the former conclusion. I should 

 myself rather incline to the latter. 



I have heard that there are caves of the kind indicated at the red- 

 hills, only ten m.iles from Madras ; and Cunnatur, or Connaiore, is 

 only fifteen miles from Madras, and two or three miles from Poona- 

 mallee. The exact locality of Padumtr I do not know. 



That the greater part of the ancient remains indicated are not 

 Cromlechs is quite clear. They have a nearer affinity to the Panja- 

 hi lopes, and are still more likely some of them Pataii or Moghul in 



* In further allusion to Captain Congreve's papet— I remember, several years ago, 

 noticing something peculiar in the arrangement of stone circles on a little rocky emi- 

 nence between the Mount and Palaveram. As regards Stonehenge is it not possible 

 that the piles of stone there were raised over the slain, in those great battles which oc- 

 curred, on the plain, between the Britons and Saxons ? rather than being Druid temples. 



