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=Madiga=
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This article is an extract from <br/>

THE CASTES AND TRIBES <br/>

OF <br/>

H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS <br/>

BY <br/>

SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN <br/>

Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and <br/>

Middle Temple, London. <br/>

One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court <br/>

of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. <br/>

BOMBAY <br/>

THE TlMES PRESS <br/>

1920<br/>
*****<br/>
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''sending the corrected version/ additional information to ''<br/>  
the Facebook page, [http://www.facebook.com/Indpaedia Indpaedia.com]. <br/> ''All information used will be duly acknowledged.'' 
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[[Category:India|M]]
[[Category:Communities|M]]
==(Male Titles : Appa, Ayya. Female Title : Amma.)==
Madiga, Madigowd, Madigaru, Madru, Dher, Chandal, 
Antyaja, Ettlwandlu, Peddintiwandlu, Panchamollu, Matangi 
Makallu, Gosangi, Kamathi, Bendar, Chambhar — a very numerous 
caste of leather-workers and rope-makers, many of whom are engaged 
as village watchmen and musicians. They are to be found scattered 
all over the Telugu and the Karnatic portions of H. H. the Nizam's 
Dominions, and correspond, in every detail, to the Mang caste of 
the Maratha Districts. Some of the synonyms, which stand 
at the head . of this article have reference to the occupations the 
members of the caste have pursued. The name ' Ettiwandlu ', for 
example, signifies those who do the etti or begari (forced) work. 
' Chambhar ' is a corruption of the Sanskrit word ' Charmakar,' which 
means ' a worker in leather ' , and the word ' Kamathi ' indicates 
that they are menials. Some, such as, ' Chandal,' ' Antyaja ' 
(lowest born), ' Gosangi ' {gao, cow, and hansaka, killer), and 
' Dher ' are opprobrious titles applied to them by others to indicate 
their lowest status in Hindu society. To dignify themselves, the 
members of the caste have assumed such epithets as Matangi 
Makkalu, the children of Matangi, the daughter of their mythical 
ancestor Jambavan ; Panchamollu, or members of the fifth caste, as 
distinguished from the four shastric divisions of mankind (Brahman, 
Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) ; and Peddintiwandlu, or dwellers 
in big houses. Madigas, who are enrolled in the Indian army, call 
themselves Bendars, with the object of concealing their true caste. 

==Origin==

The etymology of the name ' Madiga ' is uncertain, 
although attempts are made to derive it from the word ' Matanga , 
the name of an aboriginal tribe, mentioned by ancient authorities as 
descended from the illicit connection of a Plava father and Antivasiya 
mother. The legends of the Madigas, probably of rec;ent invention, 
give no clue to their origin or early history. According to one, the 
Madigcis trace their parentage to Jambavant, who was believed to be 
the primeval creation of Narayen, the supreme god, and to have 
existed when the whole world was water and there was neither the 
earth, nor the sun, nor other luminaries. Jambavant once perspired, 
and from the perspiration came forth ' Adi Shakti ' (primeval energy), 
who laid three eggs, from which sprang' Brahma, Vishnu, and 
Mahesha. Brahma created ten sages who became the progenitors of 
mankind. The names of these Maha Munis are : — (1) Chapala, (2) 
Taraila, (3) Brahma, (4) Neela, (5) Paia, (6) Bhadrachi, (7) 
Raktachi, (8) Gola, (9) Jamadagni and (10) Parshuram, and from 
the first sprang the Madigas, while the Brahmans are the descendants 
of the last. Another story relates that Jambavant (Zalazam) had 
seven sons; Brahma, with a view to create the world and people 
it, killed Heppu Muni, one of the sons, and from the mixture of his 
blood with water evolved the solid earth. Brahma»then killed another 
son named Jala Muni and his life stream changed into a' stream of 
water. The mountains were created from Ghata Muni's blood, blood 
from Rakat Muni, milk from Pal a Muni, and an indigo colour from 
Neela Muni, until at last from the blood of Gava Muni came the 
Madigas, the first representatives of mankind. A third account states, 
that, once upon a time, when Parvati and Parameshwar were on a 
ramble, Parvati becoming unclean, was obliged to leave her menstrual 
clothes under a tree and from these garments sprang Chinnaya, whom 
the heavenly pair engaged to tend their divine cow, Kamadhenu. 
Chinnaya once tasted the cow's milk and found it so delicious that 
he was ten-pted to kill the cow itself and eat its flesh. He imme- 
diately carried his impious design into effect, but the carcass of the 
cow was so heavy that none, not even the gods, could move it. 
Siva thought of Jambavant who was practising penance, and called 
out to him, ' Mahadigaru ' (lit — a great one come down). Jambavant, 
who thus obtained the name Mahadiga or Madiga, appeared at 
Siva's call, lifted the dead body, and cut it into pieces. Siva 
ordered Chinnaya to dress the beef, and invited all the gods to a 
feast. But Chinnaya, unfortunately, while trying to blow down an 
effervescence, at into the cooking p)ot and the gods, observing this, 
left the dining hall. Siva, in anger, cuised both Chinnaya and 
Jambavant for their negligence and degraded them to the lowest 
taste. Chinnaya's descendants are called Malas, while Jambavant 
became the ancestor of the Madigas, and as Jambavant ate the 
leavings of Chinnaya and drank water after him, the Madigas are 
ranked below the Malas in point of social standing 

