A History of the Mahrattas v1.c5.s3.24

v1.c5.s3.24

‘Certain aspects of the social organization of Marāthās of all occupational divisions, when examined in the light of the evidence available from the records of the Ethnographical Survey seem to lend support to this assumption. Thus, we find that in the extreme south of the Presidency, where Aryan influence on social customs is naturally less marked than in the north, a vigorous totemistic organization survives in the case of most tribes and castes. These are divided into sections known as balis that have a common object of worship in a tree, plant, animal, implement, &c. This object they will in no circumstances injure. Further, no intermarriage is allowed between members of a group with a common object of worship. Instances of such totems are: the elephant, elk, wolf, pig, tortoise, hog-deer, the coco-nut, pepper-vine, turmeric, the mango-tree, the tamarind, an axe, a white ant-heap, &c. Certain trees are of specially common occurrence in this connexion, notably the Kadamba (Nauclea cadamba), the Rui (Calotropis gigantea) and the Shami (Prosopis spicigera).