Sale caste: Deccan
Contents |
Sale
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 |
Sale, Sali — a weaving caste found chiefly in the Marathawara districts of these'Dominions. It is a functional group, comprising several heteroijeneous elements drawn from the different classes of Hindu society. These of course form distinct sub-castes and are not admitted to a jus connubii with one another
Origin
The Sukla or Sukul Sale claim to be descended from a Kshtriya of the Salunka clan and allege that when their country of Anihalpur in Gujrat was conquered by the Mohamedans, they left it to avoid persecution at the hands of their conquerers. They came over to Jagnath, where there was a great demand for weavers, and this fact induced them to take to their present occupation. At the present day they have been so far assimilated into the indigenous castes, that nothing beyond some faint traces of physical characteristics seems to bear out their pretensions to a Kshtriya origin. The Ahir Sale sub- caste was evidently recruited from Ahirs when that tribe was broken up into several occupational groups, such as Ahir Sonar, Ahir Sutar, Ahir Shimpi and ot{iers. Gujar Sales, as their name denotes, hail from Gujarath, the original habitat of the sub-caste. Lakul, or Nakul, Sales are bastards, being descended from intrigues between Sale men and women of other castes, and hold, at the present day, a disgraced low position. Are Sales are probably those who have migrated to Telangana, where all Maratha castes are distinguished by the name of Are, from Arya meaning Maratha. The Sunkun Sales have a tradition tracing their descent from one Jivaji, who». is said to have sprung from the tongue of the god Mahadev. According to them, their original place was Konkan whence, they < say, they spread to different parts of India. TTiey are said to be periodical wanderers, going from village to village offering to weave cloth, or hawking articles that are already made. Padma Sales have been fully described in a separate article. Chsmbhar Sales are recruited from among the Chambhar caste, while, Jain Sales are those members of the Jain community, who have adopted weaving as their* special occupation. The origin of Sukha, Tikley and Patolgar Sales is unknown.
Internal Structure
The exogamous sections of these sub- castes are of the type common among other local castes and tend to support the view of the mixed character of their origin
The rule of exogamy followed by the caste is very simple. A man cannot marry a woman of his own section; no other section is a bar to marriage, provided that he excludes the daughter of his maternal aunt. A man may marry two sisters, but he must follow the order of age*and may not marry his wife's elder sister. Polygamy is per- mitted, and in theory a man may have as many wives as he can afford to maintain.
Sales marry their daughters as infants.
Marriage
The marriage, as celebrated by Sukla Sales, differs to a certain extent from that in use among other Sale sub-castes. After terd, or a bride price, varying in aimount from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30, has been paid to the parents of the girl the following usages are observed : — ■
1 Sohrak tor Hogiloppa. — Caste people are feasted and an auspicious day for marriage is fixed by consulting a Brahman versed in astrology.
2.Gandeda. — The girl is presented with new garments and a cocoanut.
3.Yeniarsham. — The bridal pair, in their own houses, are besmeared with turmeric and oil.
4.Lagnam. — On the wrists of the bride and bridegroom are tied thread bracelets {kankanam) and each places on the head of the other jira (cumin seeds) and gude (molasses). Finally a Mangal Sutra, or an auspicious siring of black beads, is put round the bride's neck. This last ritual is deemed to be the binding and essential portion of the ceremony.
5.Akshatd.—The wedded pair are seated in baskets and turmeric coloured rice is throv/n over their heads.
6.Mironji. — The couple, mounted on a bullock, are taken in procession to the temples of Basava and Hanuman.
7.Nagol. — The couple are bathed and the k.an\anams are untied.
8.Chagol. — Caste brethren are entertained at a feast.
The marriage ceremony continues for five days an,d Brahmans are employed as priests.
Among other sub-castes the ceremony is of the standard type and comprises the following observances : — •
1.Wagnischaya (betrothal). — The girl is presented by the bridegroom's parents with i\{iVf clothes arid jewels.
2.Haldi. — The bridal pair are 'smeared with turmeiic and oil. On the completion of these ceremonies, a mandap, or wedding booth, supported on five pillars and covered with mango leaves, is erected at the bride s house and an earthen platform (bobole) is built under. On the wedding day the bridegroom goes in procession to the bride's house. On arrival he is received by the bride's parents and conducted to a seat _ under the marriage canopy. This is followed by the ceremojiy known as Antarpat, which has been fully described in the article on Maratha Kunbis. A feast to the caste people con- cludes the marriage.
Widow-Marriage
A widow may marry again. She is not, however, allowed to marry any relative, whether younger or older, of her late husband, nor any one belonging to his section. The ritual in use at the remarriage of a widow is a simple one. The consent of the panchayat being obtained to the proposed match, a Brahman is called in. The bride is presented with a new sari and bangles and the officiating Brahman ties, in a knot, the garments of the couple, who then retire to consummate the maniage. In the early morning the couple bathe and go to Maruti's temple and worship the god with some offerings. Until this is done, no married female whose husband is living will see the widow's face. A bachelor is not allowed to marry a widow. Divorce may be effected with the sanction of the caste oanchayat, at the wish of the parties or on the ground of the wife's adultery. If the liaison be with a member of the caste or with one of a higher caste it is atoned for by a small fine. Adultery with a member of a lower caste is punished with excommunication. Divorced wives 'are allowed to marry again by the same rite as widows and they hold the same social status as the latter.
Religion
Sales are orthodox Hindus and worship all the Hindu divinities of the locality. Special honour is done to Shankar, whom they regard as their eponymous ancestor. Among minor gods Khandoba, Bhairoba, KarAolja and Mallana are worshipped with offerings of goats on every festive occasion. The victims are subse- quently eaten by the votaries. When an epidemic of cholera or small-pox breaks out, animal offerings are made to the goddess Mari Ai or Sitala, as the case may be. At the Dassera festival (the 1 0th of the light half of Aswin) implements of their craft are worshipped with offerings of flowers, rice and sweatmeats. Brahmans are employed for religious and ceremonial purposes.
Disposal of the Dead
Sales burn their dead in a lying posture, with the head pointing to the south, and on the third day after death, the ashes and bones'are collected and thrown into a river or stream that is handy. Bodies of children under five years of age are buried. Sradha is performed on the 10th day after death when pindas (rice balls) are offered to the deceased, while the Br^ahman priest recites mantras. On the 13th day a feast is given to the caste people. Mourning is observed 10 days for adults and three days for children. During the last fifteen days of Bhadrapad (September-October) the pitra paksha, or ancestors' fortnight, is observed with offerings of water to all deceased ancestors.
Social Status and Occupation
The Sales rank socially below Marathas, Lingayits, and Malis, and above Nhavi (iVIangala), Parit (Chakla) and other unclean classes. The Sukla Sales claim to be superior in rank to other sub-castes and it is said that while Nakul and Padma Sale sub-castes will eat Kachi from the hands of Sukla Sales, the latter will decline to eat food cooked by a member of other sub-castes. Members of the caste eat fish, fowl and mutton and indulge in strong drink. Most of the Sales combine cultivation with their hereditary pursuit of weaving and some of them are occupancy and non-occupancy raiats. They weave either cotton or silk clothes.