==Internal Structure==
The Madigas have two main divisions 
Canara Madigas, and Telugu Madigas, who neither intermarry nor 
eat together. Each of these is broken up into numerous sub-tribes 
which vary greatly in different districts. Some of these are shown 
below : — 
[[File: MADIGA.PNG ||frame|500px]]
This list is in no way exhaustive. The Madiga community is 
a large one and distributed over a very extensive area, and to this 
fact are probably due the numerous groups into which it is divided. 
The origin of these sub-castes is obscure and very difficult; of deter- 
mination owing to the extreme repulsion with which the caste is 
regarded by all Hindus. Some of the names, such as Lambada, 
Koya, Bedar have reference to the castes from which the sub-castes 
have been recruited, while others are based upon the professions the 
sub-castes have followed. 

The Madiga sub-caste, found everywhere m the Karnatic and 
Telingana, represents, probably, the original nucleus of the caste. 

They earn their livelihood by making sandals, leather ropes and 
buckets and other leather articles. 

The Mashti Madiga, jaladohi, are story tellers and beggars, 
occasionally exhibiting acrobatic feats before the public. 

The Sindollu, Chindiwandlu, or Bogam Madiga, are the courte- 
zans of the Madiga caste ; they attend all Madiga ceremonies and 
entertain the public by singing and dancing. They maintain them- 
selves also by prostitution. Their name Sindi, or Sindollu, is said to 
be derived from ' Sairandhri,' the Sanskrit word for prostitute.' 

The Ashadoru, or Sandewad, are vagrant beggars who obtain 
alms by performing plays based upon stories from the BfiagWat. 

The Bengali Madigas are a wandering class of jugglers and 
conjurers and appear to have no cormection with the Madigas, but 
derive their name from Bengal, whence they probably came. They 
are doubtless enrolled among the Madigas because they occupy the 
lowest position in Hindu society. 

The Bindalas, or Bindlawad, discharge the'functions of priests to 
the Madiga caste and perform their religious rites to 'the music of 
the jamadke, a musical instrument characteristic of their profession. 
Occasionally, they profess to be possessed and to fortell events and 
exorcise ghosts. 

The Penda Madigas are sweepers by profession. 

The Dappu Madigas seem to be identical with the Lambada 
Madigas, and are attached to each Lambada tanda (camp). They 
act as musicians to the Banjara tribes, playing at their religious cere- 
monies, on the daphada, a sort of drum. 

The Karikuldawaru make articles from horns. 

The Jogis, or joginis, are boys and girls devoted to the service 
of particular deities in fulfilment of vows made in sickness or 
affliction. The girls, after their dedication, take openly to prosti- 
tution and incur no social disgrace on that account. 

The Periki Madigas assert that they are so called because their 
ancestors ran away from the marriage of Vashistha and Arundhati 
to escape the rain of fire that fell on the occasion. 

