Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 6.djvu/265

Rh Pūjāri.— Pūjāri is an occupational title, meaning priest, or performer of pūja (worship). It is described by Mr. H. A. Stuart * as "a name applied to a class of priests, who mostly preside in the temples of the female deities — the Grāma Dēvatas or Ūr Ammas — and not in those of Vishnu or Siva. They do not wear the sacred thread, except on solemn occasions." Pūjāri has been recorded as a title of Billavas as they officiate as priests at bhūtasthānas (devil shrines), and of Halēpaiks, and Pūjāli as a title of some Irulas. Some families of Kusavans (potters), who manufacture clay idols, are also known as pūjāri. Pūja occurs as a sub-division of the Gollas. Some criminal Koravas travel in the guise of Pūjāris, and style themselves Korava Pūjāris.  Pula.— A sub-division of Cheruman.  Pūla (flowers). — An exogamous sept of Bōya, Padma Sālē and Yerukala.  Pūlān.— Barbers of Tamil origin, who have settled in Travancore.  Pulavar.— A title of Ōcchan and Panisavan.  Pulayan.— See Cheruman and Thanda Pulayan.  Puli (tiger). — Recorded as an exogamous sept or gōtra of Balija, Golla, Kamma, and Mēdara. The equivalent Puliattanāya occurs as an exogamous sept of Bant.  '''Puliakōdan. —''' A class of carpenters in Malabar, whose traditional occupation is to construct oil mills. <section end="H265" /> <section begin="I265" />'''Pūliāsāri. —''' A division of Malabar Kammālans, the members of which do mason's work (pūli, earth). Paravas who are engaged in a similar calling are, in like manner, called Pūli Kollan. <section end="I265" /> <section begin="J265" />'''Pulikkal. —''' Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nāyar. <section end="J265" />