350 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
Customs of 
the Lali~ 
Gmdaru. 
CHAPTER commemoration of their parents’ death ; but in other places those 
who have taken the vow of Daseri attend at this ceremony. They 
July 19,20. are divided into two religions. One sect worships Siva : these do not 
wear the Linga ; but their Guru is a Lingabanta Einaru , called Nan- 
jay a, who lives near Colar : he comes occasionally, distributing holy 
water, and accepting charity. The other sect worships Vishnu , and 
follows the hereditary chiefs of the A' ay n gar , who on their occa- 
sional visits distribute holy water, and accept of charity. 
The Lali-Gundaru deny their being Sudras, and say that they are 
Linga Banijigas ; but that race will neither eat in their houses, nor 
give them their girls in marriage. They are a tribe of Karnataka 
descent. They are farmers, bullock-hirers, gardeners, builders of 
mud walls, and traders in straw and other small merchandize : but 
they never take service as Batigdru, or hinds. They have hereditary 
chiefs called Ijyamcmas ; who, as usual, with the assistance of a 
council, settle disputes, and punish transgressions against the rules 
of cast, by mulcting the offender in an entertainment, or by a tem- 
porary excommunication. In cases of adultery, the chief and his 
council first investigate the business. If they find it proved, that a 
woman has been guilty of a connexion with a man of a strange 
cast, the priest (JVodear) is called, and in his presence she is ex- 
communicated ; but, if she has only betowed her favours on a man 
of the cast, her husband turns her away, and she may live with any 
unmarried person of the cast as a concubine. The men are allowed 
to have a number of wives ; and even after the age of puberty the 
women continue to be marriageable. The sex are very industrious, 
both at spinning, and working in the fields. This cast bury the dead ; 
and, although they offer sacrifices to the Saktis, are not allowed 
either to drink spirituous liquors, or to eat animal food. They pray 
to the spirits of good men, thinking that they are the occasion of 
dreams which foretel future events; but they know not what be- 
comes of the spirits of bad men after death. Some ot them are 
worshippers of Vishnu , and some of Iswara, The Guru of the former 
