198 
ON THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS 
Government had to interfere and to arrange that the Ku- 
rumbas and the Gaagadikaras should attend the fair on 
different days, so as to prevent their meeting each other. On 
another occasion the Kurumbas collected and spent about 
10,000 rupees to obtain from the records in Kaneipuram 
documentary evidence in confirmation of their claims. One 
of the disputes between the Kui-umbas and the Gahgadikaras 
concerns the question who are the Indrasudi-as and who the 
still they are admitted into company, and are not out-casts. Among the 
Ciirubarii, the children of concubines do not form a separate caste, hut are 
allowed to marry with those of a pure breed. By a connection with any man, 
except a Curuha, a woman becomes an entire out-cast. The men take several 
wives ; and, if they be good workers, do not always divorce them for adultery ; 
but as they thus incur some disgrace, they must appease the anger of their 
kindred by giving them an entertainment, and the Guru generally interposes 
his authority to prevent a separation. The Curubm believe, that those men 
who die without having been married become Viril-as, to whose images, at a 
great annual feast, which is celebrated on purpose, offerings of red cloth, jagory 
rice, &c., are made. If this feast be omitted, the Vlrikas become enraged, 
occasion sickness, kill the sheep, alarm the people by horrid di-eams, and, 
when they walk out at night, strike them on the back. They are only to be 
appeased by the celebration of the proper feast. The peculiar god of the caste is 
Bir'' -uppa, or father Biraij, one of the names of Siva ; and the unage is in shape 
of the Linga ; but no other person prays to Siva under his name, nor offers 
eacrificesto that god, which is the mode by which the Cimtbas woi-ship Bir'- 
uppa. The priests who ofSciate in the temples of this deity are Curiibas. Their 
office is hereditary, and they do not intermarry with the daughters of laymen. 
In some districts, the Curubas^orshi-p another god, peculiar, I believe, to them- 
selves. He is called Bating Devaru, and is a destructive spirit. They offer 
sacrifices to him in woods, hj the sides of ri\nilets, or ponds. The carcasses 
of the animals killed before the image are given to the b.orber and washerman, 
who eat them. Besides these, the Curubarti offer sacrifices to the Suktis. and 
pray to every object of superstition (except Dharma RUja) that comes in their 
way. They are considered too impure to be allowed to wear the Linga. as 
their Guru does. This person is called a TFodi ar, or Jangama ; but he is 
married, and his office is hereditaiy. His title is Rdvana Sidfwsicara, and he 
originally lived at Sarur, which is ne;U' KaUjdiiapaftana. At his visits he 
bestows consecrated ashes, and receives charity. He has a fixed due on 
marriages, and sends his agents to coUoct it. At some of their ceremonies the 
PiDichdiiga attends, and acts as Purohita." On page 312 Buchanan savs : 
" The Curubas here (in TumkOr) say, that at a temple of Bfiair,nra at Hercay 
Samudm, which is near ^firea.wra , to the north of this place, and where one 
of their caste acts as PiiJ^ri, the image represents a man sitting on horsekick 
with the Linga round his neck, and a di-awn swoi-d in his hand, they offer 
sacrifices to this image arid eat the flesh. The family of Bdraua have now 
spread aU over the country ; but Sarur is still considtnvd as the proper family 
