Mondiwadu: Deccan
Contents |
Mondiwadu
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Mondiwadu, Landawadu — wandering Tamil beggars, chiefly to be found in the Nalgunda and Warangal Districts. They move from place to^lace, carrying their baggage on donkeys and living in huts of palmyra leaves whenever they happen to make a halt. The word Mondi means a troublesome fellow, and is applied to the members of this caste because they are importunate beggars, and are regarded with so much fear and disgust, that none dare drive them from their doors. They endeavour to excite the pity and wonder of the be- holders by beating their chests, cutting their tongues or hands with knives, and vomiting and pretending to swallow the ejected matter.
Internal Structure
They are divided into three sub-castes (1) Telga Mondliwadu, (2) Gondala, (3) Sakandiwaru. The last are also called Aghoris and are known to eat human ordure, or besmear their bodies with it. These different groups neither intermarry nor eat together. , Very little is known regarding the nature of their exogamous sections. Some of them appear to be of the eponymous type. They are as follows : — (1) Martondalu, (2) Boyaniwaru, (3) Chalawaru, (4) Pagartiwaru, and (5) Anganoriwaru. The rule of exogamy is strictly observed by the members of the caste and a man is forbidden to marry outside the sub-caste or inside the section to which he belongs. A man may marry the daughter of his sister or of his maternal unclej but he cannot marry the daughter of his mother's sister. Two sisters may be married to the same man.
Marriage
Both Infant and adult marriages are practised by the members of the caste. It is customary to dedicate girls to temples or offer them to deities. Adultery with high caste members is tacitly per- mitted. Only in the case of exposure is a nominal fine of Rs. 2 imposed on the offending woman or her parents. Should she become pregnant before marriage her lover is compelled by the members of the caste to marry her. The father of the bride receives for his daughter a sum of money which usually amounts to .Rs. 10. When the bridegroom is too poor to pay the bride price, he is allowed to marry the girl on condition that he lives with her at her father's house and works for his father-in-law until he has by her as many children as are stipulated in the marriage contract. This custom is said to be gradually dying out. When the bride goes for the first time to her husband's house, she is presented witK a donkey or a pig. Polygamy is permitted and, theoretically, no limit is imposed upon the number of wives a man may have. Mondis adm'it into- their caste members of other castes higher than themselves in social standing.
The bride-price being fully paid and the bridegroom having consented to give four wedding feasts to the caste people, a wedding booth is erected at the girl's house, where the ceremony takes place. At the ceremony of Mentakula, which confirms the betrothal, the caste people are entertained, each with a cup of shendi, or the fer- mented juice of the wild date palm. On the wedding day, after the bride and the bridegroom have been seated side by side on two wooden stools placed in the centre of a rice square, their feet are washed and the mangalsutra or auspicious thread is tied round the bride's neck by the bridegroom. Then follow the usual ceremonials in practise among the other Telaga castes. On the occasion of circum- ambulating the 'polu' the bridegroom is equipped with iron bangles and the bride with two pieces of sheep's or goat's bones.
Widow-Marriage and Divorce
Widows are allowed to marry again. The price for the widow is only half the amount paid for a virgm. The ceremony of a widow-marriage is very simple. On the appointed day the bridegroom goes to the bride's house, pays the bride-price to her parents, distributes liquor to the assembled guests, presents the bride with sari and choli and brings her home with him. Divorce is recognised, the divorced woman being allowed to marry again by the same rite as a widow.
Inheritance
In the matter of inheritance the members of the caste follow their own customs. Sons inherit in equal shares. A daughter, devoted to the gods, is entitled to the same share as her brothers and inherits with succession to her children. Wills are un- known and adoption is rarely resorted to. An extra share is given to the eldest soa.
Religion
All the Mondiwads profess to be Vibhutidharis, or the worshippers of the god Shiva. Special reverence is paid to El- larama. an animistic deity to whom offerings of sweetmeat are made by the elder member of the family and subsequently partaken of by the; whole family. Pochamma, Mari Amma, Mutyalamma and other miijor deities are also propitiated in due seasons.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are buried face downwards, with the^head to the south. On the 3rd day after death, birds are fed and on the 1 1th day the caste p>eople are feasted in the name of the deceased. No mourning is observed nor any sradha performed for the benefit of the departed soul. Every second year the departed souls are propitiated, being represented by burning lamps before which pigs are sacrificed, the flesh being cooked and eaten by the members of the family. Ganta Jangams officiate at their funerals.
Social Status
The social status of the caste is very low.
They eat cooked food from the hands of all castes except Malas, Madigas, Waddar^, Erukalas, Panchadayis, Jingars, Hajams and Dhobis. They indulge in strong drink and eat mutton, pork, fowl, the flesh of animals, cloven-footed or hoofed, "Ghorpad' (Iguana), fish (all varieties) and rats. They eat the flesh of animals that have died a natural death. Malas, Madigas and other low unclean castes eat kachi from the hands of the members of this caste.
Occupation
As has already been mentioned, beggmg is the original and characteristic occupation of the caste. The male mem- bers beg with iron bangles and knives to cut their hands or tongues with, while the females carry two bones of a sheep which they strike against each other when begging. They also breed pigs and donkeys and sell them in the open market. Some of the members have settled dojyn to agriculture.
