Kolu

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This article is an extract from

THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. By H.H. RISLEY, INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE, OFFICIER D'ACADÉMIE FRANÇAISE. Ethnographic Glossary. CALCUTTA: Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. .

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Kolu

This is a very prosperous trade in Eastern Bengal, and in parts of the country the Kolus form large village communities.

The Kolu is the Muhammadan, Teli the Hindu, oilman. Of late years, however, Kolus who have become affluent, and able to keep servants to work for them, have assumed the name of Teli, and are gradually withdrawing from their brethren who labour with their own hands. The Kolu belongs to a very low class, being unable to marry out of his own set. He is narrow-minded, a bigoted Farazi, and a despiser of all classes who follow the practices of their forefathers. In the city of Dacca their headman is called Paramanik, and the only honorary titles among them are Chaudhari and Bepari.

In Mymensingh there is a class of Kolus known as "Buk-Kolus," who, instead of employing cattle, turn the mill themselves, and are popularly believed to harness their shrewish wives to the mill, whenever they turn restive.

The Kolu manufactures oil from all kinds of seed, but will only express it in the "Kolhu," or oil mill. He feeds his cattle with the refuse, but the refuse of mustard seed (Khali) is sold to the Barai for manure, while that of Til (Sesamum) is valuable for sugar-cane fields.

The Kolu also prepares cocoa-nut oil with the kernels purchased from the Chutki.