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=Chakla or Dhobi=
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This article is an extract from <br/>

THE CASTES AND TRIBES <br/>

OF <br/>

H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS <br/>

BY <br/>

SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN <br/>

Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and <br/>

Middle Temple, London. <br/>

One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court <br/>

of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. <br/>

BOMBAY <br/>

THE TlMES PRESS <br/>

1920<br/>
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[[Category:India|C]]
[[Category:Communities|C]]
Dhobi, Chakla, Parit, Agesaru, Warathi, Madiyal, Ramdu — 
the washerman caste of the Telingana, Marathwadi and Carnatic 
Districts. Styled as ' Manjushar,' the washermen, according to 
Manu, are born of a Vaidehik father and an Ugra mother, and are 
pratilomaja, I.e., born against the hair or grain, viz., in an inverse 
order, the mother being of the higher caste than the father. 

==Origin and Internal Structure==

Apart from this mythical 
origin, the Dhobis appear to be a functional group formed 
from members of the lower classes, a view which the physical charac- 
teristics of the Dhobis, and their offices as priests to the animistic 
deities, seem to support. They have, however, no traditions respecting 
their origift, nor will their exogamous sections throw any light upon 
this point. Owing to its very wide distribution, the Dhobi caste is 
divided into a very large number of endogamous groups, eighteen of 
which are given below. 
[[File:chakla.PNG ||frame|500px]]

These names either refer to the country to which the sub-castes 
belong, or to the castes from which they have sprung. 

(I) Telaga Chakla — represents the Dhobi caste of Telingana. 
The name ' Chakla ' comes from the word ' sakia ' which means 
service ' in Telugu.

(2) Chippa Chakla — are the descendants of a Chakla father 
and a Chippa (tailor) mother. 

(3) Turka Chakla — those Dhobis who have joined the ranks 
of Islam. 

(4) Waddi Chakla — of the Waddewar caste, following the 
trade of a washerman. 

(5) Lambadi Chakla — people of the Lambada caste, following 
the Dhobi s trade. 

(6) Balija or Lingayit caste — do not follow the occupation of 
other Dhobis, but wash only rumals (large kerchiefs used as head-gear). 

(7) Agesaru — the Carnatic Chakla, the name gwen to the 
Dhobis in the Carnatic. 

(8) Bundeli Chakla — also called Hindustani Chakla, being 
emigrants from Hindustan. 

(9) Barki Chakla — descendants of a Komti father and a 
Dhobi mother, are found in the Nalgunda District. 

(10) Parit or Marathi Chakla — the name given to the Dhobis 
of the Marathawadi Districts. t 

(11) Waddi Chakla — the lowest class of the Dhobis; they 
wash the clothes of the unclean classes such as the Mahar, Mang, fitc. 

(12) Lingayit Chakla — also called ' Madiyal,' are the descend- 
ants of Madiyal Machaya, who washed the clothes of Basava and 
was one of his favourite disciples. 

Only a few of the exogamous groups into which the caste is 
divided are given below : — 
[[File:chakla1.PNG ||frame|500px]]
These divisions present no features of special interest. It may, 
however, be remarked that one of them, 'Manipad,' is a sub- 
division of the Erkala caste. Marriages are regulated as by the 
other Telugu castes. The Dhobis say that they have only one goto, 
Jalnul,' which, however, is against the rule of exogamy. 

The Dhobis admit into their community those members of the 
higher castes who have been ei;pelled from their own caste, no 
special ceremony being performed on the occasion. It is said that, 
formerly, the Dhobis and the Mangalas belonged to the same caste. 
Once a Mangala went to a Dhobi's house in order to ask the Dhobi's 
daughter in marriage. Nobody, except the girl in question, was in 
the house, and the girl informed the suitor that her parents had gone 
to the reu to wash clothes. The reu means that part of the river 
bank where the shaving operations at funerals are performed. Con- 
sidering this to be an ill omen, the Mangala departed, and since 
then the Mangalas have ceased to intermarry with the Chaklas. 

==Marriage==

Girls are married as infants between the ages of 
5 and 12 'years. Boys are usually married between 12 and 20. 
Girls are dedicated to temples, in fulfilment of vows or owing to their 
deformity, if husbands cannot be procured for them. The ceremony 
is as follows. On an auspicious day the girl is dressed in a new 
sari and choli and is taken before the image and wedded to it by a 
Brahman according to the rites. Five rupees are paid to the Brahman 
as his fee. Cohabitation is allowed after marriage even before the 
girl attains puberty. 

The marriage ceremony is the same as is observed by the other 
Telugu castes. It comprises the following rituals : — 

(I) Shastriya A char — 

(a) Lagnam — in which the Brahman priest ties a thread-bracelet 
on the right wrist of the bridegroom and the left wrist of the bride. 
(b) Jilkerbellam — the bridal pair put a mixture of cumin seeds and 
jaggery on each other's heads, (c) Thalwat — throwing turmeric 
coloured rice on each other's heads, (d) Kan^adan — the formal gift 
of the bride by her father to the bridegroom, regarded as the binding 
portion of the marriage ceremony, (e) Padghattan — treading by the 
bridal pair on each other's foot, (f) Pusii — the bridegroom ties an 
auspicious string round the bride's neck, {g) Brahmamudi — the ends 
of the garments of the bridal pair are tied in a knot. 

