Variyars. A Sudra woman removed a bone from within a temple
in obedience to the wish of certain Brahman priests, and was
excommunicated from her caste. The priests, on hearing this, were
anxious to better her condition, and made her the progenitor of a
class of Ambalavasis or temple servants, who were afterwards known
as Variyars. According to another legend, the corpse of a Maran,
which was found inside a Nambutiri's house, was promptly removed by
certain Nayars, who on that account were raised in the social scale,
and organised into a separate caste called Variyar. There is a still
further tradition that, in the Treta Yuga, a Sudra woman had five
sons, the first of whom became the progenitor of the Tiyatunnis,
and the second that of Variyars. A fourth account is given in the
Keralamahatmya. A young Brahman girl was married to an aged man. Not
confident in unaided human effort, under circumstances such as hers,
she devoted a portion of her time daily to preparing flower garlands
for the deity of the nearest temple, and conceived. But the Brahman
welcomed the little stranger by getting the mother thrown out of
caste. Her garlands could no longer be accepted, but, nothing daunted,
she worked as usual, and made a mental offering of the garlands she
prepared, which, through an unseen agency, became visible on the person
of the deity. Though the people were struck with shame at their unkind
treatment of the innocent girl, they were not prepared to take her
back. The Variyan caste was accordingly constituted, and her child
was brought up by the Azhancheri Tambrakkal, and accommodated in the
padippura or out-house at the entrance gate. In the Pasupata Tantra,
the Variyars are called Kailasavasins, or those who live in Kailas,
as they are supposed to be specially devoted to the worship of
Siva. Kailasa is the abode of Siva, whither the blessed go after death.
The Variyars of Travancore are divided into four groups,
called Onattukara, Venattukara, Ilayetattunad (or Ilayathu), and
Tekkumkur. The Venattukaras have the privilege of interdining with the
Onattukaras, and having their ceremonies performed by priests from that
group. But the ceremonies of the Onattukaras appear to be performed
without the Venattukaras being admitted into their midst. The third
and fourth groups take food in the houses of the first and second,
though the reverse seldom happens. The Variyars in British Malabar
are divided into several other groups.
The Variyars are generally well-read, especially in Sanskrit, make
excellent astrologers, and are also medical practitioners. A Variyar's
house is called variyam, as the Pisharati's is known as pisharam.
Married women have the hair-knot on the left side of the head,
like Nayar ladies. They cover the breast with a folded cloth, and
never wear a bodice or other innovations in the matter of dress. The
marriage ornament is called matra, and is in the shape of a maddalam
or drum. Other neck ornaments are called entram and kuzhal. The todu,
or ornament of Nayar women, is worn in the ear-lobes. Women mark
their foreheads, like Nambutiri ladies, with sandal paste.
The Variyars, Pushpakans, and Pisharatis, are said to constitute
the three original garland-making castes of Malabar, appointed by
Parasurama. At the present day, in all the important temples, except
in South Travancore, where Kurukkals perform that function, garlands
can only be prepared by one of these castes. The technical occupation
of a Variyar in a temple is called kazhakam, which is probably derived
from the Dravidian root kazhaku, to cleanse. Kazhakam is of two kinds,
viz., malakkazhakam or garland-making service, and talikkazhakam
or sweeping service, of which the former is more dignified than the
latter. Under the generic term kazhakar are included making flower
garlands for the temple, preparing materials for the offering of food,
sweeping the beli offering, carrying lights and holding umbrellas when
the god is carried in procession, having the custody of the temple
jewels, etc. The Variyar is at the beck and call of the temple priest,
and has to do sundry little services from morning till evening. He is
remunerated with some of the cooked food, after it has been offered to
the deity. The Variyars are to Saivite temples what the Pisharatis are
to Vaishnavite temples. Their prayers are prominently addressed only
to Siva, but they also worship Vishnu, Subramanya, Sasta, Ganesa, and
Bhadrakali. Their chief amusement is the farce called Kuttappathakam,
the hero of which is one Vankala Nikkan, and the heroine Naityar. An
Ilayatu is the stage-manager, and a Pisharati the actor. Parangotan
is the buffoon, and Mappa his wife. In the eighteenth century, a
grand festival lasting over twenty-eight days, called mamangam, was
celebrated in British Malabar. The above characters are represented
as proceeding to this festival, which came off once in twelve years
on the Magha asterism in the month of Magha, and is hence popularly
called Mahamagha.
