Gipe 069932
Gipe 069932
Gipe 069932
MYSORE
A GAZETTEER COMPILED
FOR GOVERNMENT
REVISED EDITION'
BY
VOL· I
l\1YSORE IN GENERAL
Q»tGtmhtGtef
ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY
2 WHITEHALL GARDENS S· W
MDCCCXCVII
u 224~
D 7· .t. .
s ~~o!l, .
• o·
.JIRdl.'."ED BY
WGGDFALL AND KINDER, LONG ACRE
LONDON
PREFACE
'WHEN the former edition of this work was published, I little
expected to be called on, twenty years later, to revise it. And Mysore
in the interval has undergone such great and radical changes, and so
much has been added to OUT knowledge of its past by recent discoveries,
that what appeared in the prospect a compara.tively easy task has proved
to be in reality one of considerable difficulty, and involving for its com-
pretion a longer period than was anticipated, especially as r have been
at the same time engaged on other duties of an exacting nature.
While the general arrangement of the work in the original edition
has been adhered to, nearly every part has been either entirely
re-written or greatly altered and extended. But the present edition is
confined to the State of Mysore, and does not, as before, include Coorg.
In the first volume, the section on Geology was in the press before the
appointment of Mr. Bruce Foote to Mysore was known to me or he
had arrived here, otherwise I would gladly have handed over that special
subject to him for revision. His views are, however, quoted ill the
Addenda at the end of the second volume. Most parts of the sections
on Flora, Fauna and Ethnography have been entirely re-writ~en in
accordance with the latest information. So also, in an especial manner,
the chapters on History and Literature: the former having been greatly
added to in both the most ancient and the most modern periods; while
the latter is almost entirely new. The chapter on Administration has
been revised throughout and brought up to date with as much fulness
as could be done in the space at disposal. The Appendix on Coins is
mostly new. In the second volume, there has been a close and general
revision of local details, the topical changes of recent years having been
both frequent and extensive. In the Glossary at the end have been
included new terms of the R~venue Survey.
Of the country which forms the general subject of the work,it
cannot. be denied that public interest in it has much increased since
the former edition of this work appeared, its enlightened progress and
its prominent position as a chief Native State in India having excited
general attention. But, apart from this, there are not wanting in the
"
PREFACE
country intrinsic elements of attraction which have given it impor\lnce
in the past On first joining the service here I was considerably dis-
appointed to bit told, on inquiring from persons supposed to be
acquainted with the subject, that Mysore had no history, Was quite a
modern State, and virtually unknown before the wars with Haidar and
Tipu brought it into prominence. As regards its language and literature,
also, I was led to suppose that' the language was merely a rude dialect
of Tamil. and that literature it had hone. Of the accuracy of these
views I had doubts at the time, ahdnow completely opposed they were
to actual facts the present work will, it is hoped, sen'e to make clear.
For the researches in which I have been tor long engaged have brought
to light a body of evidence which carries back the history, with scarcely
a break in the sequence, as far as to the 3rd century B.C., while the
language is found to have been highly cultivated at probably an earlier
date than any other South Indian vernacular, and to be replete with a
literature of great volume and interest.
If there be any truth in the observation that small countries with
divt:rsified and distinctive physical characteristics have played the
greatest part in the world's history, and given rise to jts most distin-
guished men,-Greece, Palestine, England and others being quoted as
instances,-Mysore, it seems to me, may fairly claim a place in the
category. Not only does sh~ abound in the picturesque features of
lofty mountains and primeval forests, of noble rivers and mighty
cataracts, but-to mention only a few of the products specially pertain-
ing to her-she yields by far the most gold of any country in India, and
her treasure in the past, carried off to the north by: Musalman invaders,
may have found its way to Central Asia among the spoils of Tartar
hordes; she is the peculiar home of the sandal ~nd also of teak, a
~pecial haunt of the elephant, rears a famous and superior breed of
horned cattle, supplies as the staple food of her people the nutrient grain
of ragi, was the cradle in India and is still the chief garden for coffee
culth-ation. Thus in every department of the natural world .she may
claim some pre-eminence. In the fine arts she has produced marvel-
lous examples of architecture and sculpture. In relation to humanity,
again, she has been to the two greatest Hindu reformers a home for
the monastery of one, and an asylum to the other. Nearly every form
of faith, from Buddhism and ]ainism to Islam, has here had its day,
and she· is:- now known as having largely adopted and still strongly
holding' a special cult of native origin not conforming to Brahmanism.
The Malnad region of Mysore has been the birthplace of royal races
dominant in the south-the Kadambas, the Hoysalas, and perhaps also
the Vijayanagar sovereigns. In modem times, tr.e great general of the
PREFACE V~J
out the precaution of having it aired, he rushed eagerly in to eyamine its treasures,
was seized in consequence with a mortal fever, and died on the 28th August, after
three days' illness, in the 36th year of his age.
Southey wished" that Java had 1emained in the hands of the enemy, so Leyden
were alive," while Sir Walter Scott paid the following tribute to his memory in the
Lord of Ine Isles : -
His bright and brief career is o;er,
And mute his tuneful strains l,
Quenched is his lamp oC varied lore,
That loved the light of song to pour;
A distant and a deadiy shore
Has Leyden's cold remains.
The centenary of Leyden's birth was celebrated with public rejoicings in 1875 at
his native village of Denholm, on the banks of the Teviot, in Scotland.
("ii PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION
Other sources of information exist, 1 for a good deal has been wfitten
in connection with Mysore during a century back,. much of it partisan;
but the above were 'some of the chief public and authentic materials
accessible for a work which had become a desideratum, namely, a
'Gazetteer of Mysore brought up to date, presenting in a handy form
and within a moderate compass all that was of i!1terest in relation to the
natural features, resources and productions of the country;. its history,
population, industry, administration) and any other subjects that had a
claim to be treated of in such a handbook.
2
The first step taken towards. supplying the y,rant was in June 1867,
when a circuiar was addr€!Ssed by Mr. Saunders, C.B., the officiating
Chief Commissioner, to the Superintendents of Divisions, directing the
compilation, for each District, of a Gazetteer similar to one then lately
published of the Bhandara District in the Central Provinces. In
pursuance of these orders, during the next two years, nine manuscript
volumes were prepared. Only two, however, came to be printed j namely,
one for Mysore District, by Mr~ H. Wellesley; and one for Kolar, I
presume by Mr. Krishnaiengar, C.S.I. 'Of the remainder, those for
Bangalore and Kadur were not completed j the one for Shimoga bears
the signature of Captain Gordon Cumming; that .for Hassan of Major
W. Hill; that for Tumkur of Major C. Pearse; and that for ChitaJdroog
of Mr. Krishna Rao. The subsequent Reports on (he Census of
November 187I, by Major Lindsay, naturally superseded most of the
statistical information contained in them.
The design to appoint an editor who should bring out one work on a
uniform plan was next adopted, and eventually, in 1873, with the
sanction of the Government of India, it was proposed to me to under-
take the compilation of the Gazetker if Mysore af!d Coorg. A
personal acquaintance more or less with every part of the two countries,
gaineq in the course of official duty j a familiarity with the local verna-
culars j and some measure of information regarding the literature and
ancient history of this part of India, derived from antiquarian studies;
led me to anticipate the work with interest. But being, at almost the
same time, raised to the head of the Educational Department, I found
th.at the labours of a new office which is no sinecure, left little leisure for
the extra dqty imposed upon me. I was therefore forced to be content
for some tirpe with making tours to such parts of the country as I had
not recently visited, a.nd collecting information from various quarters.
I I would particularly mention Eastern Experiences, by Mr. L. Bowring, C.S.I.,
late Chief Commissioher. published in London in 1871.
2 A paragraph relating to Coorg is here omitted.
PREFACE TO
, .
:FIRST EDITION xi:i
IDwever, when in 1874 Dr. }Iunte~ .rlir~tor-General of Statistics,'
who is charged with the editorship of the •Imperial Gazetteer for the
whole of India, visited.Barigalore, I was able to ·lay before him tl\e:
plans I had f<?rmed for the work, aand at his' request .unde~took t'o
prepare for Mysore a manual of eaGh District. separately, ;hich I had'
not at first intended, as it seemed to involve a certain degree of repetition.
I am now glad that I did so, a; it ~blig~ in.e"lo go more minutel}tinto
several subjects. Dr. Hunter aga~n paid a'mili,to Bingalott;n Jalluar;
1876, when a part of the work·had been arint~-and in his· ;eport to
Government was pleased to ~ress the• strongest.apprbval
~ r· • . of wha:t bad-
been done, and Iris cc sense,\>f tnt a;gh value Gf lae ~aterfals .that had .
been" supplied. n .-
The. GUetteq has thus finally take.p,. aile . .
;.-. sRape .of -two 10ldfnes
de\'oted to Mysore (and a third to eCQprg). Of the former, ,he first
treats of Mysore.in general, tlf sC<;pnd of !ly~ore by·~tricts, ,eight in
numbe£. A reference to the table of conte!lts.~refixe~.itQo each.vQlume
will enable theJeader to ~e rJ':glance the arrangemoot"lllld distribution
of subjects. Volu~e i~, it~ould be stated,-wlli printed ~t.. ~:, •
In gene~e present wou has been brought.down t~ 1875,. but iIl the
portions-printed after tba~ .aiew stitistics ~t:ter date lu.vc!b~en
admitted I had thought tf) af>~ei?4 a sh~~~~hical notice of sO!ne
of the "re~.iible men,. botn ~~~ l~ E~roIFln, who ~~ bGen
connected 'YlW'Mysore, but~lt~~uld extend.the worj t~o pIch,
and perh1ps 'be conside~~ foreiga tQ its design. The subject, ho~e3el'J'
is one full of inter~ •
I will not deny:that ttte Gazet\eer has caused far more laboUle than I
bad anticipated, prfncipally owing to· the demands. of an extensive
Department, which prevented my ever giving undivi~d attention to
.
the compiling of it But these are conditifi)n~·under which much of
"
PACK
FLORA 68- 1 73
Forest Trees :-Evergreen Belt, 68; Mixed Belt, 69; Dry Belt,
74; Sandal, 77 ; Timber Trees, 78; Fruit Trees, 81 ; Native
Vegetables, 83; Horticulture:-Plants in the Lal Bagh or
Botanical Gardens, 85 ; Grasses, 100.
Crops and Cultivation :-Farmer's calendar, 101; Names of
Crops, 10Z; Areas under Cultivation, 104; Ragi, 107;
Avare, lIZ; Togan, IlZ; Jola, lIZ; save. II4; Navane,
n6; Baragu. Il7; Haraka, II7; Alsandi, 118; Hurali,
II9; Uddu, 120; Hesaru, 121; Wollellu, 122; Huchchellu,
1Z3; Haralll, 123. Sanabu, 125; Cotton, 125; Tobacco.
126; sasive, 128; Kadale, 128; Wheat, 129; Rice, 131;
Sugar-cane, 144; Cardamoms. 151 ; Areca-nut, ISZ: Cocoa-
nut. 158; Betel ...ine, 160; Coffee, 16z; Introduced PlaltlS of
econo",ic va.(ue:-Casuarina, 169; Cinchona, 169; Vanilla,
171; Cocoa, 17z; Rhea, 112; Other Exotics, 172.
FAUNA
Fera Batura ;-Mammals, 174; Destruction of wild beasts,
177 ; Game Law, 177; Elephant keddahs, 179; Birds, 181;
Reptiles, 187; Firnes, 189; Insects, 190; insects useful to
man, 194.
Domestic Animals :-Horses, 198; Mules, 19B; Asses, 199;
Homed Cattle, Amrit Mahal. 199; Buffaloes, z04; Sheep.
205; Goats, 207.
xl:i CONTENTS
ETHNOGRAPHY.
Aboriginal and Pl'lmitive Tribes, 208; Population, 217 ; Hindus,
220; Caste, 221; Occupations, 224; Agricultural classes,
227; Professional classes, 233; Commercial classes, 245;
Artisans and village menials, 247; Vagrant min.or artisans
and performers, 255. Musa/mans, 257; Clll';stians, 259;
Ur:ban Population, 261; Character and dress 'of the people,
262.
Alphabeticai list of castes • 266
HISTORY.
Legendary Period :-Agastya" :li2; Asuras and Raksha.o;as,
-273 I Haihayas, 274; Parasu Rama, 275; Rama, 276;
Kishkindha, 277; Pandavas, 279; ChandraMsa, 283; Jana-
mejaya, 285.
Historical Period :-Mauryas, 287;' S'atavahanas, 292; Ka·
dambas, 295; MaMvalis, 300; Vaidumbas, 303; l'allavas,
303; Nolambas, 307 ; Gangas, 308; CMlukyas, 319; Rash·
trakutas, 324; ChBlukyas, 327; Kalachuris, 331; Cholas,
333; Hoysalas, 335; Yadavas, 342 ; Vijayanagar, 344;
Palegars, 356; Bijapur, 357; Mughals, 361 ; Mysore Rajas,
361; Haidar Ali, 372; Tipu Sultan, 398; Restoration of
the Hindu Rajl 417; Purnaiya Regent, 419; Krishna Raja
Wodeyar, 421 ; Rebellion in Nagar, 427; .Deposition of the
Raja, 429; the Mysore Commission, 429; the Great Famine,
439; the Rendition, 441; the Representative Assembly, 442;
Review of.Policy of the Mysore Government, 445; Instrument
of Transfer, 450.
RELIGION,
"
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE •
ADMINISTRATION
Under the early Hindu Rulers, 572; the Village Twelve, 574;
Revenue System, 576. .
Under the Yljayuagal' SOYel'elgna, 578: Civil and 'Military
departments, 579; Village officers, 579; Land rent, 582;
Customs and taxes, 583; Establishments, 586 ; Justice, 587 ..
Heads of Departments, 587; Police, 588. Carnalic Bijapur.
588; Sira, 589.
Under the Rajas \r JrlY8ore, &:0., 590; Departments formed
by Chikka Deva Raja, 590; his revenue regulations, 591;
new taxes, 592. Bednur, 593 ; Sivappa Nayak's shist and
prahar patti, 594- Haidar Ali, 595. Tipu Sultatl, 595;
new system, 595; military regulations, 596; fleet, 596;
commercial regulations, 597; regulations of revenue, 599;
police, 599. '
Under Pumaiya, 1799-1810.-Settlement of Palegars and the
Army, 600 J land assessment, 6o:Z; civil departments, 604;
justice, 605 ; revenue, 607; -Court of Adalat, 610.
Under Krishna Raja Wodeyal', 1811-1831.......Land Reventu,
611; revenue- procedure, 612; rusums, 615; rates of
kandayam, 616; land tenures, 617; village rent, 620 i-Sayar,
622; in Nagar, 624; in Ashtagram, 625 ; in Bangalore, 627';
Pane" Ba~, 627. Juslice:-Civil, 629; Criminal, 631;
punishments, 633; jails, 637 ; police, 637.
CONI'ENTS
•
Under ~he 1Iysore Commission.
PAGB
Non-Regulation System, 1831-1855, 639; Land Revenue,
640; revenue I officers and settlement, 643; Nagar, 647;
Manjarabad, 652; Sayar, 653; fell!issions in Nagar, 657 ; in
Ashtagram, 658; in Bangalore, 659; in Chitaldroog, 660.
Justice, 661; Courts, 662; procedure, 663; appeals, 664;
Panchayats, 666; fees and fines, 667 ; apas penchayats, 66rj;
Criminal Justice, 67 I.
_ d
P"CR
ApPENDIX 799-81 3
Coins. Weight. and VeUlU'eB :-Coins, 799; Lead coins, 799;
Gold coins, Sol; Siher coins, So5; Copper coins, 807;
Accounts, 808. 'V~~lihts. 809. .'lIcasltr':J :-Grain ~teasures.
8.Jo; Land Measures, 810; ~Ieasures of Time :-Eras, 811 ;
Years, 812.
AJ.knda el CtnTigmtia SI5
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
THE State of Mysore1 occupies a position physically well defined, in
the South of India; and has been termed a rocky triangle, a not inapt
description. It is a table-land, situated in the angle where the Eastern
and Western Ghat ranges converge into the group of the Nilgiri Hills.
West, south and east, therefore, it is enclosed by chains of mountains,
on whose shoulders the plateau which constitutes the country rests. On
the west the b<?undary approaches at one part to within 10 miles of the
sea, but in general preserves a distance of from 30 to 50 miles from the
coast: on the east the nearest point is not less than 120 miles. The
southern extremity is 250 miles from Cape Comorin. The northern
frontier is an exceedingly irregular line, ranging from 100 miles south
of the river Krishna on the west to IS0 on the east
0
The country extends between the parallels of 1,1 38' and IS° 2'
0
north latitude, and between the meridians of 74 42' and 78° 36' east
longitude, embracing an area of 29,305 square miles, as detemIined by
the Surveyor-General of India from the recent survey on the 'one-inch
scale. (It is therefore nearly equal to Scotland, whose area is 29,785
square miles.) The greatest length. north and south is about 230
miles, east and west about 290.
I The name is that of the capital, properly lIIaisur, for lIIakislllir,-from makiska.
Sans. for buffalo, reduced in Kan. r" maisa"and·drtl, Ran. for town or country,-
which commemorates the destruction of Mahishasura, a minotaur or buffalo-headed
monster, by CMmundi ~r Mahishi~ura-mardani, the form under which the consort
of Siva is worshipped as the tutelary goddess of the Mysore royal family.
Except in a passage in the Mahawanso, where it is called Mahisha-mandala, the
designation of the country ~oughout Hindu literature is Karnata or Karnataka (for
derivation see chapter on Language), which properly applied to the country above the
Ghats. But the Muhammadans included in the name their conquests below the Ghat~
as well, and the English, going a step further, erroneously restricted it to the low
country. Hence Carnatic and Canara now designate, in European works of
geography, regions which never bore those names; while Mysore, the proper
Karnataka or Carnatic, is not so called.
R
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
It is surrounded by the Madras Presidency on all sides, excef't on
part of the west, where the Bombay Presidency northwards and Coorg
southwards form the boundaries. The Madras Districts bordering on it
are Bellary and Anantapur on the north; Kadapa, North Arcot and
Salem on the east; Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Malabar on the south;
South Canara on the west. The Bombay Districts of Dharwar on the
north and North Canara on the west complete the circle. Coorg
intervenes between the adjacent parts ,of .South Canara and Malabar on
the ~outh-west.
The general elevation rises from about 2,000 feet above the sea level
along the northern and southern frontiers to about 3,000 feet along the
central water-parting, which separates the basin of the Krishna from
that of the Kaveri and divides the country into two nearly equal parts.
But the surface is far from preserving the even character suggested by
the designation of table-land. For the face of the country is every-
where undulating, much broken up by lines of rocky hills or lofty
mountains, and scored in all parts by ndlas or deep ravines. There is
probably not a square mile in the whole superficies absolutely Bat or
level, the slope of the ground ranging from 10 to 20 feet per mile in the
more level portions, and as high as 60 and 80 feet elsewhere.
The country is longitudinally intersected by single or aggregated
chains of hills, running chiefly north and south, or in a direction nearly
parallel to the two coasts. They lie at uncertain and unequal distances
from each other, and accordi~gly form sometimes wide and sometimes
narrow valleys. Isolated peaks of massy rock, termed by Europeans
droogs,l rearing their heads to 4,000 or 5,000 feet above the level of the
sea, stand forth like sentint!ls on every hand; mostly ctowned with the
remains of fortificatiop.s, whose position, with the advantage of an
unfailing supply of water at the summit, rendered them welln1gh
impregnable strongholds. Besides these, clusters or piles of naked
rocks, composed of immense rounded boulders, are frequent; large
fragments being often delicately poised, like logging stones, upon some
projecting point; appearing as if a touch would overturn them, and yet
sometimes supporting a shrine or mandapa.
Natural divisions.-Mysore naturally divides itself into two separate
regions, each of which has well-marked and distinctive features.
Of these the Malnad,' or hill country, lies to the west, and is confined
to the tracts 'bordering or resting O,n the Western Ghats. It is a: land of
magnificent hill and forest, presenting alternations of the most diversified
1 Ptoperly dzer-ga, a. Sanskrit word mea!ling dijJimlt of access, ,and denoting
hill-fort.
I }{an. ,1IIale, hill; nddu, district, region.
.J.YATURAL DIVISIOXS 3
and thamling scenery. A fertile soil and perennial streams clothe the
\-allevs with verdant culti\-ation. The sheltered hillsides are beautiful
with'waving woods, which give shade to numerous plantations of coffee.
Higher up are swelling downs and grassy slopes, dotted O\'er with park-
like groups of trees. AbO'lte all, the giganti~ mountains rear _their
towering crests in every fantastic form of peak. Human dwellings are
few and (ar between A cottage here and there, picturesquely situated
on the rising ground bordering the rice-fields, and hidden amid planta-
tions of areca palm and plantain, marks the homestead of a farmer and
his family, Towns there are none, and villages of e,en a dozen houses
rare. The incessant rain of the monsoon months confines the people
to their own farms. Hence each householder surrounds himself with all
he needs, and succeeds -in making himself to a great e..xtent independent
of the external world., The conditions of this isolated life are insupport-
able to imniigr.ints from the plains,
But by far the greater portion of the Province, or all to the east and
north of a line from (say) Shikarpur to Periyapatna, continued along
the southern border to the Biligirirangan hills, belongs to the division
of ~Iaidan, Bail shime, or open country. Although much of the in-
temlediate region partakes of the characteristics 01 both, the transition
from the :\Ialnad to the l\Iaidin is in some places very marked. Dense
forests, which shut in the view on every hand, give place to wide-
spreading"plains: the solituy farm to clu~fering villages and populous
towns. Man meets with man, the roads are covered with traffic, and the
mind feels relief in the sympathy. of numbers.
