Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s3.t2.3

c48.s3.t2.3

§ 51. b) **Temple-servants** (300,500). There are certain castes in almost every part of India, but especially in the south, which are dedicated to offices within the temple other than those of actual worship. They wash the images of the god, deck it with flowers, and keep the precincts clean. Most of them have other and more secular avocations, generally connected with leaves or flowers, such as umbrella-making, the preparation of leaf-platters for Brāhmanic festivals and garlands for ceremonial use. The caste most widely spread of all thus engaged is the Mālī, or garland-maker; but as nearly the whole of the caste is in the present day occupied in gardening or agriculture, it has been reviewed already under the head of special cultivation. In Bengal there is still enough of the traditional work left to justify a separate subdivision to perform it. In other provinces, too, the growth of flowers and the making of garlands, particularly those for the temple, are the work of special bodies, but they are generally distinct from the Mālī. Such are the Phūl-Mālī, Phulārī, Hūgār, and the like. It is still necessary to be specially brought up to the trade, lest mistakes be made which would be ruinous. One god has to be decked with flowers which are abhorrent to another; certain flowers, too, are required by convention for certain occasions, and the marriage-coronet must contain the prescribed flowers and no others. The small castes above mentioned are generally found south of the Vindhya, in connection with the caste of Guraō, which is accredited to certain temples, usually those of S'iva, where the post is permanent and hereditary. The Guraō also make the leaf platters required for caste-feasts and other banquets on a large scale, a task which in upper India is performed by the Bārī, who, however, does not serve temples. In the Telugu country, the Sātānī does the work of the Guraō and a good deal more, for it appears that this caste was brought into being to aid the propaganda of Rāmānuja, its patron. It is associated, therefore, more closely with religion than a mere temple servant, and acts as priest to several other castes in a good position, as well as the lower classes. In contradistinction to the Gurao, the Sātānī is Vaiṣṇava, and those of the caste who are brought up as priests are fairly conversant with the Purānic authorities of their sect. Formerly, the Sātānī called in Brāhmans for their ceremonies, but of late their own priests have come into favour. The Balija community generally employ the Sātāni, but those who are redundant in this capacity, take to umbrella and garland making. The Tulu caste of Dēvādiga is not found outside Kanarā, and where not engaged in temple service, the caste has taken to cultivation and the lower grades of State service. The curious trans-formation of the Barber into the temple servant in Malabar has been already mentioned, and there are about 8,000 of the Mārāyān who combine that duty with the manipulation of the temple drums when required.