26 0 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER intention. The chief sends for the father of the girl, and endea- 
vours to bring the matter to a favourable conclusion. As for the 
June 22, &c. girl, she is not at all consulted, and is indeed too young to have 
formed any attachments, as she must be married before any signs 
of puberty appear ; for afterwards she is considered as being de- 
flowered, and incapable of marriage. Owing to the custom of 
polygamy, however, very few of the women in this country live in 
a state of celibacy, except young widows of the higher casts, who 
never can marry again, and who are very numerous ; for matches 
between old men and mere children are common. The comfort of 
having children, however, is, in general all the pleasure that mar- 
ried women of rank in India enjoy. Where polygamy prevails, love 
is little known ; or if it does possess a man, he is generally capti- 
vated by some artful dancing girl, and not by any of his wives 
all of whom were married before they could either excite or feel 
that passion. 
The Nagaratra , who worship Vishnu , are here the most numerous 
sect. They burn their dead, and the rules of cast require the widow 
to burn herself with her husband’s body; but this custom has fallen 
into disuse. They do not intermarry with such of their sect as, 
being originally of the lower Carnatic , speak the Tamul language 
as their native tongue. Their Guru is Trimula-tata Achdrlu , an he- 
reditary chief of the Sri Vaishnamm Brahmans ; but, as forming part 
of the left hand side, they are, in all matters belonging to that 
division, under the authority of Dharma Siva Achdrlu , a Smartal 
Sannydsi , and who, they say, bestows Upadesa and Chakrdntikam on 
them, in the same manner as their own Guru . My interpreter, 
however, suspects that in this there is some mistake; as the latter 
ceremony is performed with the point of Vishnu’s spear, which a 
Smartal Brahman, so far as he knows, never uses. Their own Guru 
comes once a year, receives contributions, bestows Upadesa and 
Chakrdntikam , and, as usual, exercises spiritual jurisdiction. The 
Panchdnga acts as their Purohita ; and it is of no consequence, 