The Kullu Kundalawad are so called because they are engaged 
as carriers of earthen pots filled with shendi (the juice of the wild 
date palm) to the market. This occupation has degraded them and 
no pure Madiga will eat or marry with them. 

The Dasri Madigas are gurus, or spiritual advisers to those 
Madigas who profess to belong to the Vaishanava sect. They 
occupy the highest social level among the caste and stand in hyper- 
gamous relation to their disciples. They abstain from beef. 

The Jangam Madigas trace their lineage from Nulka Chandaya, 
who was the first Madiga proselyte to the Lingayit creed. Nulka 
Chandaya was a devout worshipper of the god Siva, and fed Jangams 
daily with the money he earned by selling ropes and 
sandals and Siva, as an act of grace, made him a Jangam. The 
Jangam Madigas claim for themselves the highest social position, and 
minister to the spiritual needs of the Shaiva Madigas or Madiga 
Vibhutidharis. Like the Dasris, they abstain from beef, and do not 
interdine with other members of the caste. It is said that they 
accept girls in marriage from other sub-castes, but do not give their 
own daughters in return. 

The Dakkalawads are wandering beggars, who appear to be a 
degraded branch of =the Madigas and beg only from them. They are 
also the genealogists or custodians of the gotras of their parent caste. 
Regarding their origin, it is said that Heppu Muni, the eldest son of 
Jambavant, after being killed by Brahma for the creation of worlds, 
was restored to life by his father, but was degraded and condemned to 
subsist by begging from, and reciting the mythical history of, the 
Madiga and Manga castes. They extract alms as an hereditary right, 
and should any Madiga decline to give them their due, they 
mount his effigy on a bamboo pole and set it up in front of his 
house. Standing in the neighbourhood, they hurl at him 
horrible imprecations and curses ; he remains under the ban of his 
caste and no one dares to maintain any communication with him until 
he thoroughly satisfies the demands of the refractory beggars. The 
Dakkalawads say that they have only one gotra ' Gangadhar.' They 
bear an evil reputation as criminals and are vigilantly watched by the 
police. They are regarded as outcastes by the Madigas and are not 
allowed to enter their quarters, but they pitch their huts of bamboo 
mats at a distance from the Madiga houses. 

The Gond Madigas, Koya Madigas, Lambada Madigas and 
Bedar Madigas may either represent the lowest strata of their 
respective tribes, or they may be originally Madrgas who were 
converted to, and were gradually absorbed into, their adopted tribes. 
The members of these sub-castes do not intermarry, although inter- 
dining in certain cases is allowable. 

The exogamous sections of the caste are mostly of the territorial 
type, but some of them are totemistic, although the totems are not 
generally held as taboo by the members of the sections bearing 
their names. 

A few of the sections are as follows : — 
Territorial. Totemistic. 

Mukapalli. Ullello (onions). 

Yelpukonda. Kumollu (horn). 

Malangurollu. Amdyarollu (castor plant). 

Kunagoilawaru. Gatollu (hill). 

Sultanpurwaru. KatkooroUu (sword). 

Boyampalliwaru. Gaddapollu (beard). 

Nagaipalliwaru. Awalollu (cow). 

Danduwaru. 
Pasupalliwaru. 

A Madiga cannot marry outside the sub-caste nor inside the 
section to which he belongs. This simple rule of exogamy is sup- 
plemented and a man may marry the daughter of his elder sister or 
maternal uncle or paternal aunt. Two sisters may ciso be married 
to the same m?in. 

Members of other castes are received by the Madigas into 
their community by their giving a feast to the Madigas of the 
neighbourhood. Before the feast, a betel leaf is cut on the tongue 
of the novice who is subsequently required to wait upon his new 
associates, to eat with them and remove their dishes. The hut in 
which this ceremony takes place is burnt. 