The means of water-supply and the prevailing cultivation give the
character to' the various parts of the open country. The le\'el plains of
allUyial black soil, as in the north, growing cotton or millet; the districts
irrigated by channels drawn from rivers, as in the south and west, dis-
playing the bright hues of sugar-cane and rice-fields; the lands under
tanks, filled with gardens of cocoa and areca palms; the higher-lying
undulating tracts of red soil, as in the east, yielding ragi and the
common associated crops; the stony and wide-spreading pasture
grounds, as in the central parts, covered with coarse grass and relieved
by shady groves of trees. The aspect changes with the seasons, and
wbat in the dry and cold months, when the fields are lying fallow,
appears a dreary and monotonous prospect, ,speedily assumes under the
first operations of the plough the grateful hues of tillage; which, under
the influence of seasonable rains, gh-e place in succession to the bright
"erdure of the tender blade, the unil'ersal green of the growing crops,
and the browner tints of the ripening grain. The scene meanwhile is
full of life, ~-ith husbandmen, their families and cattle engaged in the
B 2
4 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
labours of the field. These are prolonged in stacking and thr~hing
until the cold season again sets in and the country once more assumes a
parched and dusty aiipect.
,River .rysfems.,-The drainage of the country, with a slight exception,
finds its way to the Bay of Bengal, and is divisible into three great river
systems; that of the Krishna on the north, th~ K:h eri on the south, the
two Pennars, and the Palar on the east. The only streams flowing to
the Arabian Sea are those of certain taluqs in the north-west, which.
uniting in the Sharavati, hurl themselves' down the Ghats in the mag-
nificent falls of Gersoppa; and some minor ~treams of Nagar and Man
jarabad, which flow into the Gargita and the Netravati,lr
A line drawn east from BalIalrayan-durga to Nandidurga (Nundy-
droog) and thence south to Anekal, with one from Devaraydurga north
to Pavugada, will indicate approximately the watershed separating the
three main river~basins. From the north of this ridgli flow the Tunga
and the Bhadra, rising in the Western Ghats and uniting in the Tunga-
bhadra, which, with its tributary the Hagari or Vedavati, joins the
Krishna beyond the limits of Mysore in Srisaila near Karnu!. From
the south o~ the line; the Hemavati (with its affluent the Yagachi), the
Lokapavani, Shimsha, and Arkavati flow into the Kaveri, which, rising
in Coorg and taking a south-easterly course through the country, re-
ceives also on the right bank the Lakshmantirtha, the Gundal, the
Kabbani and the Honnu Hole before quitting the territory. From the
east of the line, m the immediate neighbourpood of Nandidurga, spring
three main streams, forming a system which Lassen h~s designated" die
Tripotamie des Dekhans," namely, the Uttara Pimikini or Northern
Pennar (with- its tributaries the Chitravati and Papaghni), which dis-
charges int,o the sea at Nellore; the Dakshina. Pinakini or Southern
Pennar,2 'Which ends its course at Cuddalore; and between them the
Pai<ir, whose mouth is at Sadras. A continuation of the east and west
line through Nandidurga to Sunl)akal will mark the water-parting be-
tween the first and the other two j which, again, are divided by a line
passing from Jangamkote to Bowringpet and the Betarayan hills,
More accurately described, the axial line or "great divide" which
forms as it were the backbone of the country, staqs from the north of
Ball:ilrayandurga and runs east-by-north to near Aldur. Thence it
makes a bend, first, 'northwards up to the western e,xtremity of the Baba
1 The cour;e' of each river is described in detail in Vol. II.
, Its name' below the Ghats appears to be Pom'-d,. or Plmn-ar, golden river, J,.
being the Tamil for river, It would be very convenient were geographers to agree
upon restricting the name Penna to the northern stream and that of Panna to the
southern. The former is ~lso called Penner (written Pennair), 1m being the Telugu
for river.
RIVER S YSTElJfS
Buda';] range and then south-east, passing between Belur and Halebid,
down to Sige Gudda in the north of the Hassan taJuk. From this
point it strikes across the map in an east-north-east direction, rounding
the southern extremities of the Harnhalli and Hagalvadi hills, up to
near Kortagiri, where it encounters the great meridional chain of
mountains. Following the range south, past Devaraydurga to near
Dodbele, it resumes an east-north-easterly course to Nandidurga and
continues the same to the frontier near Sunnakal. Geographically it
lies between the parallels of 13° 10' and 13° 25'.
A line projected north from the west of Kortagiri up through Pavu-
gada to the frontier, and one so'uth from Nandidurga by Bangalore to
Anekal, mark pretty nearly the limits of the respective river-basins in
the transverse direction. This water-parting falls between the meridians
of 7f 10' and 77" 30'.
The basin of the Sharavati, which runs to Honavar on the Canara
coast, occupies the west of the Shimoga District. It may be defined
by a line drawn from Kodachadri south-east to Kavaledurga, thence
north-east by HUlncha to Masarur, and west-north-west by Anantapur
and Ikkeri to Talguppa. The streams between Kodachadri, Kavale-
durga and the Agumbi ghat westwards, run down to Kondapur; and
those of western Manjarabad, to Mangalore.
The following statement contains an estimate of the total length,
within the Province, of the main rivers with their principal tributaries;
and the total area of the catchment basin under each river-system
within the same limits : -
River System I
____ /_T_o_ta_I_L_eu_g_th_o_i_R_iv_e_rs_ _ _T_o_ta_l_A_re_a_o_f_Bas_iu_s_
I R. D. Oldham, "Manual of !he Geology of India," 2nd edition (1893), pp. 2,4-
10 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
WESTERN SYSTEM
Chandragutti. 2.794
Hanuman betta, 2.507
Sl1brahmanya
or Pushpa glri, 5,626
~--------------------------------------------
----------------7L5·~-------------------------------------76-·--
I
~lfOUNTAIN SYSTE.JIS I I
Santigudda, 2.595
JatlDga Ramesvara hill. 3.469
Xunke BhaJrava hill, 3.022
hill. 2.721
betta. 3.286
Xidugal.3.772
Pavugada, 3.026
,2.274
l\lidagesi durga, 3.376 Dokkal konda. 3.807
Madgui. durga, 3.935 Gudibanda. 3.361
Chanoarayan durga, 3.744 Mudimadagu.
Kortagui.. 2.1}06 Harlharesvar betta, 4.122 4,52 8
Sunnakal, 4.229
i hills, 3.SH Kalavar durga. 4.749
Devaray dUrga. 3.9-\0 Chanrayan betta. 4,762 Ambaji durga. 4.399
Nandi durga. 4,85I Rahman Ghar. 4.227
Xijagal. 3.569 Brahmagiri. 4.657
Dibgui
Kurudu male.
Sivaganga. 4,559 Halsux betta. 3.341 Kolar hills. 4.026 3.3 12
Batran durga. 3,499
19iri. 3.221 Hutri durga. 3.713 -13"
SaYan durga, 4.024 Tyakal hills. 3.704 Betr:iyan konda, !
Hulyur durga, 3.086 3.006 '
Banm!rghatla, 30271 Yerra konda
Ramgiri.3.066 3.359
SlvaOgtri. 2.93 1
).[udvadt d.urga. 3.131
Banat marl betta. 3.422
Kabbal durga, 3.507
durga, 3.589
,3.579
Koppa betla, 2.821
!I., 3. 1 90
~ocks, 2.882 ------~-----------------------
1, 2.6cp
77'
GEOLOGYl
The great ranges of the Western and Eastern Ghats, together with the
intervening table-lands, may be regarded as part of one magnificent
elevation of Plutonic rocks by a succession" of efforts, during a period
which may be termed Plutonic, breaking up the hypogene schists
and in some instances uplifting aqueous beds of a more recent origin.
The true general direction of this"elevation is nearly N. 5° W, though
the apparent directions of the lateral chains on its flanks are to the east
and west of north respectively.
The'surface of the table-lands petwecn these chains has a general.in-.
dination easterly by south towards the Bay of Bengal, into which the
principal river~ empty themselves. This gentle indination, often assisted
by cross Jines of elevation, determines the great drainage lines of the
country. The singular appearance of the detached hills and dusters of
hills,. which above the Ghats are seen abruptly starting up from the flat
plains with little or no talt~ h.ave been sometimes compared to a table
with teacups here and there reversed on i,ts surface, a not inapt though
homely illustration.
The bare extensive surfaces of the granitic, trappean and hypogene
rocks in Southern India afford on a grand scale exposes, not to be sur-
passed in any other portion of the globe, of the protean -aspects under
which these rocks present themselves. The very absence of those fossi-
liferous beds which so thickly encrust the surface of a great portion of
Europe and many other parts of the world, is in itself a subject of in-
teresting research; and the geologist may in the peninSUla of India
advantageously study a huge and disjointed mass of the .nether-formed
.1 Chiefly from articles by Captain Newbold, F.R.S., on the ,. Geology of Southern
India."-(J. R. A. S. viii, ix, xii.)
[NoTE.-When compiling the first edition, I applied to the Geological Survey 'of
India for information on the geology of Mysore, and was informed in reply that, as
the country had not been surveyed, nothing was known of its geology. Being thus
thrown on my own resources, I discovered the articles (rom which this chapter was
taken. Their value ha~ since bee,n recognized by the Geological Survey, for Mr.
,W. T. Blanford, in the Introduction to the first edition of the "Manual of the
Geology of India" (p. lxxii), writes as follows :-
Newbold, I844-I8So.-This .account refers to the southern part of the Peninsula
alone l but·it is the work of one of the best, if not actually the best, of the earlier
Indian geqlOgists; and it has the peculiar advantage over a.ll other summaries
published up to the present time, that the author possessed an exten~ive personal
acquaintance with the country described. • . • • Most of the observations recorded
in the summary are admirable; and altogether the paper is so valuable, that the
neglect with which it has been generally treated is not easy to lmderstand.]
JIETA.VORPHIC· ROCKS
rocks $,'hich constitute the framework of our planet, and which
here present themselves almost dh-ested of integu~ent, weathering
und~r the altern.1.tions of a vertical sun and the deluging rains of the
tropics.
Metamorphic Rocks.-Hypogene schists, penetrated and broken
up by prodigious outbursts of plutonic and trappean rocks, occupy by
f:rr the greater portion of the superficies of Southern India.. They con-
stitute the general bulk of the Western Ghats from between the latitude
of 16' and 17° No to C1.pe Comorin; and from the northern base
of the Eastern Ghats to their deflection at latitude 13° 20' N. They
are partially ca.pped and fringed in the Western Ghats by la~erite)
and in the Eastern Ghats by sandstone, limestone and laterite. They
form the basis of the ,-alley of Seringapatam and of the table-land of
l\[ysore.
The inequalities and undulations of the surface, though originating
in the dislocations and flexures of the metamorphic strata at the periods
of their' upheacl, have been evidently modified by aqueous erosion
and by the faster weathering of the softer members of the ~eries,
such as mica. and talcose schists,-the softer clay slates and shales;
which, crumbling and washed away, haye left their harder brethren
standing out in relief on the face of the country. 'Vhere we see
gneiss, hornblende schist and quartzite rising in parallel ridges sepa-
rated by valleys, we generally find the \-alleys occupied by the softer
members of the series, often deeply covered with debris from the
ridges.
Where gneiss rises above the general level of the surrounding plain,
its elel'ations may be distinguished from those of granite, which the hills
of thick-bedded varieties of gneiss sometimes assimilate, by their greater
continuity and uniformity of altitude; their tendency to a smooth dome-
sh..lded outline; and greater freedom from precipices. and disrupted
masses. Near lin~ of plutonic disturbance, however, these distinguish-
ing marks are less perceptible. ..
Elevations of mica. and talease schists obtain, generally, a less alti-
tude than those of hornblende or gneiss; and have a more round-
backed and smoother contour on the whole. Yet the outline in detail
is jagged, owing partly to th~ rocks weathering in larger, more angular
or less concentric fragments, often leaying aorupt steps and small preci-
pices. Hornblende and gneiss are seen rising, as in the Western Ghats
and the Nilgiris, to the height of 8,000 feet above the sea's level The
former is recognized by its bold sharp ridges, often precipitous, but
rarely presenting con!cal peaks.
Hills composed entirely of actinolite or chlorite schist are seldom
.14 GEOLOGY
met with; those of quartzite have long crest-like outlines, often ~unni~g
smoothly for some distance, but almost invariably breaking up into large,
angular masses, s01l;l(jtimes cuboidal: the sides of the crests are usually
precipitous. Hills of clay slate are distinguished by a smooth, .wavy
outline, separated by gently sloping valleys. Outliers or detached hills
of this rock are usually mammiform. But, as before remarked, all theile
normal crystalline rocks, when near lines 'or foci of plutonic disturbance,
frequently undergo great changes in physiognomical aspect; and in lieu
of the smoothly rounded hills of clay'Slate, and its gently sloping vales,
smiling with fertility, we behold it Cleaved into sterile, rugged ravines
and rocky precipices. ,
Gneiss is usually found fowest in the series: next to it mica and
hornblende schist, actinolite, chlorite, talcose and argillaceous schist,
and crystalline limestone, in due succession: but to this rule there are
pumerous exceptions. All these rocks, except crystalline limestone,
have been observed resting on granite without the usually intervening
gneiss. The strata are often violently contorted or bent in waving
flexures, particularly i~ the vicinity of plutonic rocks; and much irreg-
ularity occurs in the amount and direction of dip throughout the
hypogene area. In the Western Ghats it,is usually easterly, and at
angles varying from 10· to 90·' At the summit of the Ghats near the
falls of Gersoppa, the gneiss dipped at" an angle of 350 to the N.E.
But the hornblende schists do not always dip from the plutonic rocks
-in many instances the dip is towards them: a fact indicating that the
strata have been disturbed at some previous period, or that they may have
suffered inversion; which is known to be the case in beds of more
recent origin. While the dip of the two great lines of c:;levation, viz.,
the East apd West Ghats, is generally westerly and easterly, or at right
angles with the direction of the strata, that of the minor cross ranges is
usually southerly. Numerous irregularities and exceptions, however, to
this general rule occur, particularly near the northerly and southerly
gt;.eat synclinal line of dip on the table-lands between the Eastern and
w.estern Ghats, and near localities where it is traversed by the cross
lines of elevation. The intrusion of trap dykes has also caused much
diversity in the dip. These irregularities will always prove obstacles in
tracing Ol1t with accuracy the synclinal dip line between the Eastern and
Western Ghats..
GlleiS! and Iwntblende schist are by far the most prevalent rocks of
the seties:' to gneiss the other members may be termed subordinate.
Near its contact with the granite it commonly assumes the character of
what has been styled granitoidal gneiss, losing its stratified appearance,
and not .to be distinguished in hand specimens from granite. Spherical
,HETAlIIORPHIC ROCKS IS
and oliltll masses of granite, resembling boulders, are sometimes
observed impacted in the gneiss. Veins of reddish compact felspar,
felspar coloured green with actinolite, epidote or chlorite; with and with-
out quartz; also of milky quartz with nests of iron ore, mica and
hornblende are very common in gneiss: also dykes and veins of granite.
All these veins are of older date than the intrusion of the greenstone
dykes which invariably sever them. Particular varieties of gneiss prevail
in different districts. These rocks not only abound in nests and veins
of rich magnetic and oxidulated iron ore, but in thick interstratified
beds and mountain masses of these minerals.
lIIiCtl schist is found sparingly distributed over the whole of the
hypogene area in thin beds. It is found in the greatest abundance and
purity in the western parts of Mysore. A vein of granite in it is rare,
though abounding in those of quartz. Talcqse, clt/oritzc, and actinolitic
schists are still more sparingly distributed: the first is seen in the west
of Mysore. Fine vaneties Qf actinolitic schist occur in the Western
Ghats at the falls of Gersoppa; and it is pretty generally distributed in
thin beds over Mysore. Hornblende schist .ranks next to gneiss in
extent and thickness of beds, and is seen washed by the sea at the
bases of the Eastern and Western Ghats, forming some of the loftiest
peaks of the latter and supporting large level tracts of table-land.
This rock varies from the compact structure of basalt to the crystalline
texture of granite, and to that of porphyry, and may be seen from
laminre of a few lines in thickness, passing into beds forming mountain
masses. The principal constituent minerals al,"e hornblende and felspar.
Quartz, garnet and mica are frequently mixed. Large beds of compact
filspar, generally of a pinkish hue, with a little quartz and a few scales
of mica, quartzite and milk quartz, having a similar direction to that of
gneiss, occur, forming low ranges of bills. Clay slate does not occupy
a large surface of the hypogene area. It occurs at ChiknayakanhaUi,
Chitaldroog, and in parts of the Shimoga District.
Imbedded lI-Iinerals.-Chert is pretty generally distributed, also the
<:ommon garnet; the latter occurs in the greatest abundance in, the
Eastern Ghats, but is also found in the Kempukal river at the Manjara-
bad Ghat; black garnet and tremolite occur in the granitoidal gneiss
-of Wurralkonda. (Kolar District). Epidote and actinolite are found
usually in quartz and felspar veins. Indianite occurs sparingly with
<:orundum, fibrolite and garnet' in gneiss and' hornblende schist in the
valley of the Kaveri. Corundum is found in Mysore in talc, mica, or
hornblende schist associated with iron ore, asbestus, and sometimes
indianite and fibrolite. It occurs imbedded in the rock in grains and
-crystals. Its principal localities are Gollarhalli near Chanraypatna,
16 GEOLOGY
Mandya near Seringapatam, Begur, Banq.erghatta; BagepaUi 'ltii4d other
places. l Fibrolite occurs but rarely with indianite and corundum.
Kyanite occurs in gneiss with tremolite, pearl spar, bitter spar, almandine
and staurolite. Steatite occurs in the talcose schists in the west of
Mysore; as also potstone, in beds of cot;lsiderable size and veins, and
more or less dispersed over the whole hypogene area j occasionally
associated with nephrite. Magnesite, an almost pure carbonate of
magnesia, occurs in the vicinity of Hunsur. Mica is found universally
diffused. In some parts of the \Vestern Ghats and on the table-lands
to the east, this mineral and talc are found in plates large enough for
windows and lanterns, for which purpose they are used by the natives,
as also for ornamental devices and for painting on. Chlorite is rarely
found uncombined with felspar, silex, or hornblende. Nacrite or scaly
talc is here and there met with. Adularia is found in the gneiss at
some places. Albite or cleavlandite occurs occasionally throughout the
gneiss districts, as also tourmaline or schod, both black and green.
Sulphate and suo-sulphate of alumina are octasionally found in thi~
incrustations and efflorescences between the layers of the 50ft ferruginous
slates into which the hornblende and mica schists pass.
Iron pyrites or sulphuret of'iron is distributed in small proportions
in the hypogene rocks j but the oxides, both magnetic and hrematitic,
exist in extraordinary abundance, forming masses and large interstrati-
fled beds in the mountain chains. In gl?eiss these ores frequently
replace hornblende and mica; alternating with quartz in regular layers.
Magnetic iron ore with polarity is found in the massive state on the
Baba Budan hills. Micaceous and specular iron ores are less common.
A dark magnetic iron sand is usually found in the beds of streams
having their origin among hypogene rocks, associated with gold dust
and sometimes with menaccanite. Iron ore slightly titaniferous is
found over the whole hypogene area. The black oxide of manganese
associated with iron ore is found sparingly in the hills. Antimony
occurs in the Baba Budan hills, and at Chitaldroog.
TRAVERSE NOTE~.
At the western foot of the pass, and along the base of the Subrahmanya
hill, hornblende rock containing garnets and dark-coloured mica occurs,
with veins of a very Jarge.grained granite composed of white quartz, red and
white felspar, and silvery mica in very large plates: gneiss is seen on the
steep face of the ghat, and hornblende rock, often coated with the red clay
and its own detritus. This formation continues to the summit of the ghat.
At Uchchangi the- formation is generally gneiss. One of the hills of this
rock is crested by hornblende rock in large prismatic masses. Patches of
laterite occur covering these rocks in various io~alities, and a few bosses
of granite:
Near Kenchamman Hoskote I crossed the Hemavati, one of the principal
tributaries to the Kaveri, in a canoe. It is about fifty paces broad, with
steep banks of clay, silt, and sand with mica. Near the village, mammillary-
masses of gneiss project from the red allu\(ial soil. T.his rock has here lost
much of its quartz, and is of that variety of thick-bedded gneiss which in a
hand specimen might pass for granite; the felspar is often of a reddish
tint. Laterite is found in this vicinity a little below the surface in a soft
sectile state. At Hassan gneiss and hornblende schist are still the preva-
lent rocks. Talc slate with layers of a fine greenish potstone interstratified
also occurs. - The mica in the gneiss near Gnima is sometimes replaced by
talc and passes into protogine. .
After exploring the corundum pits of GollarhalIi, I passed through Chan-
raypatna and Bellur to Hutridurga. Gral!ite, protogine, gneiss, talcQse and
hornblende schists, penetrated occasionally by trap dykes, constitute the
formation, overlaid here and there by patches of laterite or kunker on which
rests the'surface soil. The latter is usually reddish and sandy. Some-
times these deposits are wanting, when the substratum consists of the
gravelly detritus of the subjacent rocks. At Belladaira a large bed of
ferruginous quartz occurs. The mass of granite on which stands the fortress
of Hutridurga :s sc.mewhat saddle-s4aped, and ;runs nearly north and south;
it terminates abruptly at either extremity. The northern extremity, crowned'
by the citadel, is a sheer scarp 'of rock nearly 200 feet high; its base is
rugged With large precipitated masses. The granite is similar to but less
porphyritic than that of Savandurga.
