MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR. 
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both as masters and servants, and occasionally hire themselves as CHAPTER 
porters. They form three tribes ; Morasu , properly so called, Mo- 
rasu Moscu , and Teliga Morasu , which last would appear from the July 13, &.c. 
name to be a tribe of the Telingana nation. These tribes eat 
together, but do not intermarry ; and even in each tribe persons 
coniine their marriages to a few families, whose descent is known 
to be pure. My informants are of the Morasu , properly so called, 
and must be distinguished from the impure tribe called Morasu 
Whallias, who are not Sudra. 
The men of this tribe, but not the women, can eat with those of 
another tribe of cultivators called Sadru. A principal object of 
worship with this cast is an image called Kdla-Bhairava, which 
signifies the black dog. The temple is at Sitibutta, near Calanore , 
about three cosses east from hence. The place being very dark, 
and the votaries being admitted no farther than the door, they are 
not sure of the form of the image ; but believe, that it represents 
a man on horseback. The god is supposed to be one of the de- 
stroying powers, and his wrath is appeased by bloody sacrifices. 
The throats of goats and sheep are cut before the door of the 
temple as sacrifices, and the flesh is boiled for a feast to the 
votaries. In this the priest, or Pujari , never partakes. He is a 
Satanana , and worships the god by offerings of flowers and fruit. 
He, as usual, consecrates water by pouring it over the head of the 
image, and afterwards sells it to the votaries. At this temple a 
very singular offering is made. When a woman is from 15 to 20 
years of age, and has borne some children, terrified lest the angry 
deity should deprive her of her infants, she goes to the temple, 
and, as an offering to appease his wrath, cuts off one or two of her 
fingers of the right hand. To the destructive female spirits called 
Gungoma , Yellama , Marima , and Putalima, the Morasu offer sacri- 
fices. They do not pray to either Vishnu , or Ska. None of them 
here have ever seen a Guru belonging to their cast; but they have 
heard, that about the time of their birth (about 50 years ago), a 
v 
