Telaga: Deccan
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Telaga
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 |
(Titles: 'Naidu' and 'Rao.)
Telaga — a generic term applied to Munnurs and Mutrasis and also to the classes that are sprung from them. But the term particu- larly denotes the aggregate of individual units derived by crossing between members of different castes, and united together by bonds of mutual interest and sympathies. Thus the illegitimate off- spring of Kapu, Mutrasi, and Munnur women by the members of higher castes, the progeny of ?uch girls of agricultural and pastoral classes 'as are dedicated to* temples and, being debarred from mar- riages, have taken to prostitution, the issues of girls who are sold in rich families, or to dancing girls and brought up as prostitutes — all these have been included among Telagas.
Internal Structure
The Telagas comprise the following groups, arranged in accordance with their social grades, as far as they are known : —
(1) Racha Telaga.
(2) Hajari Telaga.
(3) Bobbili Telag£.
(4) Telaga Chetti.
(5) Telaga Tota Balja.
(6) Chalka Telaga.
(7) Chambu Telaga.
(8) Sevak Munnur.
(9) Kasa Telaga.
(10) Telaga Uppara.
(11) Munnur Telaga.
(12) Mutrasi Telaga.
(13) Sanaiwad.
(14) Sadalwad. f
(15) Waral Wandlu.
(16) Butti Telaga.
This list is in no way complete and several other branches are said to exist which cannot, however, be traced nor identified, Nor is the process of development complete, fresh groups being still evolved from the same sources and made to occupy the lowesWrank in the social organisation of the Telagas.
Racha Telaga (Titles, 'Hajari' and"Rao') — These are found in large numbers in the Nalgunda District. J"he name 'Racha,' ^which is derived from the word 'Raja' (king), is probably given to the members of this group in consideration of the highest rank they are supposed to have held among the Telaga classes. Their supposed descent from those who served the ancient Telugu sovereigns on military tenure or as personal attendants, may also account for their dignified name. The members of the group still maintain the dignity of their rank by observing 'Gosha' (seclusion) among their women and by taking girls in marriage from the other Tela'ga sub-castes but not giving their own maidens in return. Sentiment against widow mar- riage is also seen growing among them. Originally bom of mixed parentage, the acquirement of wealth and respectable social status appears to have enabled the Rachas to detach themselves from the masses and gradually to attain to the high and domineering position they, at present, occupy among the Telagas. The Rachas admit among their community the illegitimate issue of the higher castes, such as Brahmans, Komatis, etc. Their original calling was soldier- ing, but they have now taken to agriculture and are landholders, Patte- dars, Vatandars, etc. Several are Government servants, pleaders, merchants and follow other respectable professions. They prac- tise infant marriage. A few of the Racha families profess not to allow their widows to remarry.
Hajari Telagas
They are so called because their ancestors ren- dered service to the great zamindars and other rich people, in the capacity of "Khansamas," errand boys and personal servants. The Hajari Telagas are believed to have been the offspring of the men of higher castes by the women of Mutrasi, Munnur and Kapu castes. It is said that they havJythe surnames of their mothers, but the gotras of their fathers, the fofJner regulating their marriage ceremony. In mariages the brahches of the 'mango' and 'gullar' are held in speciaT reverence. Bastards born of MunnuR, Mutrasi and Sale women by Brahmins, Kapu, Velama or Komati men are freely admitted by them into their group. They practise both infant and adult marriage and allow their widows to remarry. They bury their dead with face downwards. , In pwint of social standing the Hajaris rank with the Rachas and the Bobili Telagas. They are now either cultivators or tailors. Some have entered tf!e Government service.
Bobbili Telaga
These take their name from a village 'Bobbili' in the Godaveri District where their forefathers rendered both persona! and military service to the Velcimas who were once the sole occupants of the village. It is said that they were originally Mutrasi-born, but being soldiers and commanders of armies, they were elevated, in social rank, above the common folk and are at present known to enjoy as high a social position as the Hajari and Racha Telagas. They veil their females and admit among them members of castes higher than themselves in social standing. Unlike other Telagas, they practise both infant and &dult marriage. Some of the members follow the occupation of Patwegars, or silk weavers. They make good soldiers and are enlisted in the native armies.
Telaga Chetti
These claim their descent from the Raja Bhartrahari's numerous wives whose infidelity disgusted their husband and drove him to seek a secluded life. They are divided into ten exo- gamous groups, which are entirely borrowed from the Kapu castes. They many their girls as infants or after they attain puberty.
