MYSORE, CANARA,. AND MALABAR. 
323 
vain. 
retain the Tellnga language, and follow the usual ceremonies of the CHAPTER 
V <* 
Siidra, who have the Sri Vaishnavam Brahmans as their Gurus. By 
these teachers they are kept in a most beastly state of ignorance, Ju1y 13 " 
nor could they give me a rational answer to any question that I 
proposed relative to their customs. They are, however, very active 
and skilful in their business. 
The people, who here are commonly called Satdnana , call them- Customs of 
selves Vaishnamm, as being the very chief of the worshippers of or y aishn(im 
Vishnu , an honour to which no other cast seems to think them en- 
titled. The Brahmans allege that they are Sudra; but this title is 
rejected with scorn by the Vaishnavam , although they have received 
the Brahmans as their Gurus. The Vaishnavam seem to be the same 
tribe with those called Boistum in Bengal ; but it must be confessed, 
that many of the rules of the two casts are very different ; yet per- 
haps not more so, than the rules observed by the Brahmans of the 
two countries. The Brahmans evidently entertain a jealousy of the 
1 , 
Vaishnavam, and endeavour to render them as ridiculous as pos- 
sible ; for their profession approaches too near to that of the sacred 
order. I am inclined to suspect, that they are the remains of a 
very extensive priesthood, who formerly held the same station with 
respect to the Wkalliaru , that the Brahmans do now to the Siidra , 
and who with their followers formed the heretical sect called Vaish- 
navam. This would be cleared up, perhaps, by a conversation with 
a sect called the Vdlmika Satdnana, who are said to be the proper 
Gurus of the Parriar below the Ghats : but I have not had an op- 
portunity of investigating this^matter. 
The Satdnana are divided into two sects besides the Vdlmika „ 
Both contend for a priority of rank ; and they neither intermarry, 
nor eat in common. If we were to judge by the circumstances -that 
give rank to Brahmans , the Tricoveluru Satdnana ought to be the 
highest ; but the other class call themselves Pratama , or first. 
They are also called Coil Satdnana ? as being a kind of officiating 
priests in the temples. 
