South Indian castes/ tribes (numerically small): G
This article is an excerpt from Government Press, Madras |
Gādi (cart).—An exogamous sept of Māla.
Gādidhē Kandla (donkey’s eyes).—An exogamous sept of Bōya.
Gādu .—A common suffix to the name of individuals among various Telugu classes, e.g., Rāmigādu, Subbigādu.
Gaduge (throne).—A gōtra of Kurni.
Gaita .—A sub-division of Konda Rāzu.
Gajjal (a small bell).—A sub-division of Toreya.
Gāli .—Gāli or Gālollu, meaning wind, devil, or spirit, is recorded as an exogamous sept of Kamma, Kuruba, and Māla.
Gampa (basket).—A sub-division of Kamma and Telaga, and an exogamous sept of Oddē. The name, among the Kammas, refers to a deadly struggle at Gandikōta, in which some escaped by hiding in baskets. Gampa dhōmpti is the name of a sub-division of the Mādigas, whose marriage offerings to the god are placed in a basket.
Ganāyata .—Recorded, at times of census, as a sub-division of Lingāyat Jangams in the Nellore, Cuddapah, and Kurnool districts. The Sanskrit word Ganam means Siva’s attendants.
Gandham (sandal paste).—An exogamous sept of Balijas, one sub-division of whom is called Gandhavāllu or Gandhapodi (sandal perfume sellers). The paste made by rubbing sandal (Santalum album) wood on a stone with water is widely used in connection with Hindu ceremonial observance. A Brāhman, for example, after worshipping, smears his body with the paste. At festivals, and other ceremonial occasions, sandal paste is distributed to guests along with betel leaves and areca nuts (pān-supāri). Gandhapodi also occurs as an exogamous sept of Bōya. Gandikōta .—A sub-division of Kamma. Gandi Kōttei is recorded7 as a sub-division of Kāpu or Reddi, “found only in Madura and Tinnevelly, and also known simply as Kōttei Reddis. Kōttei is the Tamil for a fort, the corresponding Telugu word being kōta. Their females do not appear in public.”
Gāndla .—See Gāniga.
Gangadikāra .—Gangadikāra, said doubtfully to mean those who lived on the banks of the Ganges, has been recorded as a sub-division of the Holeyas, Okkiliyans, and Vakkaligas. The name probably refers to Gangavādi, the country of the Gangas, a royal line which ruled over the greater part of the modern Mysore in former times.
Gangimakkalu .—Gangimakkalu, or Gangaputra, meaning children or sons of Ganga, the goddess of water, is the name of a sub-division of Kabbēra. The allied Gangavamsamu, or people of Ganga, is a name for Jālāris.
Ganta .—Ganta or Gantla, meaning a bell, has been recorded as an exogamous sept of Kamma and Balija. Gantelavāru, or men of the bell, is given by Mr. S. M. Natesa Sastri12 as the family name of one section of the Donga (thieving) Dāsaris, and of the Kabbēras, who are said to join the ranks of this criminal class. Gantugāzula occurs, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Koracha. In the Vizagapatam Manual, the Tiragati Gantlavallu are described as repairing hand-mills, catching antelopes, and selling their skins.
Ganti (a hole pierced in the ear-lobe).—An exogamous sept of Gūdala.
Gāradi .—Gāradi or Gāradiga is the name of a class of mendicants in the Telugu country and Mysore who are snake-charmers, practice sleight of hand, and perform various juggling and mountebank tricks. Garappa (dry land).—A synonym of Challa Yānādi.
Gatti .—A small caste of cultivators, found chiefly near Kumbla and Someswara in the Kasaragod tāluk of South Canara. Other names for the caste are Poladava and Holadava, both signifying men of the field. Like the Bants, they follow the aliya santāna law of inheritance (in the female line), have exogamous septs or balis, and, on the day of the final death ceremonies, construct car-like structures, if the deceased was an important personage in the community. The Bants and Gattis interdine, but do not intermarry. The [269]headman of the Gattis is called Gurikāra. The God of the Someswara temple is regarded as the caste deity, and every family has to pay an annual fee of four annas to this temple. Failure to do so would entail excommunication.