The Variyar caste is governed in all matters by the Nambutiri Brahmans,
but they have their own priests. The Ilayatus believe that they were
the preceptors of all the Ambalavasi castes in former times, but
were dislodged from that position owing to most of them employing
priests from among their own caste men. Even at the present day,
Ilayatus are known to express their displeasure when they are asked
to drink water from a Variyar's well. As, however, consecrated water
from the Nambutiris is taken to a Variyar for its purification, they
entertain no scruples about cooking their food there, provided they
carry with them the aupasana fire.
Inheritance among the Variyars of Cochin and British Malabar is in
the female line (marumakkathayam). Among the Variyars of Travancore,
chiefly these belonging to the Onattukara section, a kind of qualified
makkathayam prevails, in accordance with which both sons and daughters
have an equal right to inherit ancestral property. The eldest male
member is entitled to the management of the estate in all undivided
families. Partition, however, is largely followed in practice.
The tali-kettu ceremony of the Variyars generally takes place before
a girl reaches puberty, and, in the case of boys, after the ceremony
of Sivadiksha has been performed, that is between the twelfth and
sixteenth years. If the marriage is in the kudi-vaippu form, or,
in other words, if there is an intention on the part of both parties
to treat the marital alliance as permanent, no separate sambandham
need be celebrated afterwards; and, in all cases where marriages are
celebrated between members of the same section, the kudi-vaippu form
is in vogue. If a girl is unmarried when she reaches puberty, she is
not permitted to take part in any religious ceremonies, or enter any
temple until she is married. The first item of a Variyar's marriage is
ayani-unu, when the bridegroom, decked in new clothes and ornaments,
dines sumptuously with his relations. He then goes in procession
to the bride's house, and, after bathing, puts on clothes touched
by the bride. After this some prayers are recited, and a sacrifice
is offered. The bride is then brought to the marriage hall, and, all
the Brahmanical rites are strictly observed. After sunset, some grass
and a leopard's skin are placed on the floor on which white cloth is
spread. The bridegroom, who is seated on the northern side, worships
Ganapati, after which the couple take their seats on the cloth bed
spread on the floor. Lights are then waved in front of them. This
ceremony is known as dikshavirikkuka. In the kudi-vaippu form of
marriage, the bride is taken to the house of the bridegroom, where
the dikshavirippu is observed. Otherwise the marital rite becomes
a mere tali-kattu ceremony, and the girl, when she comes of age,
may receive clothes in token of conjugal connection with another
person. When the first husband dies, clothes may be received from
another Variyar, or a Brahman, whose wife the woman becomes.
Most of the ceremonies observed by Malayali Brahmans are also performed
by the Variyars, the vratas and upanayana being among those which
are omitted. Sivadiksha, as already indicated, is observed between
the twelfth and sixteenth years. The festival lasts for four days,
though the religious rites are over on the first day. At an auspicious
hour, the priest and the Variyar youth put on the tattu dress, or
dress worn for ceremonial purposes, and worship a pot full of water
with incense and flowers, the contents of which are then poured by the
priest over the youth. The priest and a Maran then perform the tonsure,
and the youth bathes. Some Nambutiris are then engaged to perform the
purificatory rite, after which the Variyar wears the tattu as well as
an upper cloth, marks his forehead with ashes and sandal paste, and
decorates himself with jewels, rudraksha (Elæocarpus Ganitrus) beads,
and flowers. Alms are received by the young Variyar from his mother,
and he takes seven steps in a northerly direction which symbolise his
pilgrimage to Benares. It is only after the performance of this rite
that the Variyar is believed to become a grihastha (married person,
as opposed to a bachelor). The funeral rites of the caste have been
elaborated in many places. Death pollution lasts for twelve days,
and the sanchayana (milk ceremony) is observed on the seventh or
ninth day. Anniversary ceremonies are celebrated in memory of close
relations, and others are propitiated by the performance of sradh,
and the feeding of a Variyar on a new-moon day.