From Hutridurga I proceeded to Magadi, and thence ascended the
stupendous mass of Savandurga. The country for a considerable distance
is wild and woody, abou~ding with low hills and rocks, among which a
porphyritic granite prevails. A magnetic iron sand is found in the beds of
almost all the rivulets. I ascended the rock from the north· east side. The
major axis of the mass runs nearly east and west, and is crossed "1t right
D*
.34 GEOLOGY
angles by a profound fissure, whic:h cleaves the rock from summ! to base
into two distinct portions, both fortified, so as to be independent of the lower
fort It is entirely composed of a granite, which from small-grained may be
seen passing into:the large-grained and porphyritic varieties. Some of the
crystals of re~dish felspar on the Karidurga were nearly two inches long,
imbedded in small-grained reddish granite.
The principal rock at Tavarekere is gneiss, with fragments of iron-shot
quartz, green actinolitic quartz, felspar, fragments of hornblende schist,
gneiss, granite and basaltic greenstone scattered over the face of the
country, and occasionally patches.. of. kunker. Near B<in<ivar I found
diallage rock, projecting in large, angular, scabrous blocks from the top and
sides of a low elevation. The great mass of the rock was chiefly white
felspar and quartz. The crystals of diallage were well defined, and passed
from dull olive-grey shades to the lively decided green of'llmaragdite. There
was more quartz in this diallage rock than is seen usually in the euphotides
of Europe; and the external aspect of the blocks was almost trachytic in
its roughness. Not far hence, the gneiss with which the diallage is asso-
ciated, apparently as a large vein, loses its mica, which is replaced by minute
silver scales of graphite.
Gneiss is the prevalent rock about Bangalore, penetrated by dykes of
basaltic greenstone, and occasfonally by granite, as is seen near 'the petta
and adjacent fields. The granite in-these localities splits into the usual
cuboidal blocks or exfoliates into globular masses. It often contains horn-
blende in addition to mica. The gneiss strata, though waving and contorted,
have a general north and south direction, and often contain beds of whitish
quartz preserving a similar direction. The strata are nearly vertical.
Approaching Bangalore from the north-west, a bed of laterite. is crossed,
forming a hill (Oyali dinne) on which stands a small pagoda. This bed
extends northerly in the dirt;ction of Nandidroog, where laterite also occurs.
In other situations, covering the gneiss and granite, a reddish loam is usually
found, varying from a few inches to twenty feet in depth, containing beds of
red clay, used in making ti1es, bricks, &c.; the result evidently of the
weathering of the granite, gneiss, and hornblende rocks. A similar formation
continues to Kolar. The gneiss is occasionally interstratified with beds of
hornblende schist. Granite, gneiss, and hornblende are the prevailing rocks
at Betmangala. About eight or nine miles east of this the Mysore frontier is
crossed into South Arcot. Kunker occurs on the banks of the rivulet near
• the village, both on the surface and in a bed below the alluvial soil.
Efflorescences of muriate of soda are also seen in the vicinity.
D Z
GEOLOGY
it is high~ probable that the former will be found to constitute the auriferou~
tract said to exist in the north Wynad. The stratigraphical relations of
the several great bands, both granitoid and schistose, pave yet t\,l be worked
out, for in the northern part of the great gneissic area they werd found too
obscure to be satisfactorily explained, and it remains to be seen whether
they represent two or more great systems. Their position and felation are
shown in the accompanying map and section.
If the line of section be followed from south-east to north-west it will be
seen to traverse a region of very typical granite-gneiss, extending from
Jalarpet Junction (Madras Railway), for a distance of some 30 miles. Thi~
granite-gneiss tract forms the eastern edge of the great My sore plateau,
which is here a wild, rugged, picturesque jungle region.
To the west the section crosses at its narrowest part the band of sch.istose
rocks in which lies, a little to the north of the railway, the now well-known
Kolar gold-field, at present a scene of energetic mining work on the lands
taken up by a number of large Mining Companies. This schistose band,
which will be most appropriately called the Kolar schistose band, forms aD
important synclinal trough resting on the adjacent granite-gneiss rocks. It
is the only one of the great schistose bands whose relations to the associated
bands of granitoid rocks have (as yet) been distinctly traced. A fuller
account of this band with especial reference to its auriferous character will
be given further on. (See p. 43.) .
On crossing this Kolar gold-field band, the section trends northerly as far
as the Bowringpet railway station, when it bends sharp round to the west
and continues in that direction as far as Bangalore. The very broad band
of granitoid gneiss, which extends between the Kolar gold-field schistose
band to the second great schistose band (the Dambal-Chiknayakanhalli
band), forms in its eastern part an open undulating plain from which rise a
few important rocky hills, as the Tyakal, Balery and Vakkaleri hills north of
the railway. A number of smaIl low table-topped hills are also to be seen
at small distances from the railway, as the Betarayan Betta, 31 miles north-
east of Bowringpet railway station, the Patandur hill, 2 miles south-west by
south of the \Vhitefield railway station, and the.low hillock crowned by a
mantapam about a mile north of the Maharajah's new palace at Bangalore.
These three hillocks are capped with beds of true sedimentary laterite under-
laid by lithomargic clays. Of precisely the same aspect, both in fonn and
colour, are the Sivasamudra, Jinnagra and Chikka Tagali hills, which lie a few
miles north of the railway near tbe Whitefield and MaIur stations. Identical
in form and appearance also is a much more extensive development of
table-topped plateaus. which are well seen from Betarayan hill, lying several
mi~s to the north and covering a considerable area. The laterite at the
north-eastern end of the Patandur hill is distinctly conglomeratic and con~
tains a tolerable number of well-rolled quartz pebbles. The red colour of
the sides of these hills and plateaus, added to their sharp-cut tabular shape,
makes them con~picuous from considerable distances. No organic remains
were found in connection with these laterite beds, and the number of sections
examined was not s~fficient to enable me to form any positive opinion as to
GEOLOGY
their origin, and still less so as to their geological age,-but there can be no
doubt that they are the scattered outlying remains of a formerly far more
extensive formation.
To the north-west i of Bangaiore the undulation of the country increases
considerably, arid the streams run in much deeper channels, affording more
numerous sections both of the surface soil and sub-rock. The surface of
the country is generally covered with a thick layer of red soil, which often
contains a large percentage of pisolitic iron (hrematite) in segregational
form.
Thirty-two miles north-west of Bangalore the section cuts across the line
of hills' running north and south from the K;iveri river, a little east of the
great Falls, up to Nidugal on the frontier of the Anantapur District. ' This
line of hills culminates close to the section in the fine peak of Sivaganga,
which attains the height of 4,559 feet above sea-level. Like many other
groups of granitoid-gneiss hills in the south, these hills are very rocky and
bare, ana lODk as if they had never been covered with a real forest growth.
The section maintains its north-westerly course up to Tumkur, beyond
which town it turns suddenly westward and, after a course of 16 miles,
in which remarkably few outcrops of rock are seen, meets the second great
band of schistose rocks in the line of hills rising between Hagalvadi and
Chiknayakanhalli. This second-' gr~at band of schists is the southerly
continuation of the Dambal-Chiknayakanhalli schist band as defined above.
The width of this extremely well-marked schistose band, which the section
crosses at right angles, is 18 miles. ::I'he character of the scenery is
markedly different; smooth, grass-grown hills, generally well rounded, with
very few conspicuous exposures of rock, take the place of the bold rocky
bare hill masses seen east of Tumkur. The rocks consist of hornblendic,
chloritic and hrematitic schists cropping out at very high angles or in
vertical beds. Several large quartz reefs occur traversing these schists, and
one large one crosses the road some distance west of Doddiganhalli. Time
did not allow of my. doing any prospecting here, but several prospectors
have stated that their researche~ were rewarded by the discovery of gold in
appreciable quantity both in the quartz and by washing the local soils. The
extension southward of this schist band may be traced by the eye for many
miles, owing to the very characteristic features of the low line of heights
which extends south in the direction of Seringapatam. That they extend
still further south and then trend south-westward into the south-eastern part
of the Wynad may be assumed as a fact on the strength of the information
kindly fUl.'11ished by Mr. Lavelle. The contact of the schists and granitoid
gneiss is unfortunately concealed by superficial deposits at the places where
the section -cuts across their respective boundaries; but the impression left
ill my mind -by the general appearance of the localities was tpat the schists
were overlying the granitoid beds, and the same relation appeared to me to
exist in the Dambal gold-field, as far as its western boundary is concemed.
I The expression line of hills is used in preference to the term chain, as there is
little continuity of high grolmd, the hills being mostly quite detached and,separated
in some parts by considerable spaces.
TRAVERSE NOTES 39,
The easrern boundary of the schist band was not traced near Damba:l and
Gadag, but further north it is completely hidden by the tz:emendous spread
of cotton soil there prevailing. Passing on a little to the south of west from
the schistose band the section runs across a granitoid-gneiss region, and
after passing Tiptur crosses the watershed between the Kliveri and Krishna
• hydrological basins, the section trending more and more north-westerly
along a rapid descent. It leaves the high, picturesque, granitoid hill masses
of Hireltal Gudda and Gardangiri to the right, and beyond Banavar skirts
the eastern boundary of the third or Dharwar-Shimoga schist band for
several miles, but does not actually leave the granitoId rocks till it has
passed Kadur by some six miles. The rocks of this granitoid band, which
may for convenience be called the Mulgund-Kadur band, offer no
speciality calling for remark. Like the hilly region running east of Tum-
kur, the hills may preferably be described as forming a line rather than. a
chain, for they occur in numerous detached ll1asses.
As just mentioned, the section gets on to the third schistose band six
miles to the north-west of Kadur, and here the schists are mostly chloritic
of pale colour with intercalated more highly siliceous bands, ranging from
chloritic gneiss to quartzite. To the south of the- road the quartzites
increase much in development and rise into a high ridge with a great cliffy
scarp on .the eastern face of Coancancul peak. Further west, to the south
of the high road, rises a considerable hilI of very rugged nature, which,
when seen from a distance, presents great resemblance to a lypical granitoid-
gneiss hilL On closer approach the rock is seen to have a very coarsely
mottled structure, which turns out to be due to the presence of enoml0US
numbers of well-rounded pebbles of a granite or compact granite gneiss.
The size of the included stones ranges in the part I examined from small
pebbles to small boulders, all enclosed in a greenish-grey foliated chloritic
matrix. The thickness of the conglomerate here exposed must be very
great, as proved by the size of the hill which goes by the name of the Kal
Droog. To the north, the beds are soon lost sight of under the local
alluvium of the Kushi river, and they are not seen to reappear conspicuously
in the hilly country on the north side of the valley. To the west of the great
conglomerate beds follow more schistose beds, and, as seen on the hill slopes
south of the road, a great series of quartzites. Near Tarikere, and to the
north-west of it, very few exposures of rock are met with as far as Benkipur,
but the few that do show through the thick woods which here cover every~
thing, prove the country to be formed of schistose members of the Gneissic
Series. About four miles north-west of Tarikere the road crosse~ a very small
outcrop of typical hcematite schist, striking in a northerly direction. A good
deal of rock shows in the bed of the Bhadra river at and above Benkipur,
but the forms seen are not very characteristic, and at the time of my passing
everything was obscured by a thick layer of slimy mud left by a high fresh
in the river. This part of the section would be very unsatisfactory were it
not that the schistose character of the beds forming the line of hills extend-
ing northward parallel with the valley of the Bhadra shows quite clearly the
extension of the rocks seen south-east and east of Tarikere. Between Ben-
GEOLOGY
kipur and Shimoga very little rock of any sort is seen, but about~lf-way
across the Doah, between the Tunga and Bhadra rivers, a band of fine-
grained grey granite ,gneiss is 'trossed, while to the east and south of
Shimoga town are several conspicuous large masses of a chloritic variety of
granite gneiss. The exact relation of these granitoid outcrops to the great
schist series further east I had not the opportunity of determining, and am
not quite certain whether they represent the eastern border of another great
granitoid band, or whether they are part only of an unimportant local band
of granitoid rock. I am inclined to think the latter will be found the real
condition of things when the country cdmes to be fully surveyed. The short
space of time at my command prevented my making a detour to settle !his
point. Here, too, the extent and thickness of the jungle growth greatly hide
the general surface of the country along the road, while the rainy or misty
character of the weather tended much to obscure the appearance of hills at
but very moderate distances. Though the exigencies of dak travelling COUl-
pelled me to make the detour to Shimoga instead of following the line of
schistose beds northward from 13enkipur, I am perfectly. satisfied as to the
fact of these schists continuing northward, and joining those which cross the
united rivers forming the Tungabhadr~, a few miles below the~unction of
the Tunga and Bhadra. The country here is much freer from jungle, and
many ridges of rock, consisting of quartzites and chlorite schists with rocks
of intermediate character, can be traced for miles. This part of the section
extends from the bank of the river for rather more than 20 miles,-from
the travellers' bungalow at Holalur north-westward to the Tav<l.nkal-betta
Trigonometrical Station, six miles east-oy-south of Shikarpur. Along the
12 miles of road between Shimoga and HoIal4r but little is seen of the
older rocks, the road lying close to the left bank of the Tunga and Tunga-
bhadra, and passing almost entirely over the river alluvium which at and to
the north-east of the Holalur bungalow forms a coarse bed of rounded
shingles, rising a considerable height above the present high flood level of
the united rivers.
The most striking features, both orographic ally and geologicalIy,oftbis part
of the Mysore country are the quartzite outcrops, which are numerous, but
of which only the principal ones require notice. Of these the best marked,
longest and highest culminates in the Kalva-Ranganbetta, a tine hill rising
,some 1,200 feet above the plain, and 3,388 feet above sea-level, 16 miles
to the north of Shimoga. The,out-crop of the gr!,!at quartzite beds forming
this ridge has a distinct dip of some 60°-65° (on the average) to the north-
east. The quartzites are l1nderlaid by a schistose (chloritic) series, the south-
western extension of which was not ascertained. Qverlying the quartzites,
which are generally flaggy in character (bufwhich here and there become so
highly charged wifh scales of pale green chlorite as almost to lose their
quartzitic chanicter. and pass into chloritic gneiss), are local beds of true
conglomerate,-the first I have met with or ~eard of in the gnei~sic rock of
the peninsula. The conglomerate has evidently undergone considerable
metamorphosis, but its real character and truly clastic origin cannot be
doubted when carefully examined. Many of the included pc;bbles appear to
HONNALI GOLD-FIELD
have been fractured' by the great pressure undergone, but their truly rounded
character is quite distmct and unmistakable. The beds Seen by me al!d
traced for several hundred yards, are exposed a little way up the slope of
Kal\'a-Ranganbetta peak, and a little to the north-west of a small, but rather
conspicuous, pagoda, which stands in a little recess. The included pebbles
in the conglomerate consist chiefly of quartz, a few of gneiss, and some of
what appeared an older quartzite. A second intended visit and closer
examination of this very interesting bed was prevented, much to my sorrow,
by bad weather. The second in importance of the qu~rtzite ridges has its
eastern extremity in the bed and left bank of the first w~st-to-east reach of
the Tungabhadra below the Kudali Sangam, or junction. \Vest of the new
high road from Shimoga to Honnali the quartzite beds rise into the Phillur
Gudda (hill), and beyond that rise again into a considerable hill some 400
to 500 feet high, and may be followed easily for several miles to the north-west.
The quartzitic 'character is then in great measure or entirely lost by the rock
becoming highly chloritic, and the beds can no ronger be safely distinguished
from the surrounding mass of chloritic schist. In the ,north-westerly part
of this Phillur Gudda ridge several pebbly beds were observed intercalated
between the more or less chloritic quartzite. They differed from the Kalva-
Ranganbetta beds in being less coarse and having a more chloritic matIix,
but had undergone about an equal amount of metamorphosis. A consider-
able number of quartzite ridges are intercalated between Phillur Guddi
ridge, and the . southern end of the Kalva-Ranganbetta ridge, ·which
terminates in the Nelli Gudda Trigonometrica1 Station hill, seven miles west-
north-west of the Kudali Sangam. To these ridges may be ascribed the
existence of the group of hills they occur in, as but for their greater durability
and resisting power to weather action, they would certainly have been worn
down to the low level of the purely chloritic part of the schistose band, both
to the north-west and south-east. Unless there bas been an inversion of
the strata on a rather large scale, or faults exist which were not obvious
during the rapid survey, the Kalva-Ranganbetta quartzites underlie all the
beds to the northward of it. Another series of overlying quartzites is shown
to the north-north-west of Kalva-Ranganbetta; but the relation between it
and the upper beds just described could not be determined without a much
more close examination of the district, more especially as the space between
the two sets of outcrops is very largely and closely covered by spreads of
regur. The chloritic schists offer, no specially interesting features. and
they are not, as a rule, well seen, except on the slopes of the hills, the
general face of the country being much obscure~ by red or black soil, which,
both of them, occur in great thickness.
Honntzli Gold-jidd.-One remaining point of great interest is the large
number of important quartz veins, or reefs, which traverse the belt of
chloritic rocks overlying the Kalva-Ranganbetta quartzites. They are the
source of the gold occurring' in the thick red soil which covers the whole
face of the low-lying country, and which has been washed for gold, certainly
for several generations past, by several families of Jalgars residing at
PalavanhaIli. The gold is so generally distributed through the red soil that
GEOLOGY.
it is clear that many of the reefs must be auriferous, and the quantity found
is sufficient to justify strong hopes that a profitable mining industry may be
developed by working the richer reefs. Several of the series of reefs close
to Devi Kop, a Iittfe'village 31 miles east-south-east of the Kalva-Rangan-
betta, had been carefully and- deeply prospected at the time of my visit by
Mr. Henry Prideaux, M.E., and in one case certainly with very marked
suc~ess. The quartz in this case was found very rich in gold, which was
visible in graius and scales scattered pretty freely through the mass. The
quartz in many parts had a quasi-brecdated structure with films and plates
of blue-green chlorite occurring along tratks in the mass. Near the surface
the chlorite, with which were associated ~mall inclusions of pyrites, had
often weathered into a rusty-brown mass. The reef which at the time of
my visit was regarded as the most promising, and to which the name of
Turnbull's reef had been given, is one of a series of three that can be traced
with some breaks for a distance of six miles nearly parallel with the great
quartzite ridge of the Kalva-Ranganbetta, the true strike of the reef being
from N. 40° W. to S. 40. E. Another important set of three reefs ha\'ing
the same strike occurs about half a mile north of the first series, but they
are not visible for such a long distance, their north-western course being
covered by the thick spread of cotton soil. To the south-east they, or at
least one of them, can be traced across the Nyamti nulIah, which divides the
gold-field in two. Out-crops of vein-quartz in a line with a south-easterly
extension of this set of reefs are to be seen north and east of PalavanhaIli.
Numerous other quartz reefs having the same, strike occur in the south-
eastern half ofthe gold-field, e.g., a set offour, rather more than a mile north-
east of Palavanhalli, and several others to the north of Dasarhalli and south
of Kuntra. A few reefs were also noticed whose strike was different from
those above referred to. They represent two other systems of fissures, the
one running N. SO E. to S. SU W. ; the other, W. SO N. to E. SO S. Several
of both these series are of very promising appearance, .the "back of the
lode" bearing considerable resemblance to that of Turnbull's reef. The
greater number of the reefs in the HonnaH gold-field are well-marked
examples of these fissure veins.
During my stay at Devi Kop, I watched the results of many washings
bot~ of crushed quartz and of the red soil taken from many localities and
various levels. The great majority were highly satisfactory. The Jalgars,
or local gold-washers, seem to be a fairly prosperous set of men, so their
earnings must be fairly remunerative. They confine their attention,
as far as I could ascertain, pretty generally to the high-lying red soil banks,
between Devi Kop and the Nyamti nullah. The head Jalgar. a very.
intelligent old man and dexterous gold-washer, informed me that the best
d!1Y's work he nad ever done was the finding of a small pocket in the gneiss
which contained about Rs. 80 of gold in small grains and scales. I
gathered from him that he had not found anything beyond the size of a
" pepite." The position of these auriferous banks near Devi Kop would
admit of hydraulic mining over a considerable area by a system of dams and
channels to bring water from the Nyamti nuUah, but the question of the
KOLAR GOLD-FIELD 43
profitableness of such an undertaking could only be decided by an expert
after careful examination- and more,numerous trials by washi!lg-
Kolar Gold-field.-The schistose band, which bears within_ its limits the
Kolar gold-field, forms an elongated synclinal fold which in parts rises
somewhat over the general level of the surrounding granitoid country. The
dip of the rocks forming the basement of the schistose band, and therefore
the boundaries of the synclinal fold, is easily traced on both sfdes ; not so,
however, is the dip of the uppermost members of the group, for all the beds
exposed in the centre of the band have been much altered by great pressure,
which has superinduced an irregular slaty cleavage to a great extent. This,
combined with extensive minute jointing, has so greatly altered the original
texture of the rocks that they have assumed to a very great extent a highly
trappoid appearance. The lines of bedding are completely obliterated, and
it was impossible to decide from the sections I saw whether the central axis
of the synclinal represents one great acute fold~ or a series of minor ones in
smaIl vandykes. The great petrological similarity of the strata forming the
upper (central) part of the synclinal makes the decipherment of this
difficulty all the greater. The sections I saw in the several shafts being
sunk at the time of my visit threw no light on the subject; it is possible,
however, that a closer study of these sections would go far to enable this
point to be decided.