==Marriage==

The Madigas practise both infant and adult marriage, 
but the former usage is deemed the more respectable and is gradually 
coming into vogue. Girls for whom husbands cannot be procured, 
or who are vowed by their parents to the tervice of temples, are 
dedicated to their tutelary deities. Such girls are called Joginis or 
Basavis, and are sometimes married to an idol and sometimes to a 
dagger. The girl, who is to undergo the ceremony, is dressed in 
new clothes and taken to the temple. Her forehead is smeared with 
kunkum (red lead powder), a lighted lamp is waved round the idol or 
the dagger, and the girl, bearing the lamp on her head, walks three 
times round the symbol of the deity. The Joginis become prosti- 
tutes, but their children are admitted to the full privileges enjoyed 
by the legitimate members of the caste. Unmarried girls, becoming 
pregnant, are also devoted to the service of gods. A girl on attaining 
puberty is unclean for five days. On the 5th day she bathes, touches 
a green leaf and becomes ceremonially pure. 

Polygamy is recognised, and a man is permitted to marry ai 
many wives as he can afford to maintain. The second wife is usually 
a widow or a divorcee. A bride-price, varying in amount from 
Rs. 5 to Rs. 15, is paid to the parents of the girl. 

The marriage ceremony differs in different districts, but in each 
district it is a copy of the ritual in vogue among the middle classes 
of Hindus. ' 

The initiative towards marriage is taken by the bridegroom's 
father, who sends a party of five men to select a suitable girl for 
his son and settle the match. After the girl is selected, the boy's 
father, with his relatives, goes to the girl's house and presents her 
with a sari and a choli. in confirmation of the match, the caste 
panchas are entertained with Ifhushali, or drink, the expenses of 
which are shared by both, the bridegroom's father contributing double 
that of the bride's father. A Brahman astrologer is consulted, and 
a lucky day is fixed for the celebration of the wedding. A goat is 
killed as a sacrifice to Pochamma, who is worshipped with offerings 
of the goat's blood mixed witli a quantity of liquor. The goat's 
head becomes the perquisite of a dhohi (washerman) while the body 
is cooked and partaken of by the members of the family. Other 
deities, such as Ellamma, Pedamma, Mutyallamma and ancestral 
spirits, are invoked to bless the betrothed couple. On the appointed 
day, the bride is taken in procession to the bridegroom's house where, 
on arrival, the salawadi, the priest of the caste, lifts her from the 
horse, waves rice and turmeric round her face, sprinkles water on her 
body and places her on a seat under a wedding canopy of eleven posts. 
At the auspicious moment fixed for the wedding, the bridal pair are 
made to stand face to face, in a large bamboo basket, containing 
Indian millet, and a cloth is thrown over them so as to conceal their 
faces from the assembled guests. In this position, they are encircled 
five times, twice, with raw cotton thread. After this has been done, 
the cloth is removed and the young couple are taken out of the basket. 
The cotton thread is made into two bracelets (kankams) and one 
of them is fastened, with a piece of turmefic, on the wrist of the 
bridegroom and the other, in like manner, on that of the bride. This 
simple primitive usage is followed by an ortiiodox one, and the c&uple 
are made to stand face to face on a wooden plank, a cloth is held 
between them and the mehetarya, or elderly member of the caste, 
officiating as priest, throws grains five times over their heads. This 
last ritual is believed to be the essepijal portion of the ceremony and 
is followed by other rites, including Myalapolu, Kottanam, Brahma- 
modi, Dandya, Panpu. NagocUy, Vappagintha, Vadibium and others, 
all of which have already been fully described in the articles on other 
castes The ceremony is closed with a feasi, at which a « great deal 
of drinking and merry-makinE prevails. 

In the Karnatic. the marriage ceremony comprises : — 

(1) Pod. — The goddess Ellamma is invoked and a piece of 
leather is tied, in her honour, about the neck of an old 
woman. 

(2) Nischiiartha. — The confirmation of the betrothal, at which 

the girl is presented with Rs. 2 by the bridegroom's party. 
(3^ HogHoppa. — ^The fixing of an aulspicious day for the 
celebration of the wedding. 

(4) Uditomba. — The girl is presented with cocoanuts and rice 

and escorted in procession to the house of the bridegroom. 

(5) Patiarshina. — The bridal pair are smeared with turmeric 

paste and oil, and \ank.anams (thread bracelets) are 
fastened on their wrists. 

