Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s2.t1.7

c48.s2.t1.7

A similar caste to the Dōsādh is found in the Bēraḍ, or Bēḍar, "fearless ones", of the south Dekkan. These were originally hunters and fowlers of the Karnatic, and were formed into militia by the Muslim Chiefs of Mysore and Haidarabad, in which capacity they served till a comparatively recent period. They are now watchmen and petty cultivators. Their faith is Brāhmanic, of the semi-Dravidian type, and they employ the Sātāni caste as their priests. Possibly they come of the same stock as the Bōya, one section of which pursues the same calling, or the Vēḍan of the Tamil country, who are still hunters and in the jungle phase of existence. In the Marāṭha country, especially near the Sahyādri range, the place of the Bēraḍ is taken by a kindred tribe, also from the south, known as the Rāmōśi, a title which is said to represent the Marāṭhi Rānvāsi, or forestdweller. They address each other, however, as Bōyali, indicating Telingāna parentage. They stand higher than the Bēḍar, and employ by preference, the Jaṅgam priests of the Liṅgāyat, with a Gōsāi for their religious and moral instructor. According to the caste reputation, the functions of this individual are more necessary than effective. By the age of seven, the Rāmōśi boy must have stolen something or he is disgraced. If caught and convicted, the halo thereby acquired renders him a prize in the marriage market for which an unusually high dowry has to be offered. Another peculiar tenet of this caste is that meat is not to be eaten unless it has been killed by a Muslim.