In an account of a royal wedding in Travancore in 1906, I read that
"a number of Variyars left the thevarathu koikal, or palace where
worship is performed, for a compound (garden) close by to bring
an areca palm. It is supposed that they do this task under divine
inspiration and guidance. One man is given a small rod by the Potti or
priest in the palace, and, after receiving this, he dances forward,
followed by his comrades, and all wend their way to a compound about
a furlong away. On reaching the spot, they uproot a big areca palm
without the use of any implement of iron, and take it away to the
thevarathu koikal without its touching the ground, to the accompaniment
of music. They then plant it in front of the portico, and do some puja
(worship) after the manner of Brahmans. The function is comparable to
the dhwajarohanam, or hoisting of the flag during temple utsavams. The
Variyars dance round the tree, singing songs, and performing puja. A
piece of white cloth is tied to the top of the tree, to serve as a
flag, and a lamp is lighted, and placed at the foot of the tree."
The Variyars are described, in the Gazetteer of Malabar, as "a caste
whose traditional duty is to sweep the temple precincts (varuga). At
the present day, some members of the caste are important land-owners or
petty chieftains, occupying a very high social position. They generally
follow the marumakkatayam principle, but they have also a form of
marriage called Kudivekkal similar to the Brahman Sarvasvadhanam,
by which the wife is adopted as a member of the family into which
she marries, and her children also belong to it. The Variyar's names
and ceremonies indicate Sivaite proclivities, just as those of the
Pisharodi are tinged with Vishnavism. The Variyar's house is called
a Variyam, and his woman-folk Varassiars. This class is perhaps the
most progressive among the Ambalavasis, some of its members having
received a Western education and entered the learned professions."
Varugu Bhatta.--A mendicant class, which begs from Perikes.
Varuna.--Some Pattanavan fishermen have adopted the name of Varunakula
Vellala or Varunakula Mudali after Varuna the god of the waters.
Vasa (new).--A sub-division of Kurubas, who are said to weave only
white blankets.
Vasishta.--A Brahmanical gotra adopted by Khatris and
Toreyas. Vasishta, one of the seven great Rishis, was the son of
Mitra and Varuna, whose quarrels with Viswamitra are narrated in
the Ramayana.
Vastra.--One division of the Koragas is called Vastra, meaning
cloths such as are used as a shroud for a corpse, which were given to
them as an act of charity, the wearing of new cloths by them being
prohibited. Vastrala (cloth) further occurs as an exogamous sept of
the Karna Sale and Devanga weavers.
Vattakadan.--Recorded as a sub-division of Nayar, the occupation of
which is expressing oil, chiefly for use in temples. Mr. F. Fawcett
writes [117] that, in North Malabar, he has frequently been told by
Nayars of the superior classes that they do not admit the Vattakadans
to be Nayars. According to them, the Vattakadans have adopted the
honorary affix Nayar to their names quite recently. In the Madras
Census Report, 1891, Vattakadan is stated to be a synonym of Vaniyan;
and in the report, 1901, this name is said to mean a Native of
Vattakad, and to be given to the Chakkans.
Vatte (camel).--A gotra of Kurni.
Vatti.--Vatti or Vattikurup has been recorded at times of census as a
sub-division of Nayar, and a synonym of Kavutiyan and Tolkollan. Vatti
is said to mean one who prays for happiness.
Vayani.--The Vayanis, Vayinis, Vaguniyans, or Pavinis, are a section of
Madigas, the members of which play on a single-stringed mandoline, and
go about from village to village, singing the praises of the village
goddesses. Each Vayani has his recognised beat. He plays a prominent
part in the celebration of the annual festival of the village goddess,
and receives a sacred thread (kappu), which is usually tied to his
mandoline, before the commencement of the festival. He regards himself
as superior in social position to ordinary Madigas, with whom he will
not marry. The name Vayani is said to be a corruption of varnane,
meaning to describe. In some localities, e.g., the Chingleput district,
the Vayani enjoys mirasi rights in connection with land.