(6) Maniaoana. — The bridal pair, with their mothers, are 

nibbed with oil and bathed, being seated within a 
square formed by placing four earthen vessels filled with 
water at the four corners and by passing a cotton thread 
seven times round their necks. The thread is removed, 
and with it, as well as with a pearl, the water from the 
pots is sprinkled on their heads. This ceremony is 
known as Mani-neera or pearl-water. The maternal uncle 
of the bridegroom then plants a twig of the banyan 
{Ficus bengalensis) under the booth and worships it. 

(7) Gone. — The "bride and the bridegroom stand facing each 

other in bamboo baskets containing Indian millet (jawart) 
and a figure of ' Nandi ' (Shiva's bull) is traced on the 
ground between there. Some milk is poured on the 
heads of the couple and the mangahutra (lucky thread) 
is tied about the girl's neck by the Jangam or Dasri, who 
officiates as priest. The bride and bridegroom then 
sprinkle rice over each other's head and this forms the 
binding portion of the ceremony. 

(8) Bhiuma.— Wheat cakes and sweets are offered to the patron 
deity and four persons of the bridegroom's party and five 
of the bride's are required to eat the offerings. Any- 
thing remaining is buried underground. 

(9) Mirongi. — The bridegroom, on horseback, and the bride, 
on foot, go in procession to Hanuman's temple and, 
after worshipping the god, return home. 

(10) A square is formed by placing an earthen pot at each 
corner and a cotton thread is passed round. Within this, 
the wedded couple are seated and bathed, their kanka- 
nams are untied and then transferred to the banyan twig 
previously planted under the booth, 

(11) Chagol. — The feast given to the caste people and rela- 
tives of the bride, after which the bride leaves her 
husband's house, where the wedding ceremony was per- 
formed, and goes to her father's house. This rite com- 
pletes the marriage ceremonies. 
Tera, or bride-price, varying from Rs. 7 to Rs. 100, is paid 
to the girl's parents. 

The Dakkalwad marriage presents some interesting features. 
The bridle and bridegroom, dressed in wedding clothes an4 with their 
garments knotted, walk three times round a wooden pestle placed 
beneath the marriage canopy. They are then seated beside the 
pestle and grains of rice are thrown on their heads by the assembled 
relatives and guests. Upon this, the couple undergo ablution and 
the bridegroom ties the pusti (mangalsutra) about the bride's neck, the 
women of the household singing songs all the while. The father of 
the girl receives Rs. 10 as the price of his daughter. 

==Widow-'Marriage==

Widows are allowed to marry again, but 
they are not expected to marry their deceased husband's youflger 
brother. On a dark night, the bridegroom's party go to the widow's 
house, present her with a white sari, choli and bangles and escort 
her to the bridegroom's house. There the couple are bathed, and 
the bridegroom ties a pusti of gold round the widow's neck. Next 
morning the pair conceal themselves in a forest grove, and at night 
return to their house. After her marriage, a widow cannot claim the 
custody of her children by her late husband. 

==Divorce==

Divorce is permitted, generally, on the ground of the 
wife's adultery, and is effected by driving her out of the house before 
the caste Panchayat. Divorced women are allowed to marry again by 
the same rites as widows. The morality of the Madiga women is, 
however, very lax ; adultery among them is not looked upon with 
abhorrence and is usually punished only with a nominal fine. 

==Inheritance==

Among the Madigas, the devolution of property 
is governed by the Hindu law of inheritance. A Jogini, or dedi- 
cated girl, shares her father's property equally with her brothers, with 
succession to her children. Wills are unknown. A childless man 
usually adopts his brother's son, failing whom, any boy of his own 
section, but in any case the adopted boy must be younger than the 
adopter. 

