South Indian castes/ tribes (numerically small): U
This article is an excerpt from Government Press, Madras |
Udāsi.—A few members of this Central India sect of religious mendicants and devotees have been returned at times of census. It is said to have been founded three hundred years ago by one Gopāldas.
Udaiya.—Udaiya, meaning lord, is the title of many well-to-do Lingāyats and of some Jains, and Udaiya or Wodeiyar occurs as the name of a Lingāyat sub-division of the Badagas of the Nīligiri hills. The Mahārājas of Mysore belong to the Wodeiyar dynasty, which was restored after the Muhammadan usurpation of Haidar Āli and Tīpu Sultan. The name of the present Maharāja is Srī Krishna Rāja Wodeiyar Bahādur.
Uddāri.—A synonym for the village Taliyāri.
Uddu (Phaseolus Mungo).—An exogamous sept of Kāppiliyan.
Udhdhandra.—A title conferred by Zamindars on some Kurumos.
Uduma.—Uduma or Udumala, meaning the lizard Varanus, has been recorded as an exogamous sept of Bōya, Kāpu, Tottiyan, and Yānādi.
Ūliyakāran.—A synonym, denoting menial servant, of Parivāram.
Ulli (onions or garlic).—A sub-division of the Tigala market-gardeners. The equivalent Ullipōyala occurs as an exogamous sept of Golla, and Ulligadda as a sept of Bōya and Korava.
Ulumban.—It is recorded in the Gazetteer of Malabar that “an endogamous sub-caste (of Nāyars) of foreign origin are the Ulumbans or cowherds. According to one tradition, they were originally immigrants from Dvāraka (Guzerat). Their original occupation still survives in the privileges of supplying ghee (clarified butter) for the abhishēgam or libation at the great annual festival at the jungle shrine of Kōttiyur, and of supplying butter-milk to the Tiruvangād temple at Tellicherry, which are exercised by families of this caste; and in the general privilege of offering milk in any temple without previous ablution.”
Uluvala (seeds of horse-gram: Dolichos biflorus).—An exogamous sept of Bōya and Jōgi.
Ungara.—Ungara and Ungarāla, meaning rings, have been recorded as exogamous septs of Balija and Kuruba.
Unittiri.—Unittiri, or Unyātiri, meaning, it is said, venerable boy, has been recorded as a sub-division of Sāmantam. Unnittān appears, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a title of Nāyars, and is said to be derived from unni, small, tān, a title of dignity.
Unnekankana.—A sub-division of Kurubas, who tie a woollen thread (unne kankana) round the wrist at times of marriage.
Uppalavar (salt workers).—A synonym of Alavan.
Uppu (salt).—A sub-division of Balijas and Koravas, who trade in salt, which they carry about the country in panniers on donkeys or bullocks. It is also an occupational sub-division of Kōmati. The equivalent Uppa is an exogamous sept of Kēlasi. Uppukōttei occurs as a division of Maravan, Upputholuvāru (salt-carriers) as an exogamous sept of Oddē, and Uppiri (salt-earth) as a sept of Kuruba.
Uril Parisha.—A class of Mūssad.
Urū.—Ur, Urū, meaning village, is the name of a division of Bēdar, Bōya, Golla, Korava, Kuruba, Mādiga, and Oddē. The Bēdars and Bōyas are divided into two main divisions, Urū or those who dwell in villages, and Myāsa (grass-land or forest people) who live away from villages. In like manner, the Urū Oddes are those who have abandoned a nomad life, and settled in villages. Among some of the Tamil cultivating classes, the headman is known as the Ur Goundan.
Ur-Udaiyān (lord of a village).—A synonym of Nattamān.
Urukathi (a kind of knife).—An exogamous sept of Toreva.
Urukkāran, a class of Muhammadan pilots and sailors in the Laccadive islands. (See Māppilla.)
Urumikkāran.—The Urumikkārans, or those who play on the drum (urumi), are said to be “Tottiyans in Madura, and Parayans elsewhere.” The Kāppiliyans say that they migrated with the Urumikkārans from the banks of the Tungabadra river, because the Tottiyans tried to ravish their women. At a Kāppiliyan wedding, a Urumikkāran must be present at the distribution of betel on the second day, and at the final death ceremonies a Urumikkāran must also be present.
Usira (usirika, Phyllanthus Emblica).—A sept of Kōmati.
Utla.—Utla or Utlavādu has been recorded as an occupational sub-caste of Yerukala, and an exogamous sept of Bōya and Padma Sālē. The name is derived from utlam, a hanging receptacle for pots, made of palmyra fibre, which some Yerukalas make and sell.
Uttarēni (Achyranthes aspera).—An exogamous sept of Bōya.
Uyyāla (a swing).—An exogamous sept of Māla, Mutrācha, and Yerukala. During the marriage ceremonies of Brāhmans and some non-Brāhman castes, the bride and bridegroom are seated in a swing within the marriage booth, and songs called uyyāla patalu (swing songs) are sung by women to the accompaniment of music.
References
1 Gazetteer of the South Arcot district.
2 Gazetteer of the South Arcot district.
3 Cf. Nāyādi.
4 Native Life in Travancore, 1883.
5 Monograph, Eth. Survey, Cochin, No. 9, 1906.
6 Manual of the Malabar district.
7 Manual of the North Arcot district.
8 Archæolog. Survey of India. Annual Report, 1902–1903.
9 Journey through Mysore, Canara and Malabar. Ed., 1807.
10 On the Weapons, Army Organization, and Political Maxims of the Ancient Hindus, with special reference to gunpowder and fire-arms, Madras, 1880.
11 Vide F. Hall’s edition of H. H. Wilson’s Vishnu Purana, 1864. III. 289–303.
12 Ind. Ant., VIII, 1879.
13 Native Life in Travancore.
14 Madras Census Report, 1901.
15 Madras Census Report, 1901.
