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 June, 1875.] OBSERVATIONS ON THE KUDUMl. 169 mali,. the most influential Zamindiir of this caste in Tinneveli, in what light he regarded the spread of the use of the kndnmi amongst the people of his caste, when he replied that be did not regard it as in any way connected with religion, with caste, or with family, but that it was a usage which commended itself to people on account of what he called its * becomingness,* that is, its neatness and tidiness, in comparison with the other mode, and which each person adopted or not as he pleased. The great majority of the Shan sirs who remain heathens wear their hair long ; and if they are not allowed to enter the temples, the restriction to which they are subject is owing not to their long hair, but to their caste, for those few members of the caste, continuing heat bens, who have adopted the ku dumi, — ge- nerally the wealthiest of the caste, — are as much precluded from entering the temples as those who retain their long hair. A large majority of the Christian Shauars, including nearly all the adherents of the missions of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, have adopted the kuflumi together with Christianity, never supposing for a moment that the fashion they adopted when they became Christians could be regarded by any one as a sign of the heathen- ism they had left, but on the contrary regard- ing it, if a sign of any religion at all, rather as a sign of Christianity, — at least in their case, in so far as Christianity favoured the adoption of more cleanly, more civilized usages, and taught them, amongst other minor proprieties, the was a shame for a man to have long hair." The heathen Pa liars in Tinneveli used to their hair long ; hat most of them, with- out ceasing to be heathens, have recently adopted the k n d u m i, and the wearing of tho k u d u m i is now spreading even amongst the P a r i u r s . In s 1 1 o r t , w hi rt? ver higher notions of civilization and a regard for appearances i. and in proportion as they extend, the use of the kudumi seems to extend also. Heathens adopt it, without becoming more heathenish thereby, but merely wishing to be '" in the fashion,'' and converts to Christianity adopt it as a practice which they bcli more becoming, and fancy to be more consonant risiimiiiy than the long hair of their aa- eestore. There is a caste of bankers in Tinneveli and Madura, called the Nu t fukotteiChettis, who wear their hair in neither of the modes referred to, but shave the head completely, after the manner of the Muhammadans, or the man- ner prescribed by Sagara to the Yavanas This usage of theirs cannot be meant as a distinguishing mark of religion, for there is no difference between their religion and that of their neighbours. 1 have lately inquired of one of them his reason for not wearing a kudumi. He replied that it was a peculiar usage amongst the people of his caste, but could not explain it any further. He considered that it had nothing to do with religion, and lie was sure that the absence of it did not prevent him from entering the temples or performing any other religious duty. Indeed be was returning from the performance of worship in the temple when his opinion was asked. It would bo an extraordinary thing if the members of this most wealthy, most superstitions caste were prevented, by their custom of not wearing a k a cl ami, from entering the temples, seeing that it may almost be said that the temples in Tinneveli and Madura arc their private property. has always been the custom for the people of different castes to distinguish themselves from their neighbours by differences in dress and ornaments, especially in the dress and orna- ments of their women, there seems nothnv ex- traordinary in the adoption by the banker caste referred to of a peculiar fashion of wearing their hair, or rather of shaving it off; I ever may have been the origin of this castom of theirs, it is not OB e how any p knowing the existence of it, and knowing the intense orthodoxy of the people who have adopted it, can maintain that the kudumi is a Bign of orthodox Hinduism. It is a fact deserving special notice 'hat- Sanyasis, or professed aaoet ics, though the most intense Hindus to be met with, never wear that which is represented as being a sign of orthodox Hinduism. They either shave off the k u d ami, leaving the head bald, or they allow their hair to grow to its full length, like the ancient Rislt;^. plaiting it into a sort of tiara on the top of tlu-i. or letting it hang down their backs. Under either circumstance, no er heard of a S a n y A i |, though without a kudumi, being prechlded from entering the temples. Their reason for not wearing the k u-