Gattu (bank or mound).—An exogamous sept of Dēvānga.
Gaud .—A title of Sādar.
Gaudi .—It is recorded, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, that a Maleru (temple servant) woman, who cohabits with one of a lower class than her own, is degraded into a Gaudi.
Gauliar .—A synonym for Lingāyat Gollas, or Kannadiyans.
Gaundala .—A synonym of Gamalla.
Gauri .—A division of Okkiliyan, named after Gauri, Siva’s consort. The equivalent Gaura occurs among the Kōmatis, and Gauriga among the Mēdaras. One division of the Kabbēras is called Gaurimakkalu, or sons of Gauri.
Gautama .—A Brāhmanical gōtra adopted by Bhatrāzus, Khatris, and Kondaiyamkōttai Maravans. Gautama was a sage, and the husband of Ahalya, who was seduced by Indra.
Gavala (cowry shell: Cypræa arabica).—An exogamous sept of Mādiga. A cotton thread string, with cowries strung on it, is one of the insignia of a Mādiga Mātangi.
Gavalla .—A synonym for Gamalla.
Gāya (cow).—An exogamous sept of Kondra.
Gayinta .—Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a small caste of hill cultivators, speaking Oriya and Telugu. The name is said to be derived from gayinti, an iron digging implement. Gayinta is reported to be the same as Gaintia, a name of Enētis or Entamaras.
Gāzula .—Gāzula or Gazul (glass bangle) has been recorded as a sub-division of Balija, Kāpu, and Toreya. The Gāzula Balijas make glass bangles. The Toreyas have a tradition that they originated from the bangles of Machyagandhi, the daughter of a fisherman on the Jumna, who was married to king Shantanu of Hastinapūr. Gēdala (buffaloes).—A sept of Bonthuk Savara.
Geddam (beard).—An exogamous sept of Bōya and Padma Sālē.
Gejjala (bells tied to the legs while dancing).—An exogamous sept of Balija and Korava.
Gejjēgāra .—A sub-caste of the Canarese Pānchālas. They are described, in the Mysore Census Report, 1891, as makers of small round bells (gungru), which are used for decorating the head or neck of bullocks, and tied by dancing-girls round their ankles when dancing.
Gennēru (sweet-scented oleander).—An exogamous sept of Bōya.
Gentoo .—Gentoo or Jentu, as returned at times of census, is stated to be a general term applied to Balijas and Telugu speaking Sūdras generally. The word is said by Yule and Burnell to be “a corruption of the Portuguese Gentio, a gentile or heathen, which they applied to the Hindus in contradistinction to the Moros or Moors, i.e., Mahomedans. The reason why the term became specifically applied to the Telugu people is probably because, when the Portuguese arrived, the Telugu monarchy of Vijayanagar was dominant over a great part of the peninsula.” In a letter written from prison to Sir Philip Francis, Rājah Nuncomar referred to the fact that “among the English gentry, Armenians, Moores and Gentoos, few there is who is not against me.” Gentoo still survives as a caste name in the Madras Quarterly Civil List (1906).
Ghair-i-Mahdī —The name, meaning without Mahdī, of a sect of Muhammadans, who affirm that the Imām Mahdī has come and gone, while orthodox Muhammadans hold that he is yet to come.
Ghāsi .—See Haddi.
Ghontoro —A small caste of Oriyas, who manufacture brass and bell-metal rings and bangles for the hill people. The name is derived from ghonto, a bell-metal plate.
Gidda (vulture).—A sept of Poroja.
Gikkili (rattle).—A gōtra of Kurni.
Giri Rāzu .—A contraction of Puragiri Rāzu or Puragiri Kshatriya, by which names some Perikes style themselves.
Goa .—A sub-division of Kudubis, who are said to have emigrated from Goa to South Canara.
Gō Brāhman .—A name given to Brāhmans by Kammālans, who style themselves Visva Brāhmans.
Gōda-jāti (wall people).—A sub-division of Kammas. The name has reference to a deadly struggle at Gandikōta, in which some escaped by hiding behind a wall.
Gōda-poose (wall polishing).—An exogamous sept of Tsākala.
Gōdāri .—Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as Telugu leather-workers in Ganjam and Vizagapatam.