The succession of formations seen from west to east, after leaving
General Beresford's bungalow at Ajipalli on the road from Bowringpet rail-
way station to the gold-field, is micaceous gneiss (resting on the granitoid
gneiss), chloritic gneiss, micaceous schist, haematitic quartzite, and
chloritic schist, on which rests a great thickness of hornblendic schists,
which, as just mentioned, are highly altered, and have their planes
of bedding almost entirely effaced by the pressure and crumpling they have
undergone. The eastern side of the fold shows near the village of 'Urigam
well-bedded schists-dipping west from 50° to 60n and resting finally on the
granitoi4 rocks. The western side of the gold-field is very clearly demar-
cated by a well-marked ridge of haematitic quartzite which culminates in
the Walagamada Trigonometrical Station hill, from the top of which the
majority of the mines can be seen. The bedding is often vertical and
highly contorted in places. The texture varies from highly jaspideous
quartzite to a schisty sandstone. The hard jaspideous variety generally
shows distinct laminae of brown hrematite, alternating with purely siliceous
laminae, generally Of white or whitisH-drab colour. It is only here and there,
and over very trifling areas, that the ferruginous element ever assumes
the character of red haematite. Th~ beauty of the 'f vandykes" and
complicated crumpling and brecciations of this rock in the Walagamada
Konda is very remarkable. The thickness 9f the haematitic pand is very
considerable, and it forms the most striking featur~ of the western side of
the gold-field. On the eastern side of the gold-field the·haematite quartzite
is mu~h less well developed and exposed, excepting in the south-eastern
part of the gold-field where it occurs in thick beds forming the main mass of
the Yerra Konda Trignometrical Station bilL Here the di~ is about 60°
44 GEOLOGY
westerly, and affords one of the clearest proofs of the synclinal character of the
schist band. To the southward the hrematitic beds appear to coalesce, the
synclinal bein~ pinched together, but I had no opportunity of following up
the eastern boundJy of the schistose band. The western boundary is a
very conspicuous feature, a bold rocky ridge running up into the lofty
Malapan Betta peak, the highest summit in this part of the country.
South of Malapan Betta the hrematitic beds appear to lose their importance
and 110 longer form the most striking feature of the schistose band, and
micaceous and chloritic beds abound. Owing to the great extent of jungle
and the rugged character of the counft"y, 'their general relations were not to
be made out completely in the short time at my disposal. The beds run
south into the Salem District, and probably occupy the valley lying east and
north-east of Krishnagiri and, not improbably, extend on towards and past
Darampuri. A subsidiary ridge of lower elevation, which branches off from
the western side of Malallan Betta westward and then trends south-west
and finally south-south-west, also consists of schistose beds of similar
character, amongst which a hrernatitic quartzite is the most conspicuous.
The relation of these latter beds to the Kolar gold-field synclinal fold is. ,
quite problematical, but it is very probable that several important faults
have caused great \dislocation of the strata first along the boundaries of
the main synclinal fold. The stratigraphy of the several spurs radiating
from Malapan Konda is very complicated and interesting and well worthy
of careful consideration.
The auriferous quartz reefs which have attracted so much attention lie in
the broader part of the synclinal fold north of the railway. None of any
importance were seen by me in the tract south of Malapan Betta. The
intermediate tract I had no opportunity of examining closely, but I did not
hear of the existence there of any of interest or importance. The reefs
make very little show on the surface as a. rule; in many cases, indeed, the
whole back of the reef, or lodes, has been removed during the mining opera-
tions of the old native miners, whose workings were on a rather latge scale
considering the means they had at command. Much also of the surface is
masked by scrub jungle, or by a thick coating of soil, often a local blac.k
humus. The reefs are so very inconspicuous that I have not attempted to
show them on the map. Their run is north and south with a few degrees
variation either east or west. The hade of the reefs is westerly in most
cases, as far as they have been tested by the shafts sunk. The angle they
make with the horizon is a very high one, on the average not less than from
8So to 87°. Much has been·said about the reefs in the Kolar not being true
fissure veins, but I was unable to find any good reason for promulg-ating this
view, and several mining engineers of high standing and great experience,
as Messrs. -Bell Davies, Raynor St. Stephen, and other practical miners well
acquainted.~ith the locality, have no hesitation about calling them" fissure
veins 11 or "lod~s." The quartz cOlllposing the reefs is a bluish or greyish-
black diaphalWus or semi-diaphanous rock, and remarkably free from
sulphides (pyrites, galena, &c.) of any kind. The gold found is very pure
and of good colour. Several washings of crushed vein stuff were made in
TRA VERSE .1.YOTES 45
my preselfce at the Urigam and Kolar mines with really satisfactory results,
the quantity of gold obtained being very appreciable. The samples operated
on were not picked ones. .
The principal new mines now in progress form a line stretching from south
to north on the eastern side of an imaginary axis drawn along the centre of
the synclinal fold, and this line coincides with that followed by the "old
men," many of whose abandoned workings are being extended to greater
depth than they had the power of attaining to without steam-pumping
machinery.•
Numerous large dykes of dioritic trap are met with tra\'ersing the gneissic
rocks of this region. One set of them runs north and south with a variatIOn
of about 5° east or west. The other runs nearly east and west. The
presence of these dykes will offer formidable obstacles to the mining works
in some places, and it will probably be found that the intrusion of these great
igneous masses has added considerably to the metamorphism of the schistose
beds along the lines they traverse. As already mentioned, the schists are most
highly altered along the central axis of the synclinal fold, and the largest of
the north and south dykes shows a very little to the east of the synclinal axis.
The Kolar schistose band is the only one as to the exact stratigraphical
relation of ",hich to the granitoid gneiss any positi\'ely conclusive evidence
had been obtained; but there is reason to believe that at least three of the
schistose bands to the westward of it, 'uis., those of Sundur, near Bellary, of
Dambal-Chiknayakanhalli, and of Dharwar-Shimoga, are Similarly super-
imposed on the granitoid rocks. Whether the superposition is a conform-
able or an unconformable one, is a point that has yet to be deternlined by
further investigation; at the Kolar gold-field. however, the relation between
the schistose synclin"al and the underlying granite gneiss appears to be one
of distinct conformity. The Hospet end of the Sundur schist band certainly
presents every appearance of being the acute extremity of a synclinal basin.
The south-eastern extension of this band is as yet unknown, but there is
good,reason to expect a considerable extension of it to the south-eastward of
Bellary.
The remarkable length of the Dambal-Chiknayakanhalli and Dharwar-
Shimoga bands precludes the idea that they can be each a simple synclinal
fold, rather may they be expected to prove a succession of synclinal and
anticlinal in echelon, with their contact boundaries not unfrequently coin-
ciding with faults. The geographic;!l position of these great bands confirms
and amplifies the evidences to the (itct which I specially pointed out in my
Memoir1 on the East Coast from latitude IS° N. northward to MasuIipatam,
that the Peninsula of I ndia had been greatly affected by tremendous lateral
forces acting mainly from east to west and thrusting up the gneissic rocks
into huge folds. These great foldings have undergone extensi~'e denudation,
and the softer schistose beds especially have been entirely removed from
large tracts of country which they must have formerly covered, if any of the
bands now remaining really represent (as they in all probability do) portions
of once continuous formations.
1 Memoirs, "Geological Survey of India," Vol. XVI.
GEOLOGY
The schistose band,., having only been mapped at different p~ints, their
general width, as shown on the annexed sketch map, is only hypothetical,
and it is very possiple that at intermediate points they may either spread out
<lr narrow considera'bly. Their relation to the schistose gneissics of the
Carnatic Proper has yet to be made clear, and it is not at all unlikely that a
third subdivision will have to be recognized in the crystalline rocks of South
India-a subdivision which will include the rocks of a character intermediate
between the typically schistose rocks and the typically granitoid rocks of
Mysore and the South Mahratta country, namely, the massive gnei!isics of
the Carnatic, in which the ferruginous'beds are magnetic, not hrematitic.
I Rocks of the same geological age as the auriferous rocks of Mysore occur largely
in other parts of South India, both north, east, and south-west of Mysore, and to
classify such a widely-de"'eloped system, it was necessary to have a collective name
for them. The name of Dharwar rocks was therefore given by me to these rocks,
on the usual principles of geological nomenclature, namely, for their having been
first recognized as a separate system after the study of their representatives in the
Collectorate of Dharwar (Bombay Presidency), where they occur very largely and
typically, and ,underlie the important town of Dharwar. The use of this name in this
report has, however, been deprecated on the plea that it might lead to confusion in
the minds of readers unfamiliar with Smith Indian geography. I have therefore
avoided using it wherever this was possible, but geologists who may peruse my report
will understand that the alternative terms which I have u!>ed, "Auriferous" or
" Schistose rock series," really mean formations of the Dharwar age.
A URIFEROUS TRACTS 47
quartz reefs here seen are small and coincide in direction with the north-to-
south strike of tht' country rock, or deviate a little (3°-5') to the east-of-
north.. The quartz exposed in the principal old working is highly ferrugin-
ous, being full of scales and films of impure hrematite (specular iron), but
contains no pyrites or other sulphides. North of the old working the reef
is cut off by ~ broad baml of a highly decomposed granite rock containing
much pink felspar. The country between Holgere and Mysore is composed
of micaceous gneiss with a few bands of hornblendic schist and potstone,
with no quartz reefs of any importance, and the small show of gold obtained
by Mr. Lavelle from washings in the Kadkole nullahs must have come from
veins too small in size to be worth mining. I could not trace any connec-
tion between the Holgere auriferous rocks and the great Chiknayakanhalli
band, the former must therefore be con'sidered as a mere small outlier, if
th",y are really of Dharwar age. The line of high ground commencing on
the north bank of the Kaveri river near S~ett"la!ti consists mainly of
quartzites and hornblendic 'Schists belonging to the Dharwar series and
forming a narrow band (from 2 to 3 miles in width), which extends north-
ward, widening very gradually as it is followed up. A number of small
quartz veins occurs running in the direction of the strike of the beds, here
nearly due north and south. The quartz is very white and "hungry-look-
ing,'" and very few minerals are to be found in it. Those noted were blackish-
greenish mica and a white decomposing felspar, the former not infrequently
in distinct six-sided prisms. These included minerals show but very rarely
and at wide intervals, but here and there become numerous and convert the
vein into a true granite, a rock in which gold very rarely occurs in any
quantity. Fragments of good-looking blue quartz were noticed scattered
about the surface to the south-west of Siddapur village. but on tracing them
up to their true source they were· found to be derived from typical grariite
veins. As far as surface indications go, this tract appears a very unpromis-
ing one, and quite undeserving of consideration when so many really pro-
mising tracts remain as yet unprospected. The course, of the extension of
the Chiknayakanhalli schist band south of the Kaveri is yet undetermined,
but as seen from the top of the Karigatta Trigonometrical Station, it appears
to go southward, passing east of the granitoid mass of CMmundi hill;
unfortunately want of time prevented my determining this point, which is one
of considerable interest geologically. Honnnbetta is a hill lying a mile and
a half south by west of Nagamangala, and forming the central part of an
outlier of the auriferous series on the western side of the Chiknayakanhalli
band. The mass of the hill con,sists of hornblendic schist overlaid by
cbloritic schists. A washing made in the small nullah draining the north-
east face of the hill just within the eastern boundary of the auriferous rocks
gave a good show of gold of medium size and excellent colour. I noted one
large bluish quartz reef on the high north spur of the hill which struck me
as worthy of being tested in depth. At present merely the back of the lode
is exposed, and but to a very small depth, so it i,s impossible to test the
real quality of the stone. This reef runs through the chIoritic schists.
Girigu¢¢a forms the northern extremity of ,the outlier, and shows chloritic
GEOLOGY
and hornblendic schists, extensions of the Honnabetta beds. Th~ ridge of
the Girigu<;l<;la is traversed by a pale green dioritic (?) trap. The north end
of the outlier dies away rapidly northward of Girigugga, and disappears
northward of the nJUah. A careful washing in the small stream draining
the east side of Girig1.1<;lga, at a spot about a quarter of a mile eastward of
the hill, gave a fair show of medium fine gold. The presence of trap rock
alnong the schists is a favourable indication for the presence of gold. The
whole outlier, which extends 7 miles from Giriguc;lc;la southward to Maradipur,
with a width of a little more than a mile across Honnabetta hill, is deserving
<,[ very cJose examinatipn, and the re~fs of being prospected to some depth.
About 2 miles north of Girigu<Na and within the gneissic area lies H ","nan-
. dt"be{{n, a low hill on the ridge of which occur several fine reefs which are
being tested in depth by the Mysore Concessions Gold Company. The
question-Are the quartz reefs occurring in the gneissic rock profitably
auriferous as well as those occurring in the Dharwar series? (to which all the
important gold-}ielding reefs at present known unquestionably belong)-
will doubtless ere long receive a.definite answer from the results of these
deep prospectings, and i sincerely trust i~ will be a very favourable one, as,
if so, many otller reefs of great size and beauty running through the gneissic
series may probably also prove to be gold-yielding. Much of the quartz
turned out at Hulmandibetta is good· looking, bluish in colour, contains
some pyrites, and encourages the hope that it will prove auriferous at
depths not reached by superficial weather action. Hallibe!{a, a large hill
some three miles north of N agamangala, has been reported auriferous, but the
statement is highly impro.bable, the whole mass of the hill except the southern-
most extremity consisting of granitic gneiss. A band of schistose rock extends
from the southern spurs southward for a couple of miles till hidden by the
alluvium of the N:igamangala stream. Large reefs of quartz were noted on
either side of Haltibega; they are very unpromising, the quartz being very
white and free from included minerals. In mi;1ers' parlance, they are very
hungry-lpo!dng. At Knlingnnkal!i the old native workings occupy a con-
siderable area on which old dumps stood thickly, showing that a large
amount of washing had been done. A very good show of gold was obtained
by washing the dumps, but no reefs, large enough to be worth mining, could
be found. Further SQuth, however, fine reefs are to be seen pretty
numerously, running north and south in the strike of the chloritic schists.!
A narrow strip of very typical auriferou~ schists crosses the road a mile and
a half west of the bridge over the Shimsha on the Hassan-Bangalore road,
and m~y b~ seen stretching away north and south to a considerable distance,
a strongly-marked bed of jaspery hcematite quartzite forming a distinct ridge.
This strip of schists is faulted against the gneiss along its ea~tern boundary
about harf.a mile to the east. The northern extension of the schists crosses
the Shimsha and is lost sight .of in the broken ground east of the river, but the.
southern extension can be traced to the high ground north of AnkanhaIli.
1 The strike of the schistose beds here tends considerably eastward, and they
appear to extend towards Kunigal, instead of running nearly due south down to
Nagamangala, as I had formerly a;>sumed on imperfect information.
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 49
South of Ankanhalli the highly characteristic hrematite b:md reapp,~ars and
forms a marked feature, continuing for several miles till almost abreast of
the Narasimhaswami pagoda hill.. The western boundary of this bapd of
Dharwars is in all probability also a faulted one, several hundred feet in
thickness of chloritic and hornblendic schists lying between the hren;tatite
bed and the gneiss near Nalkundi, while to the Rorth, where the hrettlatite
bed crosses the Bangalore road (It miles west of the Yediyur bridg~), it
shows close up to the gneiss. The schistose rocks appear to spread out bver
a considerable area eastward of the Narasimhaswami hills, and may ~ery
likely reach as far as the line of granite-gneiss hills east of the Shimsha.l A
line of considerable hills, showing all the characteristics of the auriferous
series, is seen to stretch southward for many miles some little distance west
of Kunigal. These rocks, if really belonging to the auriferous series, repre-
sent the beds deflected eastward or south-eastward near Kadaba, and as ~uch
are worth examination. The old workings on. Honnebagi hill, near Chik-
nayakanhalli, lie a few 'Yards' down the eastern slope and just within the
boundary of the ~uriferous schist area, the crest of the ridge being for~ed
by gneiss 011' which rests the basement bed of the schist series, which is, }Jere
a quartzite. The old workings, which consist only of small shallow pits sur-
rounded by dumps, extend southward for nearly a mile along the watersited,
and at the south end of tAe area they occupy have followed some east !and
west reefs across- the boundary into the gneissic area. The reefs are white
and "hungry-looking," and the old miners seem to have found no great
encouragement, for they have made no extensive e~cavations. The principal '
r~ef on Honnebagi hill runs N. 15°-20° W., but trends southward; at the'
south ena of the ridg~ it is about 5 feet thick. Overlying the basement
quartzite on Honnebagi hill comes a series of schists, horneblendic, chloritic
and micaceous, which occupy the space up to the foot of the hills, where th~y
are overlaid by argillites and a great thickness of hrematitic schists, locally
very rich in iron, and giving 'rise to the formation of sub-aerial breccias
which assume a lateritic appearance from the action of percolating rain-
water. Quartz reefs of rather more promising appearance than those on
Honnebagi hill occur here all;d there in the schist!>, and are probably the ,{
source of the gold obtained from the streams draining this tract, A set of i
washings made by me near the north-east end of Honnebagi hill in the main
nulIah, and its branches gave very fair shows of Il}.edi~lrt fine gold of ex- "
cellent colour. Tests by crushing and washing quartz from two of the trial-
pits recently sunk on Honnebagi hilt gave no show, 'tut t1;1is is not conclusive;
the quartz being frpm too small a depth and the quantity of quartz to be
treated by hand-crushing being necessarily insufficient for a reliable test.
The reefs at Kadekalgudda, 2; miles N.N.E. of ChiknayakanhaIlij like
those at Honnebagi, all-lie within the schistose area though very neitr the
boundary, and like them z:un in the strike of the country rock, which is
here very nearly north-west-by-north. The quartz is white in colout, bu~ a
good deal iron-shot along the lines of fracture. I could find no ,enclosed
minerals except a little chlorite and' obtained no show from crushi~s, but a
careful washing made in the 'stream draiping the north-west enc\,bf Kade-
'E
50 GEOLOGY
kalgl.1dda gave a fair show of rather fine gold. On the slope of the MIl lI;bove
the great reef just mentioned are chlorite schists and an associated flow of
dioritic trap, both -f'lvoura1:l1e to the presenceof gold, and other reefs of
better quality may very likely be hidden under the talus which covers the
slope very generally. A washing of material collected in the nullah draining
the north-east side of Kadekalgudda gave no results. A washing of the
alluvial deposit on the banks of the nl1llah draining the eastern side of the
main ridge east of Chiknayakanhalli, close to the Dodrampur temple, gave
'but a poor show of gold; this, however, is not surprising, as the east flank of .
the range shows but very few quartz r~efs of any size; the country is almost
entirely formed of grey crystalline limestones with very numerous ,siliceous
partings in the form of quartzite, which here and there attain to the magni-
tude of distinct beds. The limest-ones are much contorted, so their true
thickness will be hard to ascertain by measurement, but' they are certainly
several hundred feet in thickness, and cover a large area stretching away to
the south-east. A small show of similar limestones shows on the western
side of the range just opposite the mouth of the gorge east of BallenhaIli
which cuts so deeply into the hills. The range here unquestionably forms
a synclinal fold, the axis of which corresponds with the crest of the range.
To the north the limestones are:replaced by schists and argillites as above
mentioned. while to the south the tract at foot 01\ the range is so thickly
covered with deep red soil derived froUl decomposition. of the hrematitic
schists on the summit of the ridge that the low-lying schists are completely
obscured, for the red soil, which contains local conglomerate and breccia
beds, is not cut through by the streams now flowing westward from the hills.
A washing 'Yhich r had made in the nuUah south of Sondenhalli gave a
small show of gold.
A great gap intervenes between the ChiknayakanhaIli gold-field and the
next metalliferous locality in the centtal group-Belligudda copper mine, close
to Chitaldroog. The intervening area is geologically a terra incognita, in
which a geological survey would assuredly find mineral tracts of impor-
tance. Be!/tj:udda is a fine hill lying some Smiles south-east of Chitaldroog,
on the western flank of which aTe fOllr large open pits and several small
shafts and short galleries sunk in day schist in order to extract copper ore,
which occurred there in the form of malachite or green carbonate. From
the nature of the workings the or~ appears to have occurred in pockets, not
in a regular lode, and the pockets to have been worked out bodily, nothing
remaining but thin films of a very poor earthy form of the carbol}ate
deposit~d in the joints and cracks of the schists. A few fragments of
quartz with small particles of rich malachite were picked out of the attIe
tip~ed- down the very steep side of the hill, but no trace of any other ore or
metal couIa,be discovered after very careful search. Kotemaradi and Glltlda
Rangavvanhalli are two auriferous localities at the south-east and north-
east extremities, respectively, of a tract of schistose rocks lying between 3
and 4 miles north of Chitaldroog. The country rock, is varied, consisting
of dark cbloritic schists overlaid by beds of quartzite. and these again by
various schists. Quartz reefs are rue, or else covered up by the extensive
.-lCRIFE.80l./·S TRACTS
j
talus, but the washings made were very successful and yielded gold in
relatively large quantity and. excellent quality. Taking all things into con-
sideration, this tract is one of the most promising I have seen. The
quantity of gold obtained was so good that the country north-west and
north of the little Kotemaradi, and again to the north-east of Guddarangav-
vanhalli deserves to be most closely tested by costeaning and deep
prospecting. The nature of the country rock, chlorite-schist with associated
diorites, is all that can be desired, and there are no ostensible difficulties of
a nature likely to hinder the opening up of mines, should rich reefs be dis-
covered on further prospecting. About 14 miles north of Guddarangavvan-
halli lies the small hill kno~m as H(mntJIlUlTadi, to the west and south-west
of which are several tine reefs and numerous small veins of quartz cropping
up through the soil which hides the country rock. The hill consists of a
drab or yellowish gritty schist, passmg into argillite in parts. Immediately
east of the hill is an outcrop of gneiss, the' eastern extension of which is
masked by a great spread of cotton soiL The dip of the schists is easterly,
but at a very high angle, and the two rock series are separated by a fault
boundary. A careful washing in the little gully which drains the south and
west sides of the hill gave a very fine show of coarse gold, which can oIuy
have· come from a very little distance and is doubtless derived from one or
more of the reefs abO,-e referred to. The gully which flows round the
eastern side of the hill cuts some J 2 to J S feet into the decomposing gneiss,
and has exposed several small reefs of very blue quartz. This spot had
evidently been a favourite place of resort of the Jalagars in olden times, for
two very large dumps are to be seen on the western bank of the gully.