Chalka Telagas
As their name implies, the Chalka group are the cultivators of dry land (chalka — dryland), and as such are dis- tinguished from Totaa Baljas, who are gardeners. This group has two sub-divisions, those who complete their marriage ceremony m three days and those whose marriage ceremony extends over five days. These two classes inlerdine but do not intermarry. This is really very interesting, as it furnishes a curious example of the process by which fresh endogamous divisions are formed. The Chalka Telagas are as hypergamous to Sevaks and Kasa Telagas as the Rachas and other superior classes are to the Chalkas. Thus a Rajpa, Bobbli or Hajara may take a wife from the Chalka class but cannot give his own daughter to a Chalka. A Chalka on his part, may marry a Sevak or Kaj^girl but is prevented by social rules from returning the obligation. The natural consequence is that Kasa girls being married into higher groups produce scarcity of women among their own group, so that the number of marriageable boys is in excess of the marriageable girls. The Kasas, therefore, have to look for jvives from other 'sources and either marry, or keep as mistresses, women of highe*- castes who are degraded from their own caste in conseqierice of indiscretions. The issues of such unions are regarded legitimate and admitted to the full privileges of the group. It may be observed that if any member of ihe Chalkas becomes rich and adopts the high standard of ceremonial sbservances adopted by Rachas or Bobbilis, he can be enrolled into he latter groups. The Chalka branch, whose marriage ceremony lasts for five days, are believed not to recognise widow marriage.
Chambu Telaga
These are a servile class attached to the houses of rich landlords and zamindars and are so* designated because the members of the group are supposed to have been engaged to wait upon their masters with chambus (vi^ater-pots) when
- he latter went to relieve nature. While the male members are so
employed, the females serve, in rich families, as Adipapa' or Dasi' (hand-maids). Such women remain unmanied and lead lives of doubtful morality, being generally considered the sole property of iheir masters. Their children, as well as the children of such Chambu women as are in incestuous intercourse with high-born males, enjoy the full rights of the legitimate members of the group. The Chambus admit members of superior castes into their community. They recog- lise both infant and adult marriages and allow their widows to remarry.
Sevak Munnur
(Synonyms Ghulam, Khidmatgar). The word Devak means 'ghulam' or 'slave.' During the prevalence of scarcity or famine, individuals who, in the extremity of hunger, sold themselves, or were sold, as slaves, as also persons who were enslaved in conse-, quence of their inability to pay their debts, originally composed his group of the Telagas. Their ranks are still recruited by the orogeny of girls who, under the name of 'Dasis' (hand-maids), contri- bute portions of dowry Destowed by the brides' fathers upon the bride- ground of rich families. So far as the connubial relation is concerned* these Dasis remain with their masters in the capacity of quasi-wives or mistresses and are known to be notorious for immorality and licenti- ousness. The ranks of the Chalka Telagas are open to the members of th^ division provided the latter adopt the same standard of ceremo- nial purity followed by the Chalkas. Persons of superior castes, who lose their own cartes for swme social offence, are admitted by the members of this division into their community.
Kasa Telagas
These derive their name from the word 'Kasalu,' meaning born of prostitutes. The Kasa sub-division is mainly com- posed of individuals, either sprung from prostitutes or from girls who are dedicated by their parents to temples and to trees and who subse- quently become prostitutes. It is said that a Kasa girl, committing herself with a Brahmin before marriage and becoming pregnant, can find a husband in her own caste. Girls are dedicated to temples and to trees and their sons iake the family names of their mothers. Members of the Brahmiii, Komati, Balja, Kummara, Golla, Kapu, Veliama and Bhat castes are admitted by rCasas in their castes. The Kasa girls are married into Chalka or even in Racha families but no Chalka girl, on the other hand, will go down into the Kasa household. TTie Kasas recognise both adult and infant marriages and allow their widows to remarry. They are good cooks and, as such, are in great request in the rich Velama and Kapu families. The respectable and educated mem- bers of the community are known as Naidus. One remarkable point in connection with the 'Channagiri' section of the Kasa Telagas may be mentioned. The girls of this section are married to trees and swords and the children of such girls take the family names of their mothers as already mentioned.
Tota Baljis
Cultivators and gardeners probably a branch of Chalka Telegas who are tillers of dry land. They affect a high stan- dard of ceremonial purity, marry their daughters as infants, forbid their widows to remarry and do not admit strangers into their commu- nity. These considerations have completely severed their connections with the parent groups and have transformed them into a full blown caste, superior, in social rank, not only to all the Telagas but to the
Kapu and munnur castes from whom the Tel^as originally sprang. it is really curious to mark the stages of development through which the Tota Baljis have passed. The fact, that all the Tota Baljis belong to one gotra, Paspunollu, supports the infer- ence that a number of families of the same gotra raised their social level by imitating the usages of Brahmins, and that other classes, who could not come up to their standard of ceremonial purity, .were looked down upon as inferiors and,. in course of time, "their sense of superiority grew so strong as to cause their complete dissociation from their brethren. The Tota Baljis are indystrious cultivators.
Munnur Telagas
An illegitimate branch of Munnurs admit' ting children of Munnur mothers and Brahmin fathers. They are divided into two classes : (1) those who allow their widows to re- marry, (2) those who do not recognise this practice. These two classes interdine and intermarry, but a tendency towards complete separation is discernible. It is also said that the Munnur Telagas are a socially elevated branch of Chambu Telagas.
