Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 219

OCTOBER, 1932) NOTE ON THE CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE WYNAD
195
NOTE ON THE CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE WYNAD.
BY F. J. RICHARDS, M.A., I.C.S. (Rotired.)
(Continued from page 174.) So too the Pathiyans (fig. 4) and Uridavans of the E. Wynad are immigrant communi. ties; the Pathiyans come from Punnad in the S.E. sector of the Mysore Basin, the Uridavans from Chitaldrug.26
Of other tribes mentioned, the Tachanad Muppans s7 of the S.E. quadrant of the W. Wynad are definitely associated with the Nilambor valley of S. Malabar; the Urdli
Kurumbars, 28 like the Kotas of the Nilgiris, are artisans for all the tribes of the Wynad; while the Kanaladis, 39 who are professional fire-walkers, can hardly be called & community, as they number only some six families and have to indent on Pathiyans, Mullu-Kurumbars and Chettis for their wives.
The Nayars, Brahmans, Jains and Muhammadans of the Wynad do not differ from their kinsmen in the plains. It is worth noting that even the East Coast Muhammadans of the W. Wynad hail from Palghat in Malabar. 30
Language and tradition are not the only evidence of Malabar influence. The "forelock” for instance, the outward symbol of Malayali grace, is worn by almost all Wynad manhood except the jungle folk, whose hair is usually a tousled mop. But the Uridavans and Edanadan Chettis, who hail from Mysore, wear the "back tuft " like Mysoreans, while the Mandadan and Wynadan Chottis say they used to do so, and the Pathiyan at weddinge dishevels his forelock to make it look as like a back tuft as he can.
So too in dress; the white cotton of Malabar is the rule for both sexes; even the conservative Edanadan Chettis have adopted this. The draping, too, is that of Malabar; the long, coloured, feminine swathings of Tamil, Telugu or Kanarese are rarely seen. But in this again the Pathiyans, and also, the Wynadan Chettis, at weddings revert to the fashions of their Kanarese forebears.
The chivalrous courting and mating of Malabar have attractions which foreigners can seldom resist. The reaction of the immigrant Chettis to the Malabar system is interesting. The Wynadan Chettis (of Tamil origin) are the most "malayAlized." They have access to caste temples and do not pollute a Nayar by touch. They have adopted Malayali sambandham (marriage by consent), even in a matrilocal form, though a patrilocal type, with certain Tamil rites, is also permitted ; and their inheritanoe is matrilineal. The Kanarese Mandadan and Edanadan Chottis remain patrilineal, and retain the normal" purchase" system 31 of marriage, but the Edanadans also recognise a form of sambandham.89 The Pathi. yans, on the other hand, have adopted matrilineal succession, but combine full Kanarese ceremonial with a tali-kattu wedding of Malabar type.88 The Uridavans, most conservative of all, are patrilineal.
Kuricchans, Kunduvatiyans, Karimbalans and Kadars, consistently with their Malavali origin, are matrilineal ; 80, too, are the Pulayang, though they pay a bride-price. On the other hand, the Mullu-Kurumbars, in spite of their conspicuous conformity with Malabar
36 Nair, pp. 82 and 85.
37 Nair, pp. 89 m. 28 Nair, pp. 71 ag.
19 Nair (p. 96) surmisce that they are Malayans from Malabar, preemably those of N. Malabar described in Thurston, IV, 436.
30 Nair, p. 53, and Malabar Gazetteer, 447. 31 Characterized by the payment of a bride-priod, or, in lieu thereof, by service.
32 So Mr. Gopalan Nair (p. 54 A), as a second marriage, with reduced "price"; not unlike the normal remarriage of Kanaree castes, but children have no right in their father's property.
38 Nair, p. 83. For idli-kaffu ritee see Malabar Gazetteer, 177.