A washing of material collected in the bottom and banks of the guny gave
a very fair show of fine gold; this may, however, have come from reefs lying
,·ithin the schist area, as the gully rises within it on the north side of the
hill With regard to this gold-yielding locality, I quite agree with Mr.
Lavelle that it is one of very great promise. Honnamaradi is the most
northerly auriferous locality at present known in the Chiknayakanhalli band,
which continues its north-north-westerly course for a few miles beyond
JagaIur, and then crosses the frontier into the Bellary District. The
Chiknayakanhalli schist band sends off a north-westerly'branch some 6 or
7 miles south-west of Chitaldroog. This branch also continues its course
into the llellary country, and passes close east of the well-known
U chchangi-droog, a very conspicuous granite-gneiss hill crowned by a large
fort. Several groups of hills rise out of this band, one of them occurring to
the north of the high road leading from Chitaldroog to Davangere. At the
north end of L'1is latter group lies the village of Halekal, after which this
end of the hills is called the Halekalgudda, and between it and the village
lies the auriferous locality known by the same name. The Halekalgu.lda
hills consist of thick and gritty, locally conglomeratic quartzites, '\\;th
siliceous, micaceous and chloritic schists. . No reef or veins show on the
northern slope abO\'e the gold·washing place, but an area of several acres
shows ~'ery Bumerous old dumps, showing that the surface soil had been
largely turned over. The washing made here gave a good show of
E 2
GEOLOGY
moderately coarse gold. Some fine large good-looking reefs. running in the
strike of the rock, occur, crossing the footpath which leads from Halekal to
Gummanur, 3 miles sotlth-west-by-sollth. 'Vest of these is a great flow of
dioritic trap inte; c:llated between the upper and lower schists. Though not
so promising as Kotemaradi and Honnamaradi, Halekalgudda is yet
deserving of the closest investigation.
(lIfysore Iv Banavar.)
West-Central Group. - As already .stClited, the auriferous localities
included in this group occur all in small detached strips or patches of
schistose rock scattered over the older gneissic series. They are really
remnants of the once apparently continuous spread of schistose (Dharwar)
rocks which covered great part of the southern half of the Peninsula. After
this great series of rocks had been deposited, the crust of the earth on
which they rested underwent tremendous lateral pressure, and they were
crumpled into a series of great foldings running up and down the Peninsula
in parallel directions. After this they were exposed to tremendous erosive
forces and in parts entirely worn away, and the underlying old gneissic rocks
again laid bare. The small outliers are then nothing more than little
patches and strips of the younger schists which have escaped erosion either
from the superior durability of the rocks composing them, or from their
having been let down by fractures of the earth's crust, technically known
as faults, to a lower level than surrounding parts of the gneiss, and thus
escaped in some measure the full action of the eroding agencies, whatever
they may have been. The most southerly of these outliers in this group
is the little gold-field of Sonnakalli, 18 miles south-west of Mysore.
The shape of this auriferous tract is roughly a narrow oval, forming the
fiattish top of a low rise running north and south. The workings extend {or
about 2! miles north and south. I estimated the length of the oval at
3 miles, but this may possibly be' an under-estimate, as the country is
much obscured by low jungle, especially to the south and east. The country
rock consists of chloritic and other schists overlying very trappoid hom-
blendic rock. The old workings are numerous hut none of very great 'Size.
a.nd all seem of great age, judging by the highly-weathered condition of the
rocks exposed in their sides. All of them are much overgrown by jungle,
and one has to cut one's way through a dense tangle to get right into them.
The shape of the working appears in every case to have been due to the
run of the reefs worked upon. These reefs very probably contained visible
gold, which induced the old miners to take out all the quartz they could
raise, leaving only here and there masses which they considered unpro-
ductive or, in a few cases, too large and massive to be -dealt with
conveniently.. 'Ill many cases, both here and elsewhere, the whole lode has
been removed as far as can be seen, and the nature of the lode can only be
guessed at from fragments of quartz left behind, and it is at present
impossible to form any opinion about the value of the property.
If the old pits were completely cleared out, the lode would in most
c;ases be rediscovered and could then be properly tested in depth..
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 53
Scrapings of the sides of all the prIncipal workings south of Sonnahalli
were washed and gave at best but very small shows of gold.
Half a mile east of SonnahaUi village, a very large reef is exposed on the
top of the ridge; it does not look very promising, but seems worth deeper
prospecting than it has yet undergone. I did not attempt a crushing, as I
could not find any good-looking stone from a sufficient depth. This reef
has a run of N. SO \V. At the fQot of the nOI th-eastern slope of the Sonna-
halli betta or hill, a large reef has been exposed and to some extent worked
out by a series of pits of moderate size. The quartz is white and barren-
looking. The line of old workings at Karimaddallhalti commences about
I t miles east of Sonnahalli betta, and extends northward for about a mile.
They have been sunk in pale pink gneissic-looking felspathic schists, but
associated with them are some hornblendic and ferruginous strata which bear
a fair resemblance to characteristic members of the auriferous schist
series, and they may, provisionally at least, be regarded as belonging to it.
They form a narrow strip about 2 miles in length on the flat top of a ridge
east of Karirnaddanhalli village. The rock forming the casing of the reefs
is generally chlorltic near the contact, but not so at the distance of a yard or
two. In the most southerly working the reef is not seen in the pit at
present and Seems to have been entirely removed, but this cannot be
decided unless the pit were entirely cleared of jungle and debris. Fragments
of quartz remaining are white but much iron-stained, and contain a few
scattered small cubes of pyrites. The great working east of Karimaddan-
halIi village has been excavated along the course of a large reef running
very nearly due east and west. In colour this reef is very white, but parts
are much iron-stained, and it contains many cavities both cubical and
irregular in shape, the latter containing a decomposed chloritic mineral and
limonite. A few cubes of pyrites were noticed and some specks of
arsenical pyrites. About i mile to the northward of the great working
commences a line of smaller old works which extend right down to the
south end of the Gijayanvaddargudi tank, a good mile to the north. Many
reefs are exposed running in various directions north, south, east. west,
north-east, south-west, &c. &c., and all are white and hungry-looking, and
include hardly any accessory minerals, small chloritic and ha:matitic
inclusions excepted. Some of the reefs are large, from 6' to 8' or 10' thick.
The country rock here consists of hornblendic and chloritic schists, the
latter in very small quantity. l\L.my washings were made and gold obtained
in nearly every case, but only in small quantity. Not a vestige of free gold
was seen in any of the reefs, either here or anywhere else, If it existed,
the old miners were very careful to remove every atom of the gold-bearing
quartz. About l of a mile north-east-by-east of NadajJanltalli is a line of
old workings of limited extent, sunk in pale greenish-brown chloritic schist.
From the southern working, a fair-sized pit, the whole of the reef has been
removed. In the more northerly workings, some shallow pits and a long
shallow trench, a good-sized 'quartz reef is exposed to the depth (at present)
of 3 or 4 feet at the utmost. The quartz is white, but shows a fair number
of cavities filled with earthy limonite, probably derived from the decompo-
54 GEOLOGY
sition of enclosures of chloritic minerals. Pyrites is very rare, occurring
only in very minute cubes or specks. Bright spangles and films of red
hrematite are commoI'l.. Several washings were made from scrapings of the
pit sides, and in each case resulted in a small show of rich-coloured gold.
This concludes the survey of this group south of the Kaveri. I
The well-known Be!(ibe/ta and its environs contain a considerable number
of large and well-defined reefs, to which a large amount of attention had
been paid by the old native miners. BeHibeUa, 'or the silver hill. is the
highest of a group of moderate-sized hills .,rising
, on an outlier of the auriferous
series, rather more than 20 miles N.W. of Seringapatam, and 3! S.W. of
Krishnarajpet. The principal old workings are situated on the northern spur of
BeHibeHa, and consist of several large pits and a variety of smaller ones, with
several small shafts and passages. Some are a good deal obstructed by jungle
growth and all to a great extent cho~ed up with debris, which makes it quite
impossible to be certain as to the depth they were carried to. Dumps are
numerous but not proportionate in extent to the size of the workings, so it is
probable that much of the auriferous quartz was carried away to be reduced
to powder elsewhere. The mass of BeHibetta consists of chloritic schist, the
beds of which dip westward at a high angle, the strike being slightly west-of-
north. They show considerable contortion. They are underlaid to the east by
a bed of very coarse steatitic schist, on which the village of Katargatta stands.
The run of the majority of the reefs is a little west-of-lforth, but one or two run
east and west. To the south-west of Katargatta village is a very large reef of
pale blue and white quartz which extends north-westward up to the slope and
appears to join the set of reefs on top of the northern spur of DeUibeHa in
which the great workings have been carried on, but a considerable space
between them is covered up by debris and. talus at present and the con-
nection cannot be proved positively. No workings have been made along
the lower part of this great reef, but to the south and south-west of it I
noticed a large number of small workings and dumps. A not very important
series of old shallow works with dumps occurs on the ridge north of
BeHibeHa, and here washings gave a very poor show of gold. A large and well-
marked reef forms the crest of this ridge, but it is very white and hungry-
looking and contains no enclosures but a very little chlorite. The country
rock is a curiously felted fibrous hornblende schist, with a small admix-
ture of chlorite. A few hundred yards to the south-west, in the jungle on
the left bank of the stream flowing into the little Katargatta tank, a bare
sheet of very light-coloured rocks, apparently a quartzite, is exposed, on which
are many score of small saucer-shaped holes, evidently made by pounding
the quartz to reduce it. None of the" mulIers" or hammers used in the
process were found here. Half a mile north of Katargatta village lie some
important quartz reefs and a large number of old workings. The reefs form
the edge of a' ledge formed by the eastern ridge of the auriferous rocks,
BeHibetta being the western ridge rising out of the outlier. The reefs, which
are very large and well-marked, consist of pale blue and bluish-white quartz.
I saw no indications of any recent deep prospecting along these reefs, the
eastern of which is exposed for nearly a mile and the western for about t
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 55
mile. About t of a mile to the northward of these great reefs is a line of old
workings. They are mostly large trenches, so greatly fiiled up with soil and
grass that no signs of any reef can be made out. They present every
appearance of great age. The country rock is also almost entirely masked
by soil and vegetation; when seen, it consisted of a talcose hornblende
schist. Very little quartz is seen lying about, and it looks as if the lodes had
been extracted bodily. I cannot confirm Mr. Lavelle's asserted discovery of
silver ore on BeJ!ibena, having been unable to find any sort or kind of
argentlferous mineral there; still there can be no doubt that'it is a gold-
field of very great promise and descrving of the closest examination by deep
prospecting on an ample scale. The great reef on BeHibetta, if proved
sufficiently auriferous, could easily be mined to considerable depth by
simple quarrying, and for this reason among others I think Dewan
Purniab's want of success in mining for silver here was due to the want of
ore rather than any other cause. Very near the northern extremity of the
BeJ!ibetta outlier is a small group of small shallow pits and dumps. They
lie on both sides of the Mysore-Hassan road, about t of a mile north-west
of Pura. Two small reefs were noted, but neither of them looked promising,
they being white and hungry. The country rock east of the road is a re-
markable hornblende schist, which shows a very pretty felting of the fibre
in stellate points with curved radiations. North of the BeJ!ibetta outlier
comes a tract of micaceous granite-gneiss, with some hornblende schist
bands and occasional trap-dykes extending up to and beyond the famous
Jain temple of S'ravan Belgola, and some four miles further north-east,
where what appears to be a tiny outlier of the auriferous rocks
shows close to the little village of Kempinkote in Channarayapatna
taluq. The Jrempinkote workings consist of one' huge pit close
to the village, a small pit about 300 yards to the south-east, and
three or four small shallow excavations a mile to the north-east. The
great pit, which is by far the largest excavation of the kind I have
seen in India, is dug out of hornblendic and steatitic schists, a good
deal contorted but having a general strike to the northward. Not a
trace of any reef is visible in situ, and but very few lumps of quartz remain
in the pit. This may very likely be explicable by the fact that it contained
free gold, and that every good-looking bit was carried off long ago to be
crushed elsewhere. I examined every bit of quartz I could see, but had not
the good fortune to find any free gold. A washing of the scrapings of the
side near a small exposure of the steatitic schist gave a very nch show of
gold in proportion to the quantity of stuff washed. The gold was very fine-
gramed and of excellent colour. A washing at the small pit to the south-
east gave a very poor result. The country rock here is also a steatitic schist
very similar to that of the big pit. A few small lenticular masses of bluish-
white quartz occur on the east side of the second pit, but are too short to
be regarded as true reefs. The small excavations lying'to the north-east of
Kempinkote have been J;llade in chloritic schist abounding with small cubical
cavities full of reddish limonite. It is impossible to offer any positive
opinion as to the Kempinkote gold prospects, no reef being visible in the
GEOLOGY
great pit. The latter should be cleared out to see whether the reet has been
entirely worked out or not. The length and width of the great pit is so
great that it is quite possible the old miners really descended to a great
depth before stopped by water or other difficulties they could not compass
with their limited mechanical appliances. The great size of the old work-
ing shows, however, that the old miners found the place worth their atten-
tion for a long period. Overlying the chloritic schist which forms .the main
mass cif the low rise south-east of Nuggihalti is a thin bed of hrematitic
schist, the debris from which forms a wiQ.e·~pread talus. This iron-strewn
knoll appears to be the southern termination of the Tagadur-betta outlier,
unless the auriferous rocks make a considerable sweep to the west, for the
rocks along the direct path from Kempinkote to N uggihalli belong to the
gneiss. To the northward the hrematite band thickens considerably, and
may be traced for nearly a mile, and may very likely represent the great iron
beds which form the crest of Tagadurbetta itself. The rock shown in the
quarry about It miles N.N.E. of NuggihaUi is of doubtful geological age,
and is separated from the Tagadurbetta band of the auriferous schists by
a band nearly 2 miles in width of granite gneiss. The workings described
by Mr. Lavelle as occurring one mile north of the village, were not seen by
me, nor are any indications of them given on his maps. Two pits I was
taken to at abouq to!l ofa mile W. and N.W. by W. of Nuggihalli, appear to
me to have been quarries for rubble stone, not excavations made for any
mining purposes, for no signs appear either of reefs or dumps in either case.
They are situated just within the western boundary 'of the schist outlier,
and lie near the path leading from N uggihalIi to Virupakshipur. A mile
and a quarter N_N.W., and just at the l),ead of the valley running north-east
from the Tagadurbelta hill, begins a set of old workings which occur at
intervals through the scrub jungle for rather more than half a mile. The
workings are all very shallow and look as if they had been early abandoned.
The reefs seen run in the strike of the C'Ountry rock, which bends about from
north and south to north-west nnd back to north again. None of the reefs
here are of any length or great thickness. The quartz they consist of is
white and hungry-looking, and the washings obtainell were not encouraging
in quantity, though not so small as to make me condemn this gold-field as
unworthy of further attention, for the country rock, chloritic schists with
intercalated hrematitic bands, is favourable to the occurrence of gold. The
crest of Tagadurbetta consists of two good-sized beds of massive hrematitic
rock, which are one source of the great hrematitic talus which covers the
eastern slope of the ridge. The southern extension of these beds is very
soon masked by surface deposits, but to the north they extend about a mile
as low but conspicuous mural outcrops. How much further they extend I
could not say: but it is not all improbable they may run considerably further,
or even join tb'e llIallenhalli outlier, 8 miles to the N.N.W. These work-
iAgs lie a mile south of the high road leading from Hassan to Tiptur, and
about 10 miles south-west of the latter town No reef js seen in connection
with the large pit, nor is the country rock exposed just here, but close by it
consists of hornblendic schist underlying a green micaceous gneissoid schist,
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 57
and fragments of true quartzite were observed lying abouLin some quantity,
confirming the Dharwar age of these beds. A moderate show of gold was
obtained by washing. A little to the northward of the pit is a large reef of
rather good~looking bluish-white mottled quartz. The reef shows for nearly
100 yards, and is from 12 to IS feet thick on the surface. The quartz shows
no included minerals, but testing in depth might very probably show good
_results. The schistose rocks seem to stop near Mallenhalli, and only-gneissic
rocks were noted between the village and the next al;1riferous 10cality,Jaega-
ranhalli, 3i miles N.W. by N. This consists of a small and rather shallow
pit with a number of date-palms growing in and around it. No reef is seen
traversing the pit, on the east side of which is an outcrop of the stellately
felted hornblende rock seen at the Pura workings at the north end of the
BeJ!ibeua outlier. A wash of scrapings from the side of the pit gave a fair
show of fine gold, sufficient to recommend that it be more fully prospected
and tested than has as yet been done. The p'elgumba auriferous rocks are,
I believe, the northerly extension of the beds seen at JalgaranhaUi, but time
did not allow of my examining the intermediate tract of country, and I
visited, the I3elgumba tract from the north. This group of old workings lies
7 miles south-east of Arsikere, and It miles south ofthe 99th milestone on the
Bangalore-Sliimoga road. The highest point of ground due south of the
99th mile is the northern extremity of the Belgumba outlier of the auriferous
rocks; the southern end, as above explained, forming to all appearance the
J algaranhalli auriferous patch. The workings, with one exception, lie along
the westerly slope oi a low ridge extending S.S.E. from the high pointl just
referred to. The strike of the schist beds is as nearly as possible S:S.E.,
and they occupy a band about i a mile in width abreast of the workings;
further south the band seems to widen out. A large but generally'white and
hungry~looking reef runs along the ridge on its western slope just below the
summit, and another similar one crests a knoll a little to the south of the
most southerly pit. They run parallel with the strike of the chloritic and
hornblendic schists forming 'the country rock. The northern reef shows
bluish colour in parts. The considerable size of the old workings
is the only evidence in favour of their having been productive. . They are
much obscured by rubbish, and in their present state it is impossible to say
whether or .not the reefs they were worked on continue in depth. The
prospects of future success at this place are not very encouraging. The
country northward from the Trigonometrical Station hill up to and beyond
the Shimoga road is all gneissic: At Gollarkalli, about 6 miles to the
south-west of Belgumba, is a very large old working, in shape like a very
rude horse-shoe, opening northward. The depth of the working is nowhere
great, and at the southern part of the curve very shallow. The curve encloses
a few small detached workings of no interest or importance. Dumps occur
pretty numerously all along the sides of the horse-shoe, but no reefs are
visible in any part of the workings except at the southern apex, where a
large but very ill-defined reef of bluish-white colour shows up for a few yards j
but it is .very easy to overlook it, as it is greatly obscured by rubbish. A
I This point is crowned by a Trigonometrica1 Station, 2,982 feet above sea-level.
GEOLOGY
very barren-looking reef of massive white quartz occurs some httle distance
north of the western branch of the horse-shoe. Neither of. these reefs has
been tested to any ~lPth. This o'!!tlier of the auriferous rocks, if such roc~s
they are, is a very small one, and gneissic rocks occur all around at very
small distances. Very little is seen of the country rock except at the
eastern end of the works, wnere an immensely tough hornblendic rOl.k with
a soapy steatitic weathered surface occurs. Small outcrops of hornblendic
schist peep up here and there in the workings. The washings that I had
made at the western extremity gave only a small show of gold, but from
scrapings in the deepest part of the eastern arm of the working I got a very
fair show. The locality appears to me to be deserving of closer prospecting
than it has yet undergone. Three and a half miles sout'h-south-west of
Arsikere are the old Yellavan" workings, which lie in the low ground half a
mile or so east of the village, and are excavated in hornblendic schist with
intercalated bands of chlorite schist, which I refer but ~oubtfully to the
auriferous system. The quartz seen is bluish-greyish-white in colour, very
saccharoid in texture, and much iron-stained in part from the decomposition
of included specks of hrematite. Specks of powdery kaolin occur, but no
visible gold or any sulphides. The r~ef lies between bands of micaceous
and hornblendic bands of gneiss on the east and west respectively. A
washing from the casing of the reef gave a very small show of gold. I feel
justified in recommending further testings arid a search for the reef, which
wiII probably be re-discovered if the working is cleared out to the bottom.
