The Balijas bury their dead in a sitting posture. In the Central
Provinces they are usually Lingayats and especially worship Gauri,
Siva's wife. Jangams serve them as priests. They usually eat flesh
and drink liquor, but in Chanda it is stated that both these practices
are forbidden. In the Central Provinces they are mainly cultivators,
but some of them still sell bangles and salt. Several of them are in
Government service and occupy a fairly high social position.
In Madras a curious connection exists between the Kapus and Balijas
and the impure Mala caste. It is said that once upon a time the Kapus
and Balijas were flying from the Muhammadans and came to the northern
Pallar river in high flood. They besought the river to go down and let
them across, but it demanded the sacrifice of a first-born child. While
the Kapus and Balijas were hesitating, the Malas who had followed them
boldly sacrificed one of their children. Immediately the river divided
before them and they all crossed in safety. Ever since then the Kapus
and Balijas have respected the Malas, and the Balijas formerly even
deposited the images of the goddess Gauri, of Ganesha, and of Siva's
bull with the Malas, as the hereditary custodians of their gods. [114]