Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India.djvu/492

BRAHMAN Koljēu. They all belong to Rig Sāka. Of the Telaganyams, some follow Rig Vēda, and others the Yejur Vēda (both black and white Yajus). The Nandavarikulu are all Rig Vēdis, and regard Chaudēswari, the goddess of the Dēvāngas, as their tutelary deity. When a Nandavariki Brāhman goes to a Dēvānga temple, he is treated with much respect, and the Dēvānga priest gives up his place to the Nandavariki for the time being. The Nandavariki Brāhmans are, in fact, gurus or priests to the Dēvāngas.

A special feature of the Telugu Brāhmans is that, like the Telugu non- Brāhman classes, they have house names or intipērulu, of which the following are examples: — Kōta (fort), Lanka (island), Puchcha (Citrullus Colocynthis), Chintha (tamarind), Kāki (crow). Niyōgi house-names sometimes terminate with the word rāzu.

''IV. Carnātaka''. — The sub -divisions of the Carnātakas or Canarese-speaking Brāhmans are as follows: — A. — Smartha. B. — Madhva. The Carnātakas very closely resemble the Āndhras in their ceremonial observances, and, like them, attach much importance to vratams. The Mādhva Carnātakas are recent converts from Carnātaka or Āndhra Smarthas. The Pennaththūrars are supposed to be Tamil Brāhmans converted into Mādhvas. They retain some of the customs peculiar to the Tamil Brāhmans. The