They are stated, in the Vizagapatam Manual, to make and sell slippers in that district. Gōdāri is, I gather, a synonym of Mādiga, and not a separate caste.
Goddali (spade or axe).—An exogamous sept of Oddē and Panta Reddi.
Gōdomālia (belonging to, or a group of forts).—A sub-division of Bhondāri, the members of which act as barbers to Rājahs who reside in forts.
Gōlaka —Recorded in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a name meaning bastard, and clubbed with the Moilis, or temple servants in South Canara descended from dancing-girls. In the Mysore Census Report, 1901, it is defined as a term applied to the children of Brāhmans by Malerus, or temple servants.
Gōli (Portulaca oleracea: a pot-herb).—An exogamous sept of Gauda.
Gōlkonda —A sub-division of Tsākala.
Gollāri (monkey).—An exogamous sept of Gadaba.
Gomma —Recorded by the Rev. J. Cain as the name for Kōyis who live near the banks of the Godāvari river. Villages on the banks thereof are called gommu ūllu.
Gōnapala (old plough).—An exogamous sept of Dēvānga.
Gōnē (a sack).—An exogamous sept of Māala. The Gōnē Perikes have been summed up as being a Telugu caste of gunny-bag weavers, corresponding to the Janappans of the Tamil country. Gunny-bag is the popular and trading name for the coarse sacking and sacks made from jute fibre, which are extensively used in Indian trade. Gōnē is further an occupational sub-division of Kōmati.
The Gōnigas of Mysore are described, in the Census Report, 1901, as sack-weavers and makers of gunny-bags, agriculturists, and grain porters at Bangalore; and it is noted that the abnormal fall of 66 per cent. in the number of the caste was due to their being confounded with Gānigas.
Gonjākāri —A title of Haddi.
Gonji (Glycosmis penlaphylla).—An exogamous sept of Māla.
Gōpālam (alms given to beggars).—An exogamous sept of Togata.
Gōpālan (those who tend cattle).—A synonym of Idaiyan.
Gōpopuriya —A sub-division of Gaudo.
Gōrantla (Lawsonia alba: henna).—An exogamous sept of Golla and Padma Sālē. The leaves of this plant are widely used by Natives as an article of toilet for staining the nails, and by Muhammadans for dyeing the hair red.
Gorava —A synonym of Kuruba.
Goravaru A class of Canarese mendicants.
Gōrē —Recorded, at times of census, as a synonym of Lambādi. Gōra means trader or shop-keeper, and trading Lambādis may have assumed the name.
Gorige (Cyamopsis psoralioides).—An exogamous sept of Dēvānga.
Gorrela (sheep).—An exogamous sept of Golla, Kamma, and Kāpu. Konda gorri (hill sheep) occurs as an exogamous sept of Jātapu.
Gōsangi —A synonym for Mādiga, recorded as Kōsangi, in the Madras Census Report, 1901. The Gōsangulu are described in the Vizagapatam Manual (1869), as “beggars who style themselves descendants of Jāmbavanta, the bear into which Brahma transformed himself, to assist Rāma in destroying Rāvana. The Gōsangis are considered to be illegitimate descendants of Mādigas, and a curious thing about them is that their women dress up like men, and sing songs when begging. As mendicants they are attached to the Mādigas.”
Gōsu (pride).—An exogamous sept of Dēvānga.
Goundan —It is noted, in the Salem Manual, that “some of the agricultural classes habitually append the title Goundan as a sort of caste nomenclature after their names, but the word applies, par excellence, to the head of the village, or Ūr Goundan as he is called.” As examples of castes which take Goundan as their title, the Pallis, Okkiliyans, and Vellālas may be cited. A planter, or other, when hailing a Malayāli of the Shevaroy hills, always calls him Goundan.
Goyi (lizard: Varanus).—An exogamous sept of Bottada.
Grāmani —The title of some Shānāns, and of the headman of the Khatris. In Malabar, the name grāmam (a village) is applied to a Brāhmanical colony, or collection of houses, as the equivalent of the agrahāram of the Tamil country.
