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MARCH, 1873.]
THE KULWADI.
THE KULWADI OF THE HASSAN DISTRICT.
BY CAPT, J. S. F. MACKENZIE, MAISUR COMMISSION. T OOKING at him in his official position, l'intruder's cloth, tie up some salt in one corner
U the Kulwadi is the village policeman, the of it, and turn him out. This is supposed to beadle of the village community, the head-man's neutralize all the good luck which might have henchman ; but as the "epresentative of that accrued to the trespasser, and avert any evil despised and outcaste race--the Holiar, he which might have befallen the owner of the house. appears most interesting. Tossed to and fro in At Mailkota, the chief seat of the followers the great sea of immigration which passed over of Ramanuja Acharya, and at Bailur, where the land, he, who once held the foremost place there is also a god worshipped by the three in the village circle, has, with each successive marked Brâhmans, the Holiars have the right wave, sunk lower and lower in the social scale, of entering the temple on three days in the until to-day we find him but a hewer of wood year specially set aside for them. At Mailkota and a drawer of water. In the rights and they have the privilege of pulling the car. privileges which yet cling to him, we, how- These are the only two temples in Maisur ever, get glimpses of his former high estate, where the Holiars are allowed in. The followand find proors that the Holiars, or lowest ing is, according to the Brâhmans, 'the reason right-hand caste, were the first to establish why':-"On Ramanuja Acharya going to Mailvillages in this part of the country. The kota to perform his devotions at that celebrated Kurabas, or jungle tribes, may have been the shrine, he was informed that the place had aborigines, but, naturally of a wandering dis- been attacked by the Turk king of Dehli, position, they confined themselves to the chase. who had carried away the idol. The Brahman They have no part or parcel in the village immediately set out for that capital; and, on cornmunity; the Holiars, on the other hand, arrival, he found that the king had made a have, and through their representative, the present of the image to his daughter; for it is Kulwadi, occupy a prominent position. As a said to be very handsome, and she asked for body, they are the servants of the ryots, and are it as a plaything. All day the princess played mainly engaged in tending the plough and with the image, and at night the god assumed watching the herds. One of the members of his own beautiful form and enjoyed her bed; this despised caste is generally the priest to for Krishna is addicted to such kinds of the village goddess, and, as such, on that annual
adventures (Buchanan, vol. I. p. 342). Ramanuja day when all hasten to pay their offerings at
Acharya, by virtue of certain mantras, obtained her shrine, takes precedence of the twice-born
possession of the image and wished to carry it Brahman.
off. He asked the Brâhmans to assist him, but Every village has its Holigiri-as the quarter they refused; on which the Holiars voluninhabited by the Holiars is called-outside
teered, provided the right of entering the temple the village boundary hedge. This, I thought,
were granted to them. Ramanuja Acharya was because they are considered an impure race,
accepted their proposal, and the Holiars having whose touch carries defilement with it. Such
posted themselves between Dehli and Mailkota, is the reason generally given by the Brahman, the image of the god was carried down in twentywho refuses to receive anything directly from four hours." When Râmanuja Acharya first the bands of a Holiar. And yet the Brâhnians appeared in this part of the country, we know consider great luck will wait upon them if they that the religion of the Bellala court was Jaina, can manage to pass through the Holigiri with- while, from the number of temples still extant, it out being molested. To this the Holiars have is clear that the religion of the great mass of
strong objection, and should a Brahman the people was the Saiva. Ramanuja Achary attempt to enter their quarters, they turn out introduced a new religion-the Vaishnava. It is in a body and slipper him, in former times it more than probable this story was invented by is said to death; members of the other castes the Brâhmans to conceal the fact that the may come as far as the door, but they must | Holiars, by receiving a privilege denied to other not-for that would bring the Holiar bad luck religions, had been bribed into becoming followenter the house. If, by chance, a person hsppens ers of Vishņu. If this is correct, then we may to get in, the owner takes care to tear the assume that the Holiars, as a class 400 years