Mutrasi Telagas
The origin of this group is uncertain. They may be either Mutrasis or the illegitimate descendants of the Mutrasis. They have adopted the trade of liquor vendors and toddy drawers.
Sadalwad Telaga
These claim to be a branch of Munnurs who follow the occupation of weaving Naodr (tape) and appear, on this ground, to have been degraded from the main caste. They themselves insist on being called Telagas, but the latter deny their claims to this name. Men of the Gollas, Kapus, Komatis, etc., are admitted by them. Widows are not permitted to marry again. They have no Nag- beli ceremony. In other respects, their wedding ceremonials correspond with those of the other Telaga castes. Veerabhadra is their favourite deity. It is said that they carry their dead in baskets to the cremation ground. Their principal occupation is the manufacture of lac bangles and the weaving of Navdr (tape) and Pardds (curtains).
Sanaiwad
So called because they play on the sandi, a sort of musical pipe. Although they are classed as Telagas, their origin is involved in obscurity. They are Vibhutidharis and prefer the wor- ship of Mahadeva to that of any other deity. Their girls are married as infants and widows are permitted to marry again. Aradhi Brah- mins serve them as sjiiritual guides. At the time of going round the polu the Sanaiwad brWegroom holds in his right hand a sandi of munnal pipe. Ihe dead are cremated with faces downwards.
Uppari Teiagas
As their name indicates they are dealers in salt.
Marriage
The marriage ceremony is of the orthodox type cur- rent among the other Telaga castes. Brahmins are called in to conduct the ceremonial and incur ijo disgrace on that account. Widow marriage is permitted by Ratha, Hajari, Bobbili, Sevak, Chambu and Kasa Teiagas, while it is not recognised by the Tota Baljis, Telaga Chetti and Sadalwad sub-divisions. The ceremony is simple. On a dark night the bridegroom presents the widow with a sari, choli and mettalu, ties pusti round her neck and provides a feast to his relatives and friends. Divorce is permitted by those divisions who re- cognise widow meuxiage, the divorced women being permitted to marry by the same rite as widows.
Inheritance
In matters of inheritance some of the Telagas differ from other castes of the same social standing. Where a girl is married to a sword or dedicated to a temple she shares her father's (or mother's) property equally with her brothers. In default of male issue, the daughter's son becomes heir to his grandfather's property (Tot4 Balji). "Jethang", or an extra share, is given to the eldest son by some Teiagas.
Religion
The Teiagas are divided into Tirmanidharis and Vibhutidharis and are the followers of Shri Vaishanava and Aradhi Brahmins respectively. The Hajari Teiagas are exclusively Nam- dharis. For the rest the Teiagas entirely conform to the religion of the Kapu castes. They honour all the Hindu gods and keep the Hindu festivals. Narsinhalu, Shiva, Ramkrishna Pochamma and a ho6t of minor deities receive due reverence from them. Gouramma is worshipped by females in Kartika (September-October) with offerings of sweets. Bana Devi and Maisamma are worshipped on Sun- days and Thursdays, the Kumbhars officiating as priests of the deities. Brahmins are employed for religious and ceremonial purposes. In funeral ceremonies the Satanis are employed by Tirmanidharis and Jangams by Vibhutidharis.
Disposal of the Dead
Both burial and cremation are resorted t8 by the Telagas, the dead being disposed of in a lying posture with the head pointing to the south. The ashes are either thrown into ^iver or buried under a platform raised as a monument in memory of the deceased. The adults are mourned for ten days and children for three days. No regular sradha is celebrated but on the 12th day after death Pindas, or balls of cooked rice or wheaten flour, are offered to the soul of the deceased. On the Pitn AmaOas^a day (middle of Sep- tember) libations of water are poured (kut in the namt of the departed ancestors
Social Status
As has been adverted to, the social status of the Telagas admits of no precise definition. As a general rule amongst themselves, it varies with the degree of ceremonial purity and the standard of ceremonial observances which each particular group in believed to have prescribed for itself. Their pretensions to a high origin and high social status are not, however, admitted by the agricul- tural and pastoral castes, such as Panchi Reddi Kapus, Velamas, Collas, &c., below whom they rank socially in these dominions. Telagas eat food cooked by Kapus, Velamas, Qollas, &c. They eat mutton, pork, fish, fowls and lizards and drink spirits. They do not eat the leavings of other castes.
Occupation
The wealthy and educated members of the com- munity are known as Naidus, who follow learned professions and have distinguished themselves in all branches of the Government service. ^ The great majority of Telagas are cultivators and hold all sorts of land tenures. Some, however, earn their livelihood as landless day labourers. Members of this caste do not wear the sacred thread.
Note re Kasa Telagas
"Members of this caste (Kasa or Dasilu) are chiefly to be found in attendance on the Zamindars and other rich people and report says they are not unfrequently their illegitimate children. They are not always proud of their caste and sometimes endeavour to pass themselves off as Telagas." (Indian Antiquary, Vol. VIII, 1879).
