Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s2.17.2

c48.s2.17.2

In the Tamil country, the Sēṉaikkūḍaiyāṉ do what most of the Barāī avoid, that is, sell the leaves themselves, instead of making them over to another caste for the market. This caste has the further peculiarity of belonging to the Left-hand in the local distribution, thereby grouping itself with the artisans, a position which does not, however, militate against its respectability, or prevent the Brāhman from sharing with Veḷḷāḷan the priestly ministrations required in the caste. The Koḍikkāl, another bitel-vine growing caste is only a subdivision of the Veḷḷāḷan, based, apparently, upon its occupation. As the areca-palm only flourishes in certain localities, its cultivation is undertaken by the ordinary agricultural classes. Reverting to the market gardener, the Arāīn of the Panjāb is a true caste in the north and east of the Province, but in the west the title is purely occupational, like Jāṭ in the same tract. The community seems to have come up the Indus from Mūltān or north-west Rājputāna, and settled along the Ghaggar river, then probably of an irrigational capacity it has long since lost. Thence they spread across the Jamnā into Rohilkhand, and northwards into Jalandhar, which is still one of their principal seats. Here they are not only gardeners but general cultivators of considerable reputation for skill and industry. They are, as stated above, akin to the higher caste of the Kambō, but with a far greater inclination to accept Islām.