Whether there is any connection between the Yellavari and Gollarhalli
patches of auriferous rock I cannot say; the country is too jungly, and the
rocks at both places seen in such very small outcrops that the eye can only
follow them for a few yards. I noted no sign' of any extension of the
schists- northward or north-westward past Arsikere. Karadiltalli is the last
of the auriferous localities included in the west-central group. The work-
ings lie on the north and south~east slopes of a low ridge, the centre of
which is formed by a small granite gneiss hilll locally called the Chotnare
Maradi, around the base of which lie beds of steatite and hornblendic rock
of doubtful age, geologically speaking. As to reefs, only one small one
was noted near the southern set of pits, and this is a white ancl hungry-
looking one running for some 60 paces N. 5° W. Northward of the
Chotnare Maradi are two large reefs deserving of further examination. The
first, which lies due north of the hill, runs north and south, the second, which
shows much more conspicuously, lies a couple of hundred yards further
north-east and runs N. 20" W. The great wealth in gold which Mr. Lavelle
ascribes to this palt of the country has, I think, yet to be proven. The
auriferous tracts already known are very small in extent, and, as far as surface
study of th~ goes, they, do not appea~ to be of the highest class.
(Tarz"kere 10 Ddvol1gere)
Western Group.-No old workings or unworked auriferous localities were
brought to my notice in the southern part of tl;1e western band, but since
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 59
the completion of my tour I have seen a statement1 that a vast number of
old workings occur all over the hills to the north-west of Halebid. These
old workings should certainly be looked up, both on geological and
economic grounds. The western group is numerically far poorer in
auriferous localities than either of the others, and they are scattered widely
apart. The sands of several of the small streams running down from the
hills west of the vi1lage of Chiranlzalli in Tarikere taluq are auriferous. A
washing in the stream flowing through the little tank known as the
Huggisiddankatte gave a good show of rather coarse gold. A very fair
show was next obtained at the junction of the same stream with another
coming in from the north, and a small show from the bed of the northern
stream, which is'trossed by a good-sized quartz reef running N.N.E. This
was the only reef seen, but other reefs doubtless occur among the hills west
of the Huggisiddankatte. The country rock consists of steatitic and very
pale chloritic schists, full of cubical crystals of pyrites, some of which are
replaced by pseudomorphs in limonite, and others are quite fresh and bright.
Well-shaped octohedra of magnetic iron 'are also to be found in the schists.
The geological features are all favourable to the occurrence of gold, and the
locality is worthy of very careful prospecting. At lIfalebennur, the sands
of the little stream which falls into the Komaranhalli tank next Beyond the
ridge underlying the south end of the tank bund are auriferous, and from
a washing I made here I obtained a very good show of coarse-grained gold
of excellent colour. The little stream drains the western slope of the ridge
for about a quarter of a mile, and its whole catchment basin most be less
than 100 acres. The greater part of this consists of chloritic schists w"hich
in their upper part cOlltain many laminre and small nests of crystalline
limestone. The chloritic schists are underlaid by trap, to all appearance a
contemporaneous flow. This trap extends westward far beyond the basin
of the small stream. To the east the chlorite schist is overlaid by a
hrematitic quartzite bed of considerable thickness, beyond which I did not
follow up the series. No reefs are to be seen within the basin of the little
stream, but many small veins of blue quartz occur traversing the chlorite
schist and also the overlying hrematite bed. Some of the larger of these veins
on top of the ridge have an east-to--west run. The western slope ought to
be very closely tested by costeaning in order to ascertain the source of the
gold dust found in the stream. Trenches carried through the talus-covered
parts of the slope may also be tried in order to find, if possible, any larger
reefs. As already stated, a trap formation occupies the bottom. of the valley
west of the auriferous stream. This trap is muc\l obscured by soil and talus,
and the sequence of the rocks is not to be made out near the road. \Vhere
the ground begins to rise westward, and rocks crop out, is a quartzite so much
altered by crushing and weathering that it has in parts assumed quite a
gneissoid appearance, Underlying this comes a thick band of dark schist,
chiefly argillitic, and this in its turn is underlaid by a gr:eat thickness ot pale
green and grey schists, chIorito--micaceous, in variable character. A few
I In an exhaustive work on the Occurrence and Extraction of Gold, by A. G.
Lock.
60 . GEOLOGY
beds of quartzite are intercalated here and there, and many very irregular
veins of white and pale bluish quartz are to be seen traversing the schists.
Gold occurs at ~nekonda, a little over half a mile N.E. of Da1.1angere
travellers' bungalow, in form of dust obtained by washing the red gritty soil
lying against the rock, which here forms a ridge rising only 20 feet (if as
much) over the surrounding country. The rock is a brecciated quartz run,
not an ordinary reef. Runs such as these are common in many parts of the
gneiss in the Ceded Districts and elsewhere, but I have never met with one
within the auriferous (Dharwar) ser!~s, ,~or have I ever come across such a
brecciated quartz rock that had been regarded as auriferous by the old
miners and mined as such. A washing of the red soil exposed in the
shallow bed of a small stream £allmg into the Anekonda tank, a few hundred
yards further south, also yielded a small show of gold. The source of this
gold I believe to lie in the high ground to the south.
The elevated tract of the auriferous rocks of which the Bababudan moun-
tains fOrIn the centre is one well deserving great attention both from the
geologist and the mining prospector, it being an area of great disturbance,
the rocks being greatly contorted on a large scale, and on the north and
south sides at least of the area much cut up by great faults. Regions of
great disturbance are in many cases extra rich in minerals,' and it is very
likely that such may be the case here. It is only of late years, owing to the
extension of coffee-planting, that this mountain region has become accessible.
Before that it was covered by vast impenetrable forests which hid every-
thing. These are now penetrable in many directions, and the modern pros-
pector has opportunities which did not exist before. The eastern part of
the mountain tract culminating in the Bababudan mountains cons;sts of
huge flows of trap-rock (diorite) with intercalated beds of dark argiJIitic
schists capped by quartzites and hrematites, which two latter form the
summit of the Bababudan mass. Mr. Lavelle mentions magnetic iron ore
and "chrome" (presumably chromic iron) from the Bababudans, but un-
fortunately does not give any localities, so it was impossible to inquire
further into their occurrence. The chromic iron would 1>(:' valuable if found
in good quantity and easily mined. The most southerly of the auriferous
a
localities in the western set is Suladamaradi, small hill'2 miles south-east
of Tarikere. The hill consists of chloritic schist in highly contorted beds.
The great white reef on top of the hill participates in the' contortions, and is
bent into a very remarkable flat sigmoid curve. This and the other reefs
occurring on the north side of the hill are very white and hungry-looking.
The only enclosures in the quartz I noted, after careful search, were small
spangles with rich green chlorite. There were no sulphides, nor any other
mineral, the chlorite excepted. The indications of the Suladamaradi rocks
are anytliing but favourable, and the old miners evidently thought so too,
for there' are no signs of old workings. On the left bank of the Bhadra
river, J 3 miles south· east of Shimoga, on washing in the rain gully draining
the south side of Honnehatti hill (Trig. Station), I obtained a very good
show of moderately coarse gold. The mass of the hill consists of chloritic
schist having a N.N. W. strike, and the beds may be seen extending for
AURIFEROUS TRACTS 61
miles in that direction, after which they trend N.E. Several. large reefs are
to be seen running N.N.\V., or in the line of the strike of the country rock.
Their only apparent fault is their great whiteness. No workings are seen on
the south side of the hill, but on ascending the Honnehattimaradi on its
eastern side, I came upon several unknown old pits and one shaft, which
from their bearing had evidently been sunk to follow one of the reefs. The
workings had evidently been continued to some depth, and were therefore in
all probability fairly remunerative. Honnehatti appears to me to deserve
very marked attention from earnest prospectors. P(llavanhalli:- This well-
known auriferous tr11ct, which with the adjacent Kudrikonda tract con-
stitutes the Honnali gold-field, was first visited by me in 1881 and its
geology very carefully worked out and reported on (see above, p. 41).
My opinion of the Kudrikonda tract was published in the paper just referred
to. I believe my geological inferences to have been corre'ct, and that the
temporary non-success of the mine has been due mainly to want of capital
wherewith to push on the works in depth. So long as sufficient quartz was
raised to keep the stamps at full work, the mine paid its expenses. Should
more capital be raised and working be resumed, I fully expect the yield of
gold will improve in depth, as has been the case in so many deep mines in
Australia. Without having the plans to refer to, and the mine itself being
full of water owing to the stoppage of the works, and therefore inaccessible,
I could not form any opinion as to the merits or demerits of the plan· of
work which had prevailed, but I cannot help thinking that if a new engine
of sufficient power be provided to keep the mastery over the great volume
of water flowing through the mine, it will soon be possible to sink an ex-
ploratory shaft to find the lode, which has been thrown by a fault in the
country rock. It would be a great mistake to abandon further work without
having made an earnest search for the missing lode, as from the structure of
the country it is very unlikely th~t the throw f>f the fault can be a great
one.
Non-Metallic Minerals.
The pure gold-prospecting work left me no leisure to devote to any non-
metallic minerals, excepting such as actually fell in my way.
Emery.-Near Nadapanhalli a few small masses of dirty brown rock,
measuring less than 2 cubic yards in the aggregate, are seen by the side of
a field road. There are no signs of. any working, so I suppose only loose
pieces were taken away to test its cQmmercial value, which cannot be great.
The emery is very impure and of poor quality, and with good corundum
obtainable in quantity in various other parts of the country is not deserving
of any attention.
Asbestos.-Onlyone asbestos-yielding locality came under my notice, to
the west of BeJHbetta. The matrix: rock in which the asbestos really occurs
is not seen in the little pit from which the stone had been dug. The surface
of the country just here consists of reddish kankar underlying red. soil.
The asbestos I saw had been included in the kankar, having apparentlr been
weathered out from its original matrix, whatever that may have been. The
62 GEOLOGY
show of asbestos at the pit was very small and of inferior quality. The
largest pieces showed a coarse fibre, 4 to 5 inches long, cream-coloured, and
of dull lustre. I only Mticed one piece with fine silky fibre and silvery-
white colour. In the present condition of the pit, it is illlpossible to form
an opinion as to the capabilities of the pl~ce.
/(acJlill.-Kaolin is mentioned by Mr. Lavelle as occurring in several
places and of good quality and colour, but he does not state whether it is
available in large. quantities. 1'0 be of real value commercially it tnust be
of the highest degree of purity and fitee··{rom all iron-mould or stain. To
raise it on a large scale requires the presence on the sp'ot of a large supply of
perfectly limpid 'water, with which to work the rock by hydraulic sluicing, and
facilities for the construction of large settling pits, which must be protected
from the influence of ferruginous dust of any kind. In Europe, china clay
works are found to pay only where the industry can be carried out on a really
large scale. I have never yet seen in India a place combining the two most
essential requirements for a successful industry, namely, a large develop-
ment of kaolinized granite ana a sufficient supply of limpid water. The
limpidity of the water is a' sine qU(I non for success. There is no demand
for large quantities of kaolin in India, and speculators would do w_ell to
make sure before starting such an industry in India that they could find a
profitaWe market for their produce in Europe or elsewhere.
Jfarbfe.-I noticed a good bed of grey crystalline limestone running north
and south across one of the gullies near the main gold pit at Holgere. The
limestone lies half way down the slope to the Holgere tank, and is of good
quality, and would be a useful stone for decorative and monumental
sculpture. Immense quantities of grey ctystalline limestone, divided oy
partings and small beds of quartzite, occur on the east side of the main
ridge lying between Chiknayaka1'!halli and Dod-Rampura. The limestones
are se.veral hundred feet thick and deserve to be prospected. (or they may
very likely contain beds of other colour than grey which would be valuable
in sculpture. .
Granite.-A very beautiful variety of granite gneiss, eminently fitted for
cutting and polishing on a large scale, forms the mass of Chotnaremaradi in
the little Karadihalli gold-field, two miles east of Banavar. The rock is
remarkably free from joints, and monoliths of great size could easily be
quarried. It is by far the handsomest gramte I have seen in Mysore.
Porpltyry.-A great dyke of beautiful porphyry traverses the hills east of
the Karigatta temple'overlooking Seringapatam. The porphyry, ",hich is of
warm brown or chocolate colour, includes many crystals of lighter coloured
felspar and dark crystals of hornblende. The stone would take a very high
polish, and for decorative purposes of higb class, such as vases, panels and
bases for tXtsts and tazzas) etc., it is unequalled in South India, and deserving
of all attention. If well polished it fully equals many of the liighly prized
antique porphyries. The dyke is of great thickness and runs for fully a
mile, so is practically inexhaustible. Blocks of very large size could be
raised, and, from the sitll~tion of the dyke on the sides of two steep hill; it
would be very easy to open up large quarries if needful.
METEOROLOGY
The Hindus divide the year into six seasons. Of these the first,
'l'asanta ritu or spring, commences with the opening of the Hindu year
in March. It is the season of love and pleasure, and is a- favourite
theme of Indian bards. The weather is serene and clear, the farmer's
occupations are mostly over, and he has time to celebrate the yearly
festivals of his gods and the marriages of his kinsfolk. The mango is
then covered with blossom, and the landscape is'gay with the beautiful
and sweet-scented flowers of the kaUe or Indian laburnum. The
southerly breezes that blow during the' night are the voluptuous zephyrs
of this vernal season. The grishma ritu, iiterally sweating season, is
the second. It is the hottest part of the year, the sun beiqg nearly
vertical. The dust of the arid fields is frequently carried up in small
whirlwinds, forming what are called pisdchis or devils. Nightly illumina-
tions of the ghats and hills are seen, the result either of spontaneous
combustion from the friction of bamboos. against each other, or of a
spark blown into the long withered grass which covers the slopes. The
heat is intense and the air often still and stagnant. The sunset sky
glows with the most fervid tints. It is the time of cyclones. Thunder-
clouds suddenly gather, and-preceded by storms of dust, which sweep
impetuously over the surf'ace of the ground, obscuring the view for
miles,-the rain, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning, dose
followed by startling c1aps of thunder, descends in large and distant
drops, often mixed with hail. These short-lived tempests prc:lude the
grateful bursting of the monsoon, and introduce the varsha ritu or rainy
season. The south-west monsoon blows steadily during this period
and should bring with it abundance of rain. The rivers are swollen and
sometimes' impassable for days. The face of nature is clad in green and
the ploughed fields receive the precious seed. The s' arad ritu or
autumn next succeeds, during which the sun being again vertic~ in his
southern declination but shedding a moderate heat, the fruits of the
earth ripen. This season closes with the change of the monsoon, which
is marked by the loudest thunder and heal~est rain of the year, the wind
settling steadily in the north-east. The largest tanks are often filled in
a few hours and a store of water obtained that will last over the succeed:-
ing dry months. The hemanta ritu pr winter next sets in, with chilly foggy
m<?mings and bright sunny days. The fields are reaped and the grain
stacked. The s'is'ira ritu or cold season concludes the circle of the
year. Piercing north-east winds dry up all trace of moisture, and clouds
METEOROLOGY
of dust arise from every movement over the thirsty ground. The skin
is parched and feverish. But the larger trees put forth new leaves or
cover themselves with a mass of gorgeous blossom.
The ye,arlin Mysore may, however, with sufficient accuracy be divided,
according to another Hindu system as old as the Vedas, into three
seasons-the rainy, the col~~ and the hot., The first commences with
the bursting of the south-west monsoon, at the end of Mayor -early in
June, and continues with some interval in August or September to the
middle of N ovetnber, closing with the heavY'rains of the north-east
monsoon. It is fonowed by the cold season, which is generally entirely
free from rain, and lasts till the end of February. The hot season then
sets in, towards the beginning of March, and increases in intensity to
the end of May, with occasional relief from thunder-storms.
The close of the rainy season in November is marked by dense fogs
which prevail all over the country during December and January.
They begin about three in the morning and last till seven, when they
are dispersed by the heat of the sun. But in some parts fogs or rather
mists follow the earlier raihs. Thus about Chitaldroog from August to
October the hills are obscured till nearly ten in the forenoon.
The temperature is the most equable during the rainy months, the
range of the thermometer at Bangalore at that season being between 64 Q
and 84°. In the cold season the mercury falls there as low as 51° in
the early morning, and sometimes rises to 80· during the day: The
minimum and maximum in the ,shade during the hottest months are
about 66· and 91°, or in extreme seasons 96°. The observations
registered in the several District& are given in Vol. II.
Situated midway between th~ eastern and western coasts, Mysore
shares-in both monsoons, the south-west and the north-east. The rainfall
ranges from 200 inches or'morel a year in the Western Ghat regions, to
little more than 10 inches in the north centre. But these are extremes
that apply only to limited, areas. The excessive rain of the Malruid
rapidly diminjshes eastwards, and from 30 to 36 inches may be accepted
as the general average for the greater part of the country. The least
quantity of rain falls throughout the tracts lyi~g north-east from the Baba
Budan range along both banks of the Vedavati or Hagari to the
Chitaldroog frontier of the Province. Compared witb the rest of the
country this may be termed a rainless district, and the scanty fall is
attributed, no doubt correctly, to the influence of the towering mass of
the Bab3. Budan chain intercepting the moisture with which the south-
west'monsoon wind is charged.
1 Mr. R. H. Elliot mentions that no less than 291 'S3 inches fell between April and
the end of'September (1893) ft a cardamom plantation on the crests of the ghats.
RAINS
The annual rainfall may be conveniently distributed into four periods,
namely:-
The cold weather rains D~ember to Mar~,
The hot weather rains April and May,
The sooth-west munsoon __ _ June to September,
The north-east monsoon '" October and November,
The cold wea//zer rains are insignificant, scanty in quantity, and not
much needed for the standing crops. Rut they are useful in keeping
up the pasture supply of the country. The !wI weallzer rains (some-
times called mango showers) are of the accidental kind; heavy short
storms from the east They are very important to successful agriculture,
as a copious fall replenishes the tanks and enables the cultivators to
prepare the land for the following sou/a-west miJns()()n rains. These are
perhaps the most essential for the country. which, on account of its
general dryness, requires the steady drizzling and persevering rains of
this season to make the soil productive. The ,uJr/a-eas/ monsoon rains
are especially important for filling the tanks and providing a stOre of
water that may last over th~ rainless months.
The following averages for each District have been calculated for each
season, based on the registered fall in the various taluqs in inches and
a:nts for twenty-four years, from 1870 to 1893 : -
District,
Cold
Weather,
, Dec.-Mar,
Hot , Sow.
Weather, 1 Monsoon,
Apr,-May,, !une-Sept.
II N,E,
Monsoon.
Oct.-Nov,
Annual
Average.
----1----
BangaIore
Kolar
, .' 1'32 4'80 15'64 7'88
7'06
29'64
25"3 6
1-08 3'69 13'53
Tnmkur
Mysore
Hassan
.- ,
, 0'85
1"6 3
1'32
4'38
6'1)8
6'42
13'66
10'21
19'37
6'69
8'36
8'15
I 25'58
27'18
35'26
Shimoga , 7'50
Kadur _
Chitaldroog
,
: 1 '03
1'29
1'10
5'58
6'29
3'72
48'96
43'96
10'40
9'39
6'69
I 63'07
60'93
21'91
I
I
I
A \"erage for the Province I
i
1 '20 5'23
,
21"96
I 77 2
I 36 '11
F 2
68
FLORA
The situation of Mysore within the tropics, combined with an eleva-
tion which gives it a tempemte climate, and its almost complete environ-
ment by lofty mountain chains, are, f~tures which contribute to the
formation of a rich and varied flom.
The forests l of the country, which yield a considerable item towards
its revenue, have been estimated to cover a total area of 2,975 square
miles, exclusive of scrub jungle which grows on much of the waste
land. They may be roughly divided into evergreen and tieddu(}us
forests; which again are distributed in three distinct forest belts, of
very unequal width, and running north and south. These are the
evergreen belt, the dry belt, and an intermediate one, combining some
of the features of both, which may be called the mixed belt.
The evergreen. belt of forests is confined to the west, and comprises
the country in the Western Ghats and below them, extending from the
north of Sagar taluq to the south of Manjarabad. Its greatest width.
which is at its northern extremity, nowhere exceeds from 12 to 14 milts,
is
and at some points not more than six. The tree vegetation is magni-
ficent. Many of the hills are covered to their summits with heavy
forest, while the valleys and ravines produce trees which can scarcely
be rivalled in India,-so luxuriant is their growth, so vast their height,
so great their size. In some parts the undergrowth is dense, elsewhere
the forest is open, and on all sides trees with clear stems to the first
branch of from 80 to 100 feet meet the eye.
The following are some of the more valuable trees growing in this
belt! :-
Artocarpus hirsuta ... Wild jack ... Heb-halasu, hesavaa.
Good shade for coffee. Yields the anjeli wood of commerce. Wood hard and
durable when well seasoned, yellowish-brown, close-grained. Much used on the
western coast for house and ship-building, furniture. and other purposes. Weight
about 3S Ibs. per cubic foot.
1 Originally based chiefly upon the Forest Report for 1869-70, by Captain van
Someren, Conservator of Forests.
II The third .edition of "Forest Trees of Mysore and Coorg," by the same, edited
by Mr. J. Cameron, may be referred to for fuller infor~tion; or Watts' I f Dictionary
of the Economic Products of India."
S In common use the Kannada name is put into the genitive case, followed by the
word mara, tree. Hence heo-hala.riIUJ mara, lusavana mara: ddpada mara would
be more intelligible to a native than the bare name.
TREES
Calophyllum tomentosum Poem spar '" Kuve. bobbi
Yields poon spars, which fetch a good price, and are used for masts. Wood reddish
and coarse-grained. Weight 48 Ibs. per cubic foot. .
