MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR. 
251 
happens, the wife adopts the religion of her husband. Kali is con- 
sidered as the proper deity of the cast; but receives no bloody 
sacrifices from her votaries. Both sects are prohibited from animal *' vme ’*" 6 * 
tA'A) iXV« 
food, from spirituous liquors, from divorce (except in caseVf adul- 
tery), and from marrying a girl that has arrived at the age of pu- 
berty. The Brahmans read Mantrams at the births, marriages, and 
funerals of both sects ; and no distinction is made by either, whe- 
ther the Brahman be a worshipper of Siva, or of Vishnu. 
The most numerous and richest of the Panchalas belong to the 
sect of Siva, and wear the Linga; but they have nothing in common 
with the Panchain Banijigas, and in fact are their most bitter ene- 
mies. This sect bury the dead. 
The Panchalas who worship Vishnu are called Bagota, and have 
among them a family dedicated to religion. The eldest son of this 
family always succeeds to the dignity of Guru on the death of his 
father; the other male branches of the family are supported by the 
contributions of the sect, and pass their time in devotion and study. 
The women of the family intermarry with the working men of the 
cast. The Guru is named Vipur Vencaty Acharya ; Vipur being his 
name, and Vencaty Acharya his title. He lives at JVadiga-palla, which 
is twelve Gosses from Bangalore , and in the Doda Bala-pura district 
He travels about among his followers, receiving their contributions, 
and bestowing Upadesa, and Chakrantikam , or Mudradarana as it is 
called in the Sanskrit language. 
The Madigas , or Madigaru , are looked upon as a very low cast. Customs of 
They dress hides, make shoes, and some of them cultivate the the Madl S a3 
ground, acting as servants to the farmers. They are divided into 
small tribes of ten or twelve houses, and intermarry with the daugh- 
ters of these houses only, in order to be certain of the purity of 
their race; of which they seem to be as fond, as those casts that are 
esteemed infinitely superior in rank. Some of the richer among 
them take two or more wives ; but this is not common, as a girl’s 
father requires from 30 to SO Fa nams (1/. Os. 1 \d. — 2 1. 1 3s. 8}^.). 
