35 a 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER course the Swami marries. The eldest son, on the death of his fa- 
VI. 
ther, becomes an incarnation of Siva ; while the younger brothers 
July 19, 20. are considered merely as holy men, but follow begging as their 
profession ; for in this country that is esteemed the most honourable 
employment. They reside in the Alatam , or college, with their 
brother, and accompany him in his .travels among the disciples. 
The daughters of this sacred family never marry persons of lower 
birth ; but when there is a scarcity of women for the use of the 
men, they condescend to take the daughters of the Emulnaru , who 
among this sect are a kind of nobility. These do not intermarry 
with the populace; but they follow lay professions, and are not in 
exclusive possession of the office of hereditary chief. In the two 
other sects of this cast, there are no Emulnaru. The Brahman Guru, 
and MunUwara Swami , are considered as of equal rank. The Lin- 
gabanta Jangamas are not by this cast considered as their Gurus ; 
but they receive charity, by which a kind of authority is implied. 
They give nothing to the Devanga Jangamas . They do not know 
that Mmiiswara Swami is possessed of any books : when he bestows the 
Linga , he prays extemporarily in the vulgar tongue. At marriages, 
and the ceremonies which are performed for their deceased parents, 
the Panchcmga and mendicant Brahmans attend, and read Man- 
trams. On these occasions the Jangamas also attend, and besides 
receive the whole profit of births and funerals. They bury the 
dead, and their widows ought to accompany them in the grave ; 
but this custom has become obsolete. Widows cannot marry again: 
such an action, indeed, being considered as intolerably infamous, 
my informers lost all patience when I asked the question. The men 
are allowed a plurality of wives, but cannot divorce them for any 
cause except adultery. They are not allowed to eat animal food, 
nor to drink spirituous liquors. 
Farther ac- I here find, that besides the tradesmen, there are three divisions 
count Of the a g the WKalliam ; and that the customs of each differ consi- 
the IVhallias. derably in different villages, as might be naturally expected among 
i 