Vedan.--The Vedans are described by Mr. H. A. Stuart, in the
North Arcot Manual, as having been "formerly hunters and soldiers,
and it is this caste which furnished a considerable and valuable
contingent to the early Hindu kings, and later to the armies of
Hyder and Tippoo. They are supposed by some to be the remnants of the
earliest inhabitants of the peninsula, and identical with the Veddahs
of Ceylon. They are also called Valmikulu, which means those who live
on the products of ant-hills (valmikum)." It is noted, in the Census
Report, 1891, that the two castes Bedar (or Boya) and Vedan were,
"through a misapprehension of instructions, treated as identical in
the tabulation papers. The two words are, no doubt, etymologically
identical, the one being Canarese and the other Tamil, but the
castes are quite distinct." It may be noted that the name Valmika
or Valmiki is assumed by the Boyas, who claim descent from Valmiki,
the author of the Ramayana, who did penance for so long in one spot
that a white-ant hill grew up round him.
In the Madras Census Report, 1901, the Vedans are described as "a
Tamil-speaking labouring and hunting caste, the members of which
were formerly soldiers, and subsequently dacoits. The name means a
hunter, and is loosely applied to the Irulas in some places (e.g.,
Chingleput). There is some connection between the Vedans and Tamil
Vettuvans, but its precise nature is not clear. The Vettuvans now
consider themselves superior to the Vedans, and are even taking to
calling themselves Vettuva Vellalas. Marriage (among the Vedans)
is either infant or adult. Widows may marry their late husband's
brother or agnates. Some employ Brahmans as priests. They either burn
or bury their dead. They claim descent from Kannappa Nayanar, one of
the sixty-three Saivite saints. Ambalakarans also claim to be descended
from Kannappa Nayanar. In Tanjore, the Valaiyans declare themselves to
have a similar origin. The title of the Vedans is Nayakkan." In the
Madura Manual, the Vedans are described as a very low caste, who get
their living in the jungles. They are not numerous now. They appear
to have been naked savages not very long ago, and their civilisation
is far from complete. They are held in the greatest contempt by
men of all classes. They are described further, in the Coimbatore
Manual, as "a very degraded, poor tribe, living by basket-making,
snaring small game, and so on. They speak a low Canarese, and are
as simple as savage. The delight of a party at the gift of a rupee
is something curious." In the Salem district some Vedans are said
[118] to be "known by the caste name Tiruvalar, who are distinguished
as the Kattukudugirajati, a name derived from a custom among them,
which authorises temporary matrimonial arrangements."
The following story in connection with bears and Vedans is worthy of
being placed on record. The bears are said to collect ripe wood-apples
(Feronia elephantum) during the season, and store them in the
forest. After a small quantity has been collected, they remove the rind
of the fruits, and heap together all the pulp. They then bring honey
and petals of sweet-smelling flowers, put them on the heap of pulp,
and thresh them with their feet and with sticks in their hands. When
the whole has become a consistent mass, they feed on it. The Vedan, who
knows the season, is said to drive off the bears by shooting at them,
and rob them of their feast, which is sold as karadi panchamritham,
or bear delicacy made of five ingredients.
The Vedars of Travancore are summed up by the Rev. S. Mateer [119]
as "living in jungle clearings or working in the rice fields, and
formerly sold and bought as slaves. They have to wander about in
seasons of scarcity in search of wild yams, which they boil and eat
on the spot, and are thorough gluttons, eating all they can get at
any time, then suffering want for days. Polygamy is common, as men
are not required to provide for the support of their wives. Some,
who have been converted to Christianity, show wonderful and rapid
improvement in moral character, civilisation and diligence."