Diospyros ebenum... ••• Ebony ... ... Kare, maiIali
Heartwood black, very hard, durable, and takes a fine polish. Weight about 80 lbs.
per cubic foot. In great demand for cabinet work, turnery, inlaying, and musical
instruments.
Erythroxylon monogynum Red cedar ... Devadaru, adavi go-
ranti
Heartwood dark brown and fragrant; sometimes used as a substitute for sandal.
From it is distilled a tar or oil used in Ceylon to preserve timber. Leaves and bark
medicinal.
Garcinia morella ••• ••• Gamboge-tree ... .,. Kankutake
The yellow pigment which exudes from an incision in the trunk is the true gamboge
of commerce. Wood hard and mottled. Weight ~bout 561bs. per cubic foot.
Lagerstrremia 60s-regime... ... Challa, ma~va
Very handsome in blossom. Root, bark, leaves, and flowers used medicinally.
Wood light red, strong, and very <;lurable under water. Weight about 4Z Ibs. per
cubic foot.
Soymida febrifuga ... Redwood ... Swami mara
Bark used for tanning and as an inferior dye; is also a febrifuge. Heartwood very
hard and close-grained, reddish-black, very durable, not attacked by white ants.
Weight about 761bs. per cubic foot.
Vateria indica ..• White dammar ... ." Dupa
Magnificent tree. Yields the gum-resin knowl;l asowhite darumar or Piney resin,
locally used as an incense an4 varnish. A fatty oil from the seeds is e~ployed like
tallow for making candles. Heartwood grey, tough, moderately hard, porous.
Weight 41 lbs. per cubic foot. Not much in demand.
The mixed belt of forest extends the whole length of the Province,
from the extreme north of Sorah taluq to Bandipur in the. south of
Gundlupet taluq. It is very unequal in width, varying at different
points from 10 to 40 or 45 miles. It includes the greater number of
the timber-producing State .forests, large tracts of District forests, and
much sandalwood In it are the lclns of Sorab and other portions of
Nagar, the areca nut and cardamom gardens of western Mysore, the
coffee plantations of Koppa and Manjarabad, and the rich rice-flats of
sagar, Nagar, Tirthahall~ Chikmagalur anq Heggadadevankote. The
division between this rich and productive belt and the far less useful strip
to the west of it cannot be very easily defined. The presence of a number
of fine nandi and blackwood trees, which grow abundantly and attain
great size on the eastern confines of the evergreen belt, form a sufficiently
clear line. The eastern limit may be taken to be a line which, COM-
mencing near Anavatti in the north, would run south-east to half-ltay
between Shikarpur and HonnaIi; thence due south to Sakrebail, where
70 FLORA
it turns due east till it reaches a point north of Lakvalli ; thence south,
through LakvalIi and along the eastern crests of the Baba Budans to
Vas tara ; on throuqh Palya, and passing a few miles west of Arkalgud
and Peryapatna it turns south-east to Antarsante, and so by way of
KumagaI reaches Bandipur.
The tree vegetation varies considerably in the rarge extent of country
comprised in this belt. All along the western confines, where it
approaches the Ghats, trees proper to the evergreen forests occur fre-
q\lently. The wild jack, the dZIpa} the redwood and sometimes the
poon are met with in varying quantities. But in the south portion of
the belt, in the Mysore District, wild jack and poon are unknown. The
following is a list of the more important ·trees ·found throughout this
tract : -
Adina cordifolia ... ... Arasina tega
Wood yellow, moderately hard, even-grained. Seasons well, takes a good polish,
and is durable, but liable to warp and crack. Weight 451bs. per cubic foot. Turns
well, and specially used for small articles, such as combs, gunstocks, and ornamental
boxes.
Albizzia lebbek ... . ... Siris .., Bagi
Heartwood dark brown; takes a good polish, and fairly durable. Weight solbs.
per cubic foot. Its use for domestic purposes considered unlucky in many parts, but
used for picture frames, oil-mills, etc. Leayes a good fodder for cattle. Flowers a
cooling application for boils.
Albizzia odoratissima • ... '" .Bilvara
Heartwood rich brown, tough and strong; seasons well, takes a good polish, and
is durable when kept dry. Weight 501bs. per cubic foot. Used for wheels, oil-mills,
and agricultural implements. Bark medicinal. One of the most valuable jungle
trees for the use of the villagers.
Anogeissus latifolia ..• Dindiga
Good fuel and charcoal tree. Sapwood yellow; heartwood small, purplish-brown,
tougb, very hard. Weight about 651bs. per cubic fool. Splits in seasoning and
must be kept dry to last. Gum used by calico printers for dyeing purposes; green
leaves employed for tanning.
Bombax malabaricum ... Silk-cotton ... Buruga
Wood soft, white, spongy, and, except under water, very perishable. Used to
·some extent for planking, packing cases, toys, floats, etc. A medicinal gum exudes
from the trunk.
Chloroxylon swietenia ... Indian satin-wood ... Huragalu
Wood hard, yellow-mottled, and prettily veined, dark towards Ute centre; has a
fine satiny lustre, and is well adapted for delicate cabinet work, carpentry, and
turnery. Weilrrht 561bs. per cubic foot. Heartwood said to be black, heavy, and
not easily b~rn~. The wood is also very durable under water. Used for beams,
posts, boats, etc., and in Europe for backs of brushes, stethoscopes, and fancy
articles.
Cordia myxa ••• SolIe
Therct are three local varieties-kadu solle, kempu solie, and solIe kendal-differing
TREES
in size, form, and colour of the fruit. The last is the Sebasten of commerce (a name
said to be derived from sag-pistan, Persian for dogs' nipples). It is very mucilaginous
and demulcent; given for coughs and chest affections. Wood grey, soft, porous,
seasons well, and is fairly strong; but soon attacked by insects. - Used for agricultural
implements, sugar-cane ruills, boats, and fuel. Rope made from the bark, which ilo
also medicinal.
Dalbergia latifolia ... . .. Blackwood ..• Biti
Valuable furniture wood, resembling rosewood. Heartwood dark purple am
extremely hard, but somewhat brittle. Weight 551bs. per cubic foot. Used in
Mysore city for articles inlaid with ivory, also elsewhere for cart-wheels, gun-carriages,
etc. Shade tree for c:.offee.
Dalbergia paniculata .. , Pachari
Wood greyish.white, soft, and perishable; very subject to attacks of insects.
WeighCabout 42lbs. per cubic foot when seasoned.
Dalbergia sissoo ..• .•. Sissoo ..• Biridi
Wood very durable,· seasons well, and highly esteemed for all purposes where
strength and elasticity are required. Suitable for boats, carriages, etc.
Dillenia pentag'yna ... KOitega
Wood nicely marked, but heavy, coarse-grained, and difficult to season. Weight
So Ibs .. per cubic foot.
Gmelina arborea .• , .., Kuli
Wood cream to pale yellow, close-grained, strong, and does not warp or crack in
season\ng. Weight about 301bs. per cubic foot. Much esteemed for furniture, car-
riages, and ornamental work of all kinds.
Grewia tilirefolia ... .. _ Tadasalu
Wood light reddish-brown, compact, close-grained, durable, elastic, and easily
worked. Valuable where strength and elasticity are required. Used in cart and
carriage building, also for masts, oars, and shafts. Weight 351bs. per cubic foot.
Frnit eaten.
Holoptelea integrifolia ... Entire-lea\ted elm ... Tapasi
Wood yellow or light brown, no heartwood, soft, open-grained, but strong.
Weight 311bs. per cubic foot. Used for. charcoal ; also for country carts, and some-
times for carving.
Lagerstr~mia lanceolata ... ... Nandi
Wood red, smooth, even-grained, elastic, tough, and of great transverse strength.
Weight about 4Slbs. per cubic foot. Sea~>ns well, and durable if preserved from
moisture. But felled t,rees sapn decay if left expos~d in the forest. Used in Coorg
for buildings; also used for fumill¥e, carts, and mills.
Mallotus philippinensis ... .... Kunkuma
The powder from the ripe fruit forms the Kamala dye, also known in the south of
India as Kapila. Wood only fit for fuel. Weight 4-8Ibs. per cubic foot •
. Michelia champaca. '" Champac... ... Sampige
A favourite tree of Hindu poetry, well known for the fragrance of its blossoms,
which are worn in the hair, etc. Wood soft, seasons and polishes well. Very
durable. Weight about 401bs. per cubic foot. Used for furniture, carriages, etc.
Phyllanthus emblica •.• Emblic myrobalan ..• Nelli
Wood mottled-reddish, hard and close-grained, warps and splits in seasoning.
FLORA
Weight about 501bs. per cubic foot. Remarkable for its durability under water,
which it abo clears of impurities. For this purpose chips of it are thrown into wells
or ponds, The bark is used for tanning. The fruit, resembling a gooseberry, is acid
and astringent. Much used as an article of food, raw, preserved, or pickled.
Pterocarpus marsupium .. , Indian kino Honne
Wood close-grained, reddish-brown, tough, strong, durable, seasons well, and takes
a good polish. Weight 531bs. per cubic foot. Makes good furniture, and widely
used for carts, window frames, agricultural implements, etc. Bark yields crimson
gum, the true kino of commerce.
Schleichera trijuga ... Ceylon oak Sagade, chendala
Wood very hard, strong, durable, and takers a' fine polish. Weight about 701bs.
per cubic foot. Used for pestles, axles, teeth o( harrows, screw rollers of mills. In
the Central Provinces lac is produced on this tree, known as kusuma lac, the most
highly prized of all. Dark and oil from the seeds m~dicinal ; the latter said (0 be the
original Macassar oil.
Stephegyne parvifolia ... Kadaga
Similar to Adina cordifolia, but not used much in the south of India.
Sterculia villosa ... Shi-anvige
Wood said ro be firmly close-grained, suitable for building and furniture. Bags
and ropes made of the fibrous bark.
Tectona grandis ..• Tea,k1 .... Tegu, tyaga
_ Tlie chief value of this well·known wood arises from its Iltrength, added to its
durability, due probably to the resinous matter in the pores, which resists the action
of water. Weight varies in different localities, but approximately 45 lbs. per cubic
foot when seasoned. Used ,in Inqia. for nume~ous P4rposes-construction, ship-
building, sleepers, and furniture; in Europe for railway carriages, ships, and the
backing of armour plates in ironclads.
Terminalia chebula ... Black myrobalan ... Alale, arale
The fruit is most valuable as a tan. The gall-nuts make excellent ink and dyes.
Wood hard and fairly durable. Weight about Po lbs. per cubic foot. Used for
furnitlH'e, carts, and agricultural implements.
Terminalia paniculata Huluve, hunal
Timber of middling quality, especially when seasoned in water. Heartwood dark,
hard, and fairly durable. Weight 47-lbs. per cubicfoot. Used for the same purposes
as Matti. Also for fuel, planking, and country carts. In the ground is liable to
attacks of white ants.
Terminalia tomentosa Matti
Wood dark. brown, with darker streaks, hard,. but not very durable. Weight about
601bs. per cubic foot. Good fuel. tree; leaves, .useful as manure for areca-nut
gardens. Yields a gum said to be used as an incense and cosmetic. Bark used for
tanning.
Vitex altissima .. , Naviladi
Valuable wooq; brownish-grey when seasoned. Weight 6Jlbs. per cubic foot.
Used, whenprocu~able, for building and agricultural work.
1 The finest t~k in Mysore is found in the State forests of Lakvalli, Bisalvadi,
Kakank6te, Begur. and Ainur Mlirigudi. The teak plantations in Mysore cover an
area of about 4,000 acres.
TREES 73
Xylia dolabriformis Iron wood ... Jambe
\Vood dark red or brown, very strong, bard, tough, and durable; not attacked by
white ants. Weight 651bs. per cubic foot. Used for building and agricultural
implements, also for the best charcoal.
A medicinal gum, reddish, and with the odour of turpentine, exudes from the 'Young
l>hoots amI fruit. Said to be used for taking impressions of coins, etc.• and for sizing
paper. Wood soft and useless.
Machihls macrantha Chittu tandri
The properties of this tree are unknown.
Melia azadirachta ... Neem, margosa... Bevu
Every part medicinal. Heartwood u!Jed for making idols. The wood is not
attacked by insects, is hard, durable, and beautifully mottled. Weight about So lbs.
per cubic foot. Suit~ble for cabinet work and carpentry. Neem oil, obtained from
the seed, is used for kilJing insects. Leaves antiseptic, -and in the native treatment
of small-pox are placed under and around the patient at certain stages of the 'disease.
The tree is considered sacred and planted with the peepul at the entrance of villages,
the two being married with due ceremonies, the latter representing the female and
the former the male.
Melia azedarach Persian lilac, bead·tree Turuka Mvtl, huchu
b~vu
Leaves much relished by sheep and goats. Wood nicely mottled and takes a. good
polish. Weight about 351bs. per cubic foot. Not used. The seeds, genera\1y
worn as rOSl!;ries. The products of the tree resemble those of the neem, but seem to
be more used in America than in India.
Melia dubia ... Giant neem Heb Mvu
Wood soft.and light, weighing about 251b6. per cubic foot. Used by planters for
buildings. ~.ot easily attacked. by white ants. The dried fruit, resembling a date, is
a remedy for colic. .
Meliosma arnottiana ••• Massivala
Wood used for poles and agricultural implements: also, apparently, for building
purposes.
FR VIT TREES 81
Moringa pterygosperma ... Horse-radish ... Nugge
Also, from the form of the flower, known as the drumstick-tree._ The fleshy root is
a perfect substitute for horse-radish. The Ben oil of commerce, valued as a lubricant
by watchmakers, is obtained from the seed, but is seldom made in India, owing to
the fruit being sal~ble as a vegetable, and the seed therefore not being allowed to
mature. Nearly every part considered medicinal •
.Ochrocarpus longifolius ... Surgt
The dried flower-buds, known in commerce as tamra nagak~sari, yield a dye for
silk. The flowers are used for decoration in temples and on the person. Wood used
for local building. Hard~ red, ,close and even-grained. Weight 551bs. per cubic foot.
Odina wodier Udi, simti
Wood of little value and liable to attacks of insects. Weight about 551bs. per
cubic foot. Bark and gum medicinal. Cattle fdhd of the green leaves.
Preciloneuron indicum ..• Ballagi
Wood very hard and heavy. Not much used except for rice-pounders, agricultural
implements, anq perhaps walking-sticks. ,-
Polyalthia cerasoides Sanna hesare
Wood olive-grey, moderately hard, close-grained. Weight 521bs. per cubic foot.
Much used for carpentry in the Bombay country; but not here.
Prosopis spicigera... ... ? Perumbe
Good fuel tree, especially for locomotives. Sapwood large and perishable; heart-
wood extremely hard but not durable. Weight 581bs. per cubic foot.
Sapindus trifoliatus ... Soap-nut... ... Kugati, antavala
The nut commonly used for washing clothes. Flannels may be washed with it
without shrinking. Root, bark, fruit, and oil from the seed medicinal. 'Wood hard,
yellow, cross-grained, and 1\ot very durable. Weight about 641bs. per cubic foot.
Occasionally used for carts, but more commonly as handles for axes and similar tools,
and for combs.
Saraca indica ... Asoka
A sacred tree, grown in gardens and near temples for its beautiful flowers, 'which
are a rich orange, changing to dull red. Used also medicinally. The tree is supposed
to be a protector of chastity. Sita, the wife of Rama, when carried off by Ravana,
took refuge in a grove of asoka trees.
Sterculia guttata ... ..• '1 Jen-katalu
Bark ash-coloured and very fibrous, used on the Western Coast for making cordage
and rough articles of clothing.
Strychnos potatorum ... Clearing-nut tree ... Chillu
The ripened seeds are used for clearing muddy water. A paste of the same
removes the pain from the sting of a centipede. Often felled for fuel.
Thespesia populnea ... Portia, tulip-tree ... Huvvarasi
Formerly much planted as an avenue tree, but does 'not attain perfection so far
inland. When raised from seed the timber is free from knots, straight, even-grained;
and tough: suitable for carriages and work requiring lightness and pliability. Bark,
fruit, and heartwood medicinal.
Wrightia tinctoria... ." Beppale, Hale
Wood highly valued by native turners on account of its ivory-white colour. Used
for the celebrated Channapatna toys and for wooden idols. The leaves, which turn'
black when dry, afford a kind of indigo, called in Mysorepala indigo.
G
FLORA
Of fruit trees grown in native gardens, the following are the more
important. Most of them are too well known to need description :-
Anacardium occidentl,lle ... Cashew-nut Geru
Anona reticulata .. . Bullock's heart ... Ram phal
" squamosa .. . Custard apple Sita phal
Artocarpus integrifolia Jack Halasina mara
Averrhoa carambola Carambola Kamarak
Carica papaya Papay Perangi
Citrus aurantium ... Orange Kittale
decumana ... Pumel" ... Sak6te
" medica Citron Madala
" var. acida ... Lime Nimbe
" " " limetta Sweet lime Gaja nimbe
" " " limonum Lemon , .. Herile
Cocos "
" nucifera Cocoa-nut palm ... Tengina mara
Eriobotrya japonica Loquat .. , Lak6te
Eugenia jambos ... :{{ose apple Pan .erale
Ficus carica Fig c .. Anjura
Mangifera indica ... Mango .. , l\Hvina mara
Musa sapientum ... Plantain .. Bale
Phyllanthus distichus Star-gooseberry ... Kiri nelli
" emblica EmbIic myrobalan Nelli
Psidium guyava ... Guava Shepe
Punica granatum ... Pomegranate D.iIimbe
Pyrus malus Apple Sevu
Vitis vinifera Vine Drakshi
The cashew nut proper is eaten roasted, and used in native sweet-
meats. It yields an oil equal to oil of almonds., From the shell are
obtained a black caustic oil, known as cardol, a good preventive of
white ants, and anacardic acid, having rubefacient properties. A weak
spirit ,may also be distilled from its juice. Gum obtained from the
bark is obnoxious to insect pests. Juice from incisions in the bark
form's, an indelible marking ink. Jack- fruit is a favourite article of food
among the natives. It is e~ormous in size and weight, commonly about
20 inches long, and 6 or 8 inches in diameter, weighing 30 to 4() lbs.,
and grows from the trunk or main limbs with a short ,stout stalk. The
papay fruit, something like a small melon, is eaten by all classes, and
also pickled. 'Its juice yields papaine, said to be superior to animal
pepsin in its peptonising powers. Meat suspended under the tree
becomes tender. The seeds are universally believed to be an effectual
emmenagogue and abortive.
The best oranges a;e imported, and are the produce of Satghur near
Vellore, or of the Sherveroy Hills, &c. The -loose-jacket orange is
obtained from Coorg. Of cocoa-nuts a rare variety is produced at
Honnav~lli in Tl1mkl1r District, which, on account of the delicious
sweet flavour of its milk, is called Canga-pani, or water of the Ganges.
FRUIT TREES
Tbe dried kernel of cocoa-nuts, called kobarz~ is a great article of expo~
from the central parts of l\Iysore. 1
Of 1IUlngws there are many yarieties, bearing the following names : -
gol My; (the most common, roundish), Mdami (almond-shaped),
rtlsapun" (reddish pulp), jIn"ge (has the scent of cummin seed), pL:h
Rdp' (small kind), kan" kaJ'; (black fibres in the skin), gz'fJ; mliti or gt'fJi
mat'u (shape of a parrot's beak), gunge marlu (generally has a bee in the
stone), saUare or shi mavu (sweet kind), chit My; (small kind), huli
mat'll (used only for pickle). The cultivated kinds, which are pro-
pagated by inarching or grafting by approach, have the following
names :-arnini, badami, Chittur, dil-pasand, MalgO\-a, nflam, Peter-
pasand, puttu, rasapuri, Salem, sandarsha. The formation of graft
mango plantations has greatly extended during recent years,
P!t.mttliRS are very plentiful and a favourite article of diet. The
most esteemed are rasa Mte and raja rasa M(e (with a yellow custard-
like pulp), pulta M{e or pulta sugandha ba{e (a small sweet plantain, the
Guindy plantain), madhuranga, gJIy}a, Clzilld, and grJlur bJle (all butter
plantains),jenu bJ{e (honey plantain), raja bJ{e (royal plantain), chandra
ba(e (red plantain), saAa/JJi bJ{e (red and cottony), paduha bate (green
when ripe), MY/U bate (long and slender), J'e/aRki bate, arz's';na bJ{e, ane
Mte (a very large kind), kaf),an'; bJ(e (very large and coarse), bUd; bate
(greyish, used only for cooking), ka.,lu Mte (the wild plantain).
GUtrl!as, of which there are three or four varieties. white and red, are
very plentiful. The grafted kinds are superior. A delicious jelly, closely
resembling red currant, is made from the common kind by Europeans.
The grapes, though sweet, are small, owing probably to want of atten-
tion in thinning out the clusters. Both green and purple varieties are
grown. Those from the neighbourhood of Seringapatam ;ue the most
highly esteemed. Of imported varieties, fourteen are named in Mr.
Cameron's catalogue as in local cultivation. Efforts are being m~de to
extend ,iticulture. Apples are cultivated principally in Bangalore for
the Eurowan market, and grow to great perfection. The different
,-arieties are distinguished by numbers indicating the order in which
they were introduced. '
The following are names of '1Jt,~tables of which the leaves are used
by nati,-es in curries and stews. Some of these vegetables are cultivated,
while others grow wild. The leaves only are used in curries or boiled
.with clullies to be eaten along with rice.