==Religion==
The Madigas are still animistic in their belief, and 
pay more reverence to the deities of diseases and ghosts and spirits 
of deceased persons, than to the great gods of the Hindu pantheon. 
Their tribal deity is Matangi, who is believed to be the female 
progenitor of the caste. Regarding her, it is said that she gave 
protection to Renuka, when the latter was pursued by her son 
Parshuram fit his father's command. Parshuram, in wrath, cut off 
Matangi's nose, which was immediately restored to her by Renuka. 
Since then, Renuka, in the form of Ellamma, has been revered as 
their patron deity by the caste. Next in honour to Matangi are, Mari 
Amma, Murgamma or Durgamma, the goddess presiding over chil- 
dren, whose worship has been fully described in the report on the 
Manga caste, Pochamma, the deity of small-pox, Maisamma, Ellamma, 
Gauramma, and Mahakalamma. To Mari Amma are offered goats 
and bull-buffaloes in the month of Ashadha. Pochamma is worshipped 
on Mondays, Ellamma on Tuesdays, and Maisamma on Sundays, 
with offerings of goats, buffaloes, fowls and liquors, which are subse- 
quently partaken of by the votaries themselves. Bindlas officiate as 
priests, and perform all religious and ceremonial observances. 

Besides these greater animistic deities, the Madigas propitiate a 
number of ghostly powers, with a variety of sacrifices, Erakala women 
being engaged to identify and lay the troubling ghost. Honour 
is also done by .the members of the caste to the standard Hindu 
gods, amtjng whom may be especially mentioned Hanuman and 
Mahadeva. Muhammadan saints and pirs are also appeased by the 
members of the caste. 

Like other Telaga castes, the Madigas are divided between 
Tirmanidharis and Vibhutidharis. The Tirmanidharis are under the 
guidance of Mala Dasris, while the Vibhutidharis, or Shaivaits, 
acknowledge Mala Jangams as their spiritual gurus. 

==Disposal of the Dead==

The dead are usually buried, except 
in the case of women in pregnancy and lepers, who Me burnt. 
Married agnates are mourned for ten days, and unmarried for three 
days. No Sradha is performed, but birds are fed with cooked flesh 
on the 3rd day after death. During the period of mourning, the 
chief mourner may not eat flesh, molasses, oil or turmeric nor may 
he sleep on a bed. On the 10th day after death, a feast is given 
to the caste people and purification is obtained. It is said that the 
Namdharis burn their dead in a lying posture, with the head pointing 
to the south, collect the ashes and bones on the 3rd day after death, 
and either throw them into a sacred stream or bury them underground. 
Bindalwads are employed to perform the funeral rites. 

==Social Status==

The social rank of the Madigas is the lowest 
in the Hindu social system. They eat the leavings of any caste 
except the Erakalas, Domars, Pichakuntalas, Buruds, Jingars and 
Panchadayis, while no caste except the Dakalwads, their own sub- 
division, will eat food cooked by them. They live on the outskirts 
of villages, in thatched one-storied housef, with only one entrance 
door. Their habits are very dirty, and their quarters extremely 
filthy. The village barber will not shave their heads nor will the 
village washerman wash their clothes and they have to employ 
barbers and washermen from among their own community. Their 
touch is regarded as unclean by all respectable classes, and a 
Brahman touched by a Madiga is required to obtain purification by 
bathing himself, washing his clothes and changing his sacred thread 
for a new one. The diet of a iVladiga is in keeping with his 
degraded position and he eats beef, horse flesh, pork, fowls, mutton, 
and the flesh of animals which have died a natural death. The bear, 
as a representative of their ancestor Jambavant, ij held in special 
respect, and no Madiga will injure or kill the animal. 

==Occupation==

The original occupation of the caste is believed 
to be the skinning of dead animals, leather dressing and the making 
of leather ropes, leather buckets for hauling water from wells and 
other leather articles used in husbandry. Like the Malas they are field 
servants, and supply the farmers with the above articles, for which 
they get, as their perquisite, a fixed quantity of grain for each plough. 
They make shoes of various kinds, but especially chapals (sandals) 
of which they produce the best varieties. They are engaged as 
scavengers, village watchmen, guides, executioners and begaris, or 
forced coolies. They also serve as musicians at the maniage and 
other ceremonies of high caste' Hindus. Their right to carcasses is 
often disputed by the Malas and tedious litigations result. At some 
places they hold Inam lands, in lieu of services rendered by them to 
the village community as messengers and carriers. They also work 
as village criers, announcing by beat of drum {da^ada) any public 
orders. Some of them get enrolled in the Indian army, where they 
pass under the name of Bedars or Gosangi Bantus. Many serve as 
menials in the houses of Muhammadan landlords. A few only have 
taken to agriculture.