Caste and Race in India c9.40.3

c9.40.3

Komati, Golla and Kapu and others, and Sale, Togata and others. Mala and Madiga occupy the lowest rank, being the Pariahs of the Telugu country.² In the Canarese region the nasal index gives the following order: Karnatak Smarta Brahmin, Bant, Billava, Mandya Brahmin, Vakkaliga, Ganiga, Linga-Banajiga, Panchala, Kuruba, Holeya, Deshasth Brahmin, Toreya, and Bedar. In the scheme of social precedence the castes take the ranks as under: Brahmin . . . Bant and Vakkaliga, Toreya, etc., Kuruba and Ganiga, Badaga and Kurumba and Solaga, Billava, Bedar and Holeya.³ The significance of the comparison is enhanced when we remember that the nasal index of the Holeya, the untouchable of the Canarese region, is 75·1, that of the highest sub-caste of the Brahmin being 71·5, while those of the jungle Kurumba and the Solaga, who when Hinduized, occupy the rank allotted to them in the list, are 86·1 and 85·1 respectively. The ranks of the Linga-Banajiga and the Panchala cannot be determined, as they do not recognize the authority of the Brahmin. The Tamil castes may be arranged according to their nasal index as follows: Ambattan, Vellal, Idaiyan, Agamudaiyan, Tamil Brahmin, Palli, Malaiyali, Shanan, Paraiyan, Irula, and Malasar. The social status of these castes is: Brahmin, Idaiyan and Vellala, Agamudaiyan and Palli, Ambattan and others, Irula and Malasar and Malaiyali, Shanan and others, Paraiyan.⁴ The nasal indices of four typical Malayalam castes are: Tiyan, 75; Nambudiri Brahmin, 75·5¹;