.£schynomene grandiflora Agase soppu
Achyranthes lana.ta. Hili sUli "
.. muricata..,. Akvi goraji
.. triandra Ponnaganti soppu
t Further particulars regarding cocoa-nuts will be found under" Cultivation. JJ
G 2
FLORA
Amarantus campestris Kirakasale soppu
.... candidus
gangeticus
inamrenus
..•
~
Biji
Dan!u
Harive
"
"
" mangostanus ... Chilki soppu "
" oleraceus Country greens ... - Soppu
"" viridis Daggali so ppu
Arum esculentum ... Kesave "
Basella rubra and alba and var.... Indian spinach Dodda basali
Boerhaavia diffusa Hogweed Bilavarga
Brassica alba White mustard Bili sasive soppu
Canthium parviflorum Kare gi(la
Cassia tora Gun~u tagasi
Chenopodium viride Goosefoot Sak6tti soppu
Cleome pentaphylla Narobeda
Convolvulus esculentus Tutti soppu
Corchoru,s olitorius Jew's mallow KO!I)a goraji
Coriandrum sativum Coriander Cottambari soppu
Hibiscus cannabinus Deccan hemp Pum,ii, pundrika
sabdariffa. Rozelle .. , Kempu "
"
Hyperanthera moringa Horse-ratlish Nugge soppu
Leucas aspera Tumbe
Marsilea quadrifolia Chitigina ""
Mollugo stricta Parpataka soppu
Portulaca oleracea D044a gora
" quadrifida Il'ldian purslane ... HuH bachcheli
Trianthema decandra Galija
" monogyna Nuchchu govi
Trigonella frenum gr<ecum Fenugreek Mente soppu
The fruits and seeds of the following trees and plants are also used
in curries. Fruits introduced into curries are generally unripe; when
ripe they are unfit for the purpose.
lEschynomene grandiflora Agase kayi
Artocarpus integrifolia Jack fruit Halsina"
Bryonia umbellata Ton<;J.e "
Capparis zey1anic.a Totli "
Cucurbita alba Pumpkin ... Doc,l<;la kumbala Uyi
" lagenaria Bottle gourd .... Doc,l<;la s6re kayi
Cucumis acutangulus Hire Uyi
" pentandra Tuppa hire kayi
" species ... Huli saute "
" utillatissimus Country cucumber Saute ka}i
DoUchos lablab ... Man avare
var. Bi!i man avare
".. mil}imus
" ..• Ghat! avare
It spic~tus .. , Cow gram Doc,l<;la man avare
.. suratu Bug.ame k3.yi
Hibiscus esculentus Benc,le k3.yi
H yperanthera moringa Moringa fruit Nugge to
Momordica charantia- Haga! "
dioiea .... Gi<;l hagalu
HORTICULTURE 85
l.fomordica opercu1ata
Musa sapientum ... Plantain ... Bale hannu
Solanum melongena Brinjal Badane k:iyi
.. trilobatum Klikamunchi kayi
.. varietas.... Molalu badane
Trichosanthes cucumerina Kiri podla kayi
" nervifolia ... PodIa kayi
" palmata .•• Avagude hannu
Trigonella tetrapt'tala G6ri kayi
1\ few names may be added of plants the roots of l\hich are used in cur-
ries. Of these the country or sweet potato grows here to great perfection.
Arum campanulatus Arum Churna gag.g.e
" colocasia ... Kesave "
Convolvulus batatas Sweet potato Gel)a5u "
Daucus carota Carrot Gajina "
Dioscorea sativa ... Yam Heg-genasu gag.<;le
Raphanus sativus ... Radish Mullangi "
The Catalogue, which here follows, of plants ill the Lal Bagh or
Government Botanical Gardens at Bangalore, compiled by Mr. J.
Cameron, F.L.S., the Superintendent, will serve to show the capabilities
of the climate and the attention bestowed on horticulture :~
Dicotyledons.
RaltuncumetZ. Miliusa, I
Clematis, 51 Vir~'s bower Saccopetalum, I
Narave1ia, 1 The custard apple and bullock's heart
Thalictrum, J Meadow rue (Rima pha!) are abundant in many parts.
Delphinium, 2 lArkspur
lI-fenisperma<;etZ.
Nigella, 2 ••• Fennel flower
Tinospora, I
Aquilegia, :2 Columbine
Anamista, I
Several species of Clematis grow wild COCCUIUS,l
in Misore. BerberitJea.
DilleniacetZ. Berberis, I
Delima, I Nandina,l
Dillenia,3
CandoUea,l Himalayan plants almost impossible
. to cultivate here.
Several Dillenia are elegant trees for
scenic planting. Nympho:acete.
Nymphrea,3 Waterlily... Tavare
.ValJ7WliacetZ. Nelumbium, I Lotus Kamala
Magnolia, 3 .
Victoria, I ... Amazon lily
Michelia, 2 Champaka Sampige
Lotus and waterlilies are common
The fragrant Champaka is a favourite
in tanks or sacred ponds allover the
flower of Indian poetry.
country.
A nonacetZ. Papavera<;etZ.
Uvana, :2 Papaver,s... Poppy... Gasagase
Artabotrys, I Argemone, I
Polyalthia, 2 The cultivation of poppy for opium is
Anona, S Custard apple Sita pha! prohibited.
1 These figures show the number of species under each genus:
86 FLORA
FU11lariacea:. Cerastium, 2 Chickweed
Fumaria, I ... ,.. Fumitory Stellaria, I
Polycarpcea, 2
CruciftrfE.
Variou!$ strains of pinks do well at
Matthiola, 2 Stock Bangalore
Cheiranthus, I Wallflower, Portulacea.
Nasturtium, 3 ... Watercress Portulaca, 4
Cardamine, I ... Cuckoo flower Calandrinia, I
Malcolmia, I ... Virginian stock
Coronopus, I Tamariscillea.
Erysimum, 2 . ,Tatparix, I
and others as weights. Also worn as necklaces. The paste from the heartwood
applied by Brahmans to the forehead after bathing.
90 FLORA
RosacelZ. Heterotrichum. I
PrunuS,4 ..• Peach, Plum Memecylon, 3
Spira!a, 1 Lytkracea:.
Rubus, 3 ... ·RaspberlY Ammannia,s
Fragaria, I ... Strllwberry Lawsonia, I ... Henna Garanti
Poterium, I
Lagerstrremia, 4 ... Nandi
Rosa, 17 ... Rose Guh\.bi
Punica, 3 ... Pomegranate Dalimbe
Eriobotrya, 1 Loquat Lakkoti lAfrensia, I -
Pyrus, 2 ... Apple, Pear Sevu
.
Heimia, I
Of roses 258 varieties are named as Cuphea,2
cultivated in Bangalore. . Ona,gracelZ•
Saxifragacea:. JUSSUea,2
Saxifraga, I Ludwigia, r
Vahlia, 1 Clarkia, 2
Hydrangea, I
Godetta,4
ffinothera, 2
CrassulacelZ. Fuchsia,3
Till~, I
Napa, I Water chestnut
Bryophyllum, r
Kalanchoe, 4 PassijlorclZ•
Cotyledon, 4 Passiflora, 12... Passion-flower
Sedum, I Tacsonia,3
Echeveria, 1 Modecca, I
JJroseracelZ. Carica, I ... Papay Parangi
Drosera, I .. • Indian Sundew CucurbitacclZ.
HaloragelZ. Trichosanthes,3 Snake gourd Padavalu
Myriophyllum, I Lagenaria, I ••• Bottle gourd Sore
Luffa, 4
CombretacclZ. Benincassa, I
Terminalia, 9 Myrobalan Tare, Momordica, 3
Aralekayi Cucumis,3 Melon ... Kekkarike
Anogeissus, I '" Dindiga Cucumber... Savute
Combretum, 5 Citrullus, 2 ... Colocynth
Poivrea, I Watermelon Karbuj
Quisqualis, I . Rangoon creeper Cephalandra, I
MyrtacclZ. Cucurbita, 3 ... Gourd ... Kumbala
Melaleuca, :I Bryonia, I
Tristania, 2 Mukia, I
Callistemon, 2 Zehneria, I
Eucalyptus, 15 Gum tree Rhynucarpa, I
Myrtus, I .. • Myrtle Zanonia, I
Psidium, 4 ... Guava Chepe .BegoniacelZ.
Begonia, 27
Eugenia, 7 . .• Rose-apple Pannerale
Cac/CIZ.
Jamoon ... Nayi nerale
Barringtonia, I Opuntia,5 Prickly pear papas
Careya, I kattali
Couroupita, I . : Cochineal plant
Melocactus, 2
Melastomacca:. Cereus, 9 .:. Night-flowering cactus
Osbeckia,2 Echinocactus, I
Melastoma, I Indian rhododendron Epiphyllum. 2
Sonerila, I Pereskia, I
HORTICULTURE
Ficoide<E. Gardenia, 4
Trianthem~, 3 Knoxia, I
Orygia, I Canthium, 2 ... ..• Kare
Mollugo,4 Vangueria, I
Tt"tmgunia. I Ixora, 7 Torch-tree... Gori,"i
~esembryanthemum, 1 Ice plant Pavetta, I
Coffea,2 Coffee ... Kapi
UmbeOifertl!.
Morinda,2
Hydrocotyle,2 Indian pennywort Psychotria, 1
Apium, 2 •.• Celery, parsley Spermacoce, I
Carum, 4 Caraway Rubia,2 Madder
Bishop's •.• Omu Pentas, I
weed Hamelia, I
Pimpinella, 2
Cinchona, 4
Freniculum, I
Rondeletia, I
Polyzygus, I
Manettia, I
Anthriscus, 1 Chervil
Catesbrea, I
Pencedanum, I Dill
Hoffmania, I
Coriandrum, I Coriander ••• Kottnmbarl
Cuminum, I ... Cummin seed Jirige Dz'psautl!.
Daucus, I Carrot Gajina Dipsacus, I ... Fuller's teazel
gadde Scabiosa,4
Partinaca, 1 Parsnip
Anacacia, I Composittl!.
Heracleum, I Centratherum, I
Araliacetl!. Vernonia, 5 ... Speedwell
Elephantopus, I
Aralia, 8 ... Rice-paper plant
Adenostemma, I
Panax,9
Ageratum, 2
Heptapleurum, I
Soli<.Iago, I
Brassreia, 2
Eupatorium. 2
Hedera, I ••• Ivy
Dichrocephala, I
Many varieties of Panax are cultivated Grangea, I
i~ gardens for their foliage. Brachycome, 2
Cornacetz. Aster, 3
Alangium, I ••• ••• Ankole Callistephus, I
Comus, I Erigeron, I
Benthamia, I Conyza. I
Blumea, 6
CapnjOliacetz. Laggera, I
Lonicera,2 ... Woodbine Pluchea,2
Ruoiacetz. Sphreranthus,3 Mudugattina
Sarcocephalus, I soppu
¥thocephalus, I Bodukadaie soppu
Adina, I ... Bachanige Often mixed with stored grain to pre-
Stephegyne, I ••• Kadaga serve the latter from the attacks of
Nauclea, I •.• Yettaka insects.
Wendlandia,2 Filago, I
Hedyotis, I Anaphelis, I
Oldenlandia, 3 Gnaphalium, 2
Mussrenda, I Helichrysum, 2 Everlasting
Webera, I ... Papati Vicoa, I
Randia,2- ••• Mangare Lagascea, I
FLORA
Xanthmm, I Campan"lacefZ.
Siegesbeckia, 1 Pratia, 1
Ec1ipta, I ...• .Garogalu soppu Lobelia, II
Blainvillea, I Cephalostigma, 2
Wadelia, J Wahlenbergia, I
Spilanthus, 3 ... ••• Muguli Sphenoclea, I
Guizotia, I Fool6h oil ... Huchch· Campanula, 5 ... Harebell
plant "eUu Trachelium, 1 •. . Throatwort
Bidens, 1 Bur marigold
Plllmbap·nacefZ.
Achillea, I •.• ~Iilfoil
Chrysanthemum, 4 ... Sevantige .t'lumbago, 3 ... ' Leadwort ... Chitrao
Cotula, I mula
PrilllulacefZ.
Artemisia, 3 •.• Wormwood
Gynura, I Primula,1 Primrose
Emilia, I Anagallis, 1 Pimpernel
Notonia, I Cyclamen, I Sow bread
Sene.ico,4 ... Kadu gobli
Calenuula, I... Marigold Mresa, I
Echinops, I Embelia, I
Tricholepis, 2 Ardisia,4
Centaurea, 4... Cornflower Jacquinia, 3"
Carthamus, 1 SaffloweJ... Kusumba SapolacefP.
Dicoma, I ... Sanni ChrysophyUum, I Star.apple
Cichorium, 2 Succory, Endive Sideroxylon, I ... Iron wood
Taraxacum, I Dandelion Bassia, 2 ... Mahwa Jppe
Lactuca,2 .. . Lettuce Mimusops,2 Pagadi
Sonchus, I .. . Sow thistle Achras, I ... Sapod ilia
Farfugium,3
Flauria, I EbenaccfZ.
Zinnia, 4 Diospyros, 6... Ebony Bale
Argyranthemum, 1 Okacm.
Cosmos, I Jasminum, 15 Jasmine Mallige
Cacalia, I Nycthanthes, I Plirijata
Gaillardia, 3 Olea, 2 ... Olive
Gazania, I • .. Treasure flower Ligustrum, 1... Indian privet
Helenium, I . Myxopyrum,l
Tagetes,3 African and French Noronhia, I
marigold Salvatkracm.
Calliopsis, 4 Azima, 1- Bili uppi
Bellis, 2 Daisy
Cineraria, I
Sam-italia, 1 Carissa,4 Korinda
Pyrethrum, 3 Feverfew Ranwolfia, I
Cynara, I Globe artichoke Cerbera, I
Dahlia, I Kopsia, I
Helianthus, 4 Sunflower... Surya Vinca, 3 Periwinkle. Kasi gana·
galu
klinti
. .Jerusalem artichoke Plumiera, 3 ... Pagoda.tree Deva gana'
l'ol}mnia, I galu
Vittadenia, I Australian daisy Alstonia, 2 ... •• , Jantala
Verbesina, I Holarrhena, I
Tabernrernontana, 3 ... Nandi
haUu
HORTICULTURE 93
Vallaris. I •.• Bugadi Hytlropkyllacem.
Wrightia, 2 ••• Ivory wood Bepp3.le , Wigandia, I
4Nerium,3 •.• Oleander , .. Ganagalu Hydrolea, I
Beaumontia, 2 Nemophila, I
Thevetia, I ..• Exile tree Boraginear.
Allamanda,4
Ichnocarpus, I Cordia, 4 Tapasi
Roupellia, I Ehretia, S
Coldenia, I
Dipladenia, I
Echites,2 Heliotropium, 3 Heliotrope
Trichodesma, 3
Landolphia, 3
Anchusa, I ... Alkanet
Rbyncospermum, I
Adenum, I Myosotis, 2 •.• Forget·me-not
Symphytum, I Prickly comfrey
Asclepiat/acea.
Borago, I '" Borage
Hemidesmus, I Bastard sar· Sugandhi Cynoglossum, I
saparilla
Cryptolepis, 2 Convolvulatete.
Cryptostegia, I Erycibe, I
Secamone, 1. •• Siranige Rivea, 2
Oxystelma, I Argyreia,6 Elephant Samudra'
Calotropis, 3..• Mudar ..• Yekke creeper palabalU
Asclepias, I ..• Swallowwort Lettsomia, 2
Themia, I ••• •.• • •• Juttuve Ipomrea, 23 ... Moonflower creeper
Cynanchum, 2., Morning glory
Sarcostemma, I Hambu Hewittia, I
kalli Convolvulus, 5 Scammony
Gymnema, I Exogonium, I, Jalap
Pergularia, I Jacquemontia, I
Stephanotis, I Evolvulus, I
Tylophora, 4 Porana, I
Hoya,5 Waxflower Cuscuta, I
Leptadenia, I Solanacete.
Brachystelma, I Solanum, 14 ... ,Nightshade Kachi
Ceropegia, 5 Brinjal, egg· Badane
Gomphf>CarPus, I plant
Caralluma, 2 Potato ... Urala gadde
Boucerosia. 2 Cyphomandra, I
ugrzniacem. Lycopersicum, I Tomato
'Physalis, 2' :.. Cape gooseberry
Mitrasacme, I
Buddleia, I Capsicum,s... Chilli '" Menasu
Withania, I
Fagrrea, I •
Nicandra, I
Strychnos, 2 ... Nux vomi~ NanjiIlli
Datura,s ... Thorn·apple Ummatti
koraJu Brugmansia, I Trumpe~ flower
Gentianacea.
Exacum,2 HyoscyamU'S, I Henbane
HOppea.2 Petunia,3
Erythrrea, I Habrothamnus, I
Canscora,2 Nicotiana ... Tobacco Hoge
LimnanthemuIn. 2 soppu
Scropkularinea.
. Polemoniacem. Verbascum, I ... Mullein
Phlox, 3 Ce1sia, I.
Cobrea, I Linaria, 2 ... '" 'Toad.fla:IC
94 FLORA
Antirrhinum, I Snap-dragon Kigelia, I
Mimulus, 3 ..• Monkey flower The spathotka, when in flower, is one
Limnophyla, 2 of the handsomest trees in our parks and •
Herpestis, I gardens.
Torenia,2 .. Sispara creeper PedaliaretF.
VandelIia, 4 Pedalium, I
Ilysanthes, 2 Sesamum, 2 ... Gingelli '" Olle yellu
Veronica, 1. .. Speedwell Martynia,2
Striga, I
Rhamphicarpa, r Acanthacea.
Sopubia,2 .Thunbergia, II
Maurandia, 3 Nelsonia, I
Penstemon, 5 Hygrophila,2
Angelonia, 2 Calophanes, I
BrowalIia, 2 Ruellia,3
Lophospermum, I Phaylopsis, I
ColIinsia, '2 Dredalacanthus, 2
Calceolaria, I Slipperwort Hemigraphis, 1
Paulownia, I Strobilanthes, 8
RusseIIia, 2 B1epharis, 2
Bnmfelsia, I Acanthus, 1
Franciscea, 2 Barleria,9
Sanchezia, 2 Crossandra, 1
Ca1ceolaria is not successfully cultivated Asystasia, 2
at Bangalore. Eranthemum, 10
Andrographis, 2 ... Nelavembu
0l'obancnacea. Gymnostachyum, I
lEginetia, 2 Lepidagathis, 2 Gantu kilu
Orobanche, 2 Justicia,8
Adhatoda, I
Lentibulariacea.
Rhinacanthus, I
-1J tricularia, 2 Ecbolium, I
Gesneracea. Graptophyllum, 3
.fEschynanthus, 2 Rungia,2
Klugia, I Dicliptera, 2
Gesnera,6 Peristrophe, 3
Achimenes, 3 Cyrtanthera, 2
Gloxinia, 4 Aphalandra, 1
Streptocarpus, I Meyenia,2
Fittonia,2
Bignoniacea. Verbenacea.
Millingtonia, I Indian' cork- Biratu Lantana, 2
tree Lippia, I Kere
Oroxylum, I hippali
Bignonia, 3 ... Trumpet-flower Stachyturpheta, 2 Bastard Vervain
Tecoma, , Priva, I ... Sirantu
DoIichandrone, I Verbena, 4
Spathodea, I Callicarpa, I
Heterophragma" :1 Tectona,2 Teak-tree ... Tegada
Stereospermum, 4 ... Padar mara
Amphilophium, 1 Premna, I ... Narave
Catalpa, I Gmelina,2 ... KUli
Crescentia, r Calabash-tree Vitex,4 Chaste-tree Nekldlu
HORTICULTURE 95
Clerodendron, 13 Pupalia,2 Antu purule
Holmskioldia, I I LErua,3
Petrea, I Achyranthus, 3 .. , Uttarani
Duranta,2 ,Altemanthem, 3
Aloysia, I ... Lemon-scented verbena Extensively used as edgings for garden
Citharexylum, I paths.
Lantana is very entensively used for Gomphrena, 2 Globe amaranth
hedges. Iresine,4
ClzmopodiaceiZ.
Ocymum, 5 ... Sweet baril Tulasi Chenopodium, 2 Goosefoot
Orthosiphon,2 Beta, I Beet
Plectranthus, 2 Spinacia, I Spinach Basale
Coleus, 4 ... Indian ... Dodda Atriplex, 3 Omche
borage patri Basella, I •.. Bayi Basali
Garden varieties of coleus are much
prized as foliage plants. Phyto/accacefZ.
Anisochilus, 2 Rivina,.I
PolygonacefZ.
Lavendula, 2 Lavender
.Pogostemon, 2 Pachche tene - Polygonum, 7 ... ... Siranige soppu
Dysophylla, I Fagopyrum, I Buckwheat
Perilla, I Rheum, 1 ... Rhubarb
Mentha, 2 .. , Peppermint Pudina Emex, I
Origanum, 2... Marjorum Rumex, 2 '" Sukke soppu
Thymus, I ..• Thyme Coccoloba, I
IIyssopus, I ••• Hyssop Antigonon, I
Melissa, I •.. Balm NepenthacefZ.
Salvia, 8 Sage Karpum gida Nepenth~, I ... Pitcher plant
Marrubium, I Horehound
Anisomeles, 2 Mangamari AristolochiacefZ.
Stachys, 1 .•• Woundwort Aristolochla, 5
Leonorus, I ... Motherwort