(II) Deshachar — 

The worship of Pinnamma, Pochamma and Nagulu, whose 
blessings are invoked upon the bridal pair and whose assistance is 
sought to avert any evil influenc('£ in the ceremony. 

(III) Stri Achar— 

(a) Kotnam or Ulukhala — pestles, mortars and grindstones 
are worshipped, (b) Aroeni Kundalu — earthen pots are brought from 
the potter's house and placed and worshipped near the household 
gods. 

(IV) Kulachar— 

On the last day, the ceremonies of (a) Nagoeli, (h) Panpm, (c) 
Wappagintha and (d) Wadrbium are performed, whereupon the bride 
is sent to her husband's house. Polygamy is permitted theoretically 
to any extent.

==Widow-Marriage==

A widow may marry again, but she cannot 
marry the brother of her deceased husband. The ritual consists of the 
tying of a string of black beads (Mangulsutra) round the neck ci the 
bride by the bridegroom, and the presentation to her of a cocoanut, 
some rice and date-fruits. No Brahman is called in to officiate at 
this ceremony, which is attended by widows alone. 

==Divorce==

Divorce is allowed if the wife is unchaste, or 
for incompatibility of temper, and is effected by removing the lucky 
string (pusti) from her neck and driving her out of the house. A 
divorced woman may marry again by the same rite as a widow. 
Sexual intercourse with an outsider belonging to a higher caste may 
be tolerated, but that with one of a lower caste involves expulsion. 

==Inheritance==

The sons inherit by equal shares, no extra share 
being given to the eldest son. Females can inherit in default of any 
male issue. The usage of Chudawand prevails in the caste. 

==Religion==

In matters of religion, the Chaklas are Saivaits and 
smear their foreheads with sacred ashes (vibhuti). They employ 
Brahmans for religious and ceremonial purposes and call in Jangams 
to officiate at funerals. On Mondays in the month of Sravan (July- 
August), Madiyal Machaya, the supposed founder of the caste, is 
honoured, being represented by a round piece of stone daubed with 
gem (red ochre) and besmeared with holy ashes. In the month of 
Ashadha (June-July), Pochamma and Durgamma are propitiated with 
offerings of goats, &c. 

==Disposal of the Dead==

They Chaklas bury their dead in a 
lying posture with the head towards the south. No Sradha is per- 
formed. On the last day of the month of Bhadrapad, all the ances- 
tors are propitiated, when libations of til water (gingelly) are poured 
and charity is distributed in the name of the manes. On the 3rd of 
the lunar half of Waishakha, the dead aficestors are worshipped in the 
form of earthen pots painted with red and yellow stripes, with offerings 
of sweet dainties, which the worshipper subsequently partakes of. The 
Lingayit Dhobis bury their dead, if married, in a sitting posture 
with the face towards the north. If the dead are unmanied, they are 
buried in a lying posture with the face downwards. Pregnant 
women a:^ ijersons dying of disease, or leprosy, are burnt, in the 
belief that their burial causes drought. 

==Social Status==

Since the Chakla does not object to wash 
clothes which are considered ceremonially unclean, he is himself 
regarded as being unclean. His social status is therefore very low, 
lower than that of almost all those whose touch is regarded as 
ceremonially unclean. The Chaklas decline to wash for barbers, since 
the latter do not hold torches at their weddings. The Chaklas eat 
mutton, pork, the flesh of fowl and cloven-footed animals and are 
strongly addicted to drink. They also eat the leavings of the higher 
caste people. 

==Occupation==

Washing clothes has been the traditional occu- 
pation of the caste and to this they still adhere. This is due to the 
large demand which all classes have for their services. The village 
Chakla is paid for his services in grain, the quantity of which, for 
every plough in the village, is fixed. This is called haluta. Dhobis 
plying their trade in towns are paid in cash. 

Their mode of washing clothes is as follows : — First the clothes 
are rinsed in water and beaten. They are then cleansed with fuller's 
earth and steamed in earthen vessels, After they are all thoroughly 
steamed, they are again cleansed with soap and washed with cold 
water in a river or tank. They are then steeped in rice starch 
and dried. Finally they are ironed and folded. Flannel or silk 
clothes are not steamed, but only cleansed with warm soapsuds and 
then washed with cold water.

In the worship of the minor, village gods, the Dhobi acts as^a 
priest and receives, as his perquisite, the offerings, or a part of the 
offerings, made to the deities. The Dhobi is also useful in the 
marriage ceremony, in which he shares the presents with the barber. 
Some of the Chaklas have taken to agriculture. Some manufacture 
lime and let donkeys for hire. A few have adopted respectable pro- 
fessions and are Goverrunent clerks.