Gūdavandlu —Recorded, in the Nellore Manual, as Vaishnavites, who earn their livelihood by begging. The name means basket people, and probably refers to Sātānis, who carry a basket (gūda) when begging. Gudi (temple).—A sub-division of Okkiliyan, an exogamous sept of Jōgi, and a name for temple Dāsaris, to distinguish them from the Donga or thieving Dāsaris.
Gudisa (hut).—An exogamous sept of Bōya and Kāpu.
Gudugudupāndi —A Tamil synonym for Būdubudukala. Guha Vellāla —The name assumed by some Sembadavans with a view to connecting themselves with Guha (or Kuha), who rowed the boat of Rāma to Ceylon, and, as Vellālas, gaining a rise in the social scale. Maravans also claim descent from Guha.
Gulimi (pickaxe).—An exogamous sept of Kuruba.
Gullu (Solanum ferox).—A gōtra of Kurni.
Gulti .—A section of Bōya, members of which are to be found in Choolay, Madras City.
Gummadi (Cucurbita maxima).—An exogamous sept of Tsākalas, who will not cultivate the plant, or eat the pumpkin thereof.
Gūna .—Gūna or Gūni is a sub-division of Velama. The name is derived from the large pot (gūna), which dyers use.
Gūna Tsākala (hunchbacked washerman).—Said to be a derisive name given to Velamas by Balijas.
Gundala (stones).—An exogamous sept of Golla.
Gundam (pit).—An exogamous sept of Chenchu.
Gundu (cannon-ball).—A gōtra of Kurni.
Guni .—Guni is the name of Oriya dancing-girls and prostitutes. It is derived from the Sanskrit guna, meaning qualifications or skill, in reference to their possession [309]of qualification for, and skill acquired by training when young in enchanting by music, dancing, etc.
Gunta (well).—A sub-division of Bōyas, found in the Anantapūr district, the members of which are employed in digging wells.
Guntaka (harrow).—An exogamous sept of Kāpu.
Guntala (pond).—An exogamous sept of Bōya.
Gupta .—A Vaisya title assumed by some Mūttāns (trading caste) of Malabar, and Tamil Pallis.
Guri .—Recorded, in the Vizagapatam Manual, as a caste of Paiks or fighting men. Gurikala (marksman) occurs, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Patra.
Gurram (horse).—An exogamous sept of Chenchu, Golla, Māla, Padma Sālē, and Togata. The Gurram Togatas will not ride on horseback. Kudirē, also meaning horse, occurs as a gōtra or exogamous sept of Kurni and Vakkaliga.
Gutōb .—A sub-division of Gadaba.
Gutta Kōyi .—Recorded by the Rev. J. Cain as a name for hill Kōyis.
Guvvala (doves).—An exogamous sept of Bōya and Mutrācha.
References
1 Linguistic Survey of India IV, 1906.
2 Madras Census Report, 1891.
3 Gazetteer of the Vizagapatam district.
4 Madras Mail, 1907.
5 Madras Census Report, 1891.
6 Manual of the Vizagapatam district.
7 Madras Census Report, 1891.
8 Ind. Ant. XVIII, 1889.
9 Manual of the South Canara district.
10 Mysore Census Report, 1891.
11 Gazetteer of the Bellary district.
12 Calcutta Review, 1905.
13 Madras Census Report, 1891.
14 Original Inhabitants of Bharatavarsha.
15 Manual of the South Canara district.
16 Hobson-Jobson.
17 Manual of the North Arcot district.
18 Madras Census Report, 1891.
19 Mysore Census Report, 1901.
20 Journ. Anth. Soc., Bombay, 1, 1888.
21 Mysore Census Report, 1891.
22 Ind. Ant. VIII, 1879.
23 See C. Ramchendrier, Collection of decisions of High Courts and the Privy Council applicable to dancing-girls, illatom, etc., Madras, 1892.
24 J. S. F. Mackenzie, Ind. Ant., IV, 1875.
25 Yule and Burnell, Hobson-Jobson.
26 Wigram. Malabar Law and Custom.
27 Thurston. Monograph on Wood-carving in Southern India. 1903.
28 Yule and Burnell. Hobson-Jobson.
29 Illustrations of the Guzarattee, Mahratlee, and English languages, 1808.
