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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1874.
making the mark is the right one, and the only means of effecting a settlement of the dispute is to ascertain how the idol itself is marked, whether as favouring the Vada kalui or Tenkalai. But this has been found hitherto impossible, I am told, for instance at Conjeveram itself, the head-quarters of these disputes, owing to the unreliable and contradictory character of the evidence produced in the courts.
I will add no more now but a brief notice of the existing literature relating to the differences of these two sects, and for this purpose will note only the books mentioned in Dr. Mur-
doch's Classified Catalogue of printed Tamil books, as being sufficient for ordinary investigation.
Sri mat Tenná sariyar Prapavam is an 18mo of 127 pages, composed by Appávu Mutaliyar, on the Tenkala i side, giving an account of a discussion between the two sects.
Tennd sariya Prapáva Kandanam is a reply to it, by Viraråkava Asari, on the part of the Vada kala i sect.
And, Satsamprataya Tipikei, by the writer of the first-named treatise, is a rejoinder to the work last named.
NOTES ON CASTES IN THE DEKHAN.
BY W. F. SINCLAIR, Bo. C.S.
(Continued from page 77.) 0.- Military and Cultivating Rices. master was coming to the Darbar held in the 1. I shall begin with the Marath â s, as guest's honour. The old gentleman drew him. the most important, and because reference will self up in an instant. "He will come," he have to be made to them in treating of the other said, "to any Darbâr which the Sirkâr may castes coming under this head. The Mara - hold on its own account; but he will not meet thâs are so numerous and so widely spread Sindiâ in any way that implies inferiority. that they show great variety not only of appear- What were the Sindiâs but rebellious servants ance and language, but even of caste observance; of the Peshwa? My master's house has been but they all acknowledge each other as caste- since the beginning of things." Most Marafellows, and this unity and sympathy must have thàs in the military or civil service of Govcontributed greatly to their success as a nation. ernment call themselves Kshatriyas, wear
The great Jághiradárs, and the Manakari fa- the sacred thread, and perform all proper milies-that is, those who unite the profession observances; but while, on the one hand, they of arms with hereditary office and landed estate claim equality with the best ; on the other, they (watan)-claim to be pure Kshatriyas, and allow the caste fellowship of the cultivators, who allow no superiority to the proudest races of treat the question with indifference; their notions Rajasthan. The royal Bhonsles, for instance, of precedence being confined to getting their bulclaim descent from the noblest race in India- locks well forward in the annual cattle-parade of the Sisodias of Chittür and Udaypur; and the Pola festival: caste-punctilio seldom stands the Powârs, better known in Maharashtra between a Maratha and his interest, or (to by their local surname of Nimbalkar, con- do him justice) his duty. The inhabitants of sider themselves to be of as pure descent from the fertile and well-watered valleys which the sacred fire of Mount Abū as their name- nestle among the eastern spurs of the Sahyadri sakes the Porár or Pramara Råjpûts. The range of ghats are taller and less dark than Ghadges, Sirkes, Jadhavar å os, those of the scorching plains that lie further and several other families assert their Ksha- down the Bhima and Nira and their tributaries; triya descent as plainly, and their claims are and the national character of endurance and borne out by the distinguished appearance and adventure is more strongly developed among bearing of many of their members, with which these latter, bred up to a harder struggle for indeed they unite in most cases a shrewd existence, and in a country which offers strong common-sense sufficiently alien to the Rajput inducements—to get out of it. character. During the visit of Sindiâ to Puna a. The Hill Kolist of the Ghâts claim the in 1871, I asked the confidential Divân of one title of Marath â with the more persistence of the noblest Maratha Sirdars whether his that their neighbours deny it to them; and there * See p. 136.
+ Ind. Ant. vol. II. p. 154.