For the following note on the Mala (hill) Vedans of Travancore, I
am indebted to Mrs. J. W. Evans. [120] "They live in wretched huts
amid the rice-flats at the foot of the hills, and are employed by
farmers to guard the crops from the ravages of wild beasts. The upper
incisor teeth of both men and women are filed to a sharp point, like
crocodile's fangs. One ugly old man, Tiruvatiran by name (the name of
a star), had the four teeth very slightly filed. On being pressed for
the reason why he had not conformed to Mala Vedar fashion, he grinned,
and said 'What beauty I was born with is enough for me.' Probably
the operation had been more painful than he could bear, or, may be,
he could not afford to pay the five betel leaves and areca nuts,
which are the customary fee of the filer. Any man may perform the
operation. A curved bill-hook, with serrated edge, is the instrument
used. On being asked whether they had any tradition about the custom
of tooth-filing, they replied that it was to distinguish their caste,
and the god Chattan would be angry if they neglected the custom. It
may be noted that tooth-filing is also practiced by the jungle Kadirs
(q.v.). Both males and females wore a cotton loin-cloth, mellowed by
wear and weather to a subtle greenish hue. Red and blue necklaces,
interstrung with sections of the chank shell (Turbinella rapa) adorned
the necks and chests. One woman was of special interest. Her neck
and breasts were literally concealed by a medley of beads, shells,
brass bells, and two common iron keys--these last, she said, for
ornament. Around her hips, over her cloth, hung several rows of
small bones of pig and sambar (Cervus unicolor). The Mala Vedans
find these bones in the jungle. An aged priest said that he used
to perform devil-dancing, but was now too stiff to dance, and had
to labour like the younger men. The Mala Vedans apparently possess
no temples or shrines, but Hindus permit them to offer money at the
Hindu shrines from a distance, at times of sudden sickness or during
other seasons of panic. Their god Chattan, or Sattan, has no fixed
abode, but, where the Mala Vedans are, there is he in the midst of
them. They bury their dead in a recumbent posture, near the hut of the
deceased. The Mala Vedans practice the primitive method of kindling
fire by the friction of wood (also practiced by the Kanakars), and,
like the Kanakars, they eat the black monkey. Their implements are
bill-hooks, and bows and arrows. They weave grass baskets, which are
slung to their girdles, and contain betel, etc."
The more important measurements of twenty-five Mala Vedans examined
by myself were--
Max. Min. Average.
Stature (cm.) 163.8 140.8 154.2
Cephalic index 80.9 68.8 73.4
Nasal index 102.6 71.1 85.0
The figures show that, like other primitive jungle tribes in Southern
India, the Mala Vedans are short of stature, dolichocephalic,
and platyrhine.
The following menstrual ceremony has been described [121] as occurring
among the Vedans of Travancore. "The wife at menstruation is secluded
for five days in a hut a quarter of a mile from her home, which is
also used by her at childbirth. The next five days are passed in a
second hut, half way between the first and her house. On the ninth
day her husband holds a feast, sprinkles his floor with wine, and
invites his friends to a spread of rice and palm wine. Until this
evening, he has not dared to eat anything but roots, for fear of
being killed by the devil. On the tenth day he must leave his house,
to which he may not return until the women, his and her sister have
bathed his wife, escorted her home, and eaten rice together. For four
days after his return, however, he may not eat rice in his own house,
or have connection with his wife."
Vedunollu.--A gotra of Ganigas, members of which may not cut Nyctanthes
Arbor-tristis. The flowers thereof are much used in Hindu worship,
as the plant is supposed to have been brought from heaven by Krishna
for his wife Satyabhama.
Veginadu.--A sub-division of Komatis, who belong to the Vegi or Vengi
country, the former name of part of the modern Kistna district. The
Vegina Komatis are said to have entered the fire-pits with the caste
goddess Kanyakamma.
Vekkali Puli (cruel-legged tiger).--An exogamous section of Kallan.
Vel (lance).--A sub-division of Malayalam Paraiyans, and an exogamous
sept or sub-division of Kanikars in Travancore. Velanmar (spearmen)
occurs as a name for the hill tribes of Travancore.
Velakkattalavan.--Velakkattalavan or Vilakkattalavan is stated in the
Travancore Census Report, 1901, to indicate chieftains among barbers,
and to be the name for members of families, from which persons
are selected to shave kings or nobles. In the Madras Census Report,
1891, Velakkattalavan is said to be "the name in South Malabar of the
caste that shaves Nayars and higher castes. The same man is called
in North Malabar Valinchiyan, Navidan, or Nasiyan. In dress and
habits the caste resembles Nayars, and they call themselves Nayars in
the south. Many returned their main caste as Nayar. The females of
this caste frequently act as midwives to Nayars. In North Malabar,
the Valinchiyan and Nasiyan follow the Nayar system of inheritance,
whereas the Navidan has inheritance in the male line; but, even amongst
the latter, tali-kettu and sambandham are performed separately by
different bridegrooms. In South Malabar the caste generally follows
descent in the male line, but in some places the other system is also
found." Sudra Kavutiyan is recorded, in the Madras Census Report,
1901, as a synonym of Velakkatalavan.