History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c75.358

v5.c75.358

Gayāḷs or Gayāwals are notorious for their indolence, ignorance and are a dying race 644; function of, at Akṣayavaṭa in Gayā 580, 668, have become a guild or close corporation and resent the intrusion of a stranger 580, have got books in which they enter the names and addresses of pilgrims who are asked to sign themselves and recommend to their descendants to honour them when the descendants might come to Gayā 581; Nārāyaṇabhaṭṭa limited the injunction about honouring Gayāwals alone to śrāddha at Akṣayavaṭa 670, pilgrims to Gayā must honour Gayāḷs alone and not other brāhmaṇas however learned they may be 670; profess the Vaiṣṇava faith established by Madhva 644, referred to in a copperplate grant of Lakṣmaṇasena in 1183 A. D. 580; strange practice among them of adopting the same person in several families at the same time and yet allowing the son so adopted to retain his rights in the family of birth 580-581, the number of, is being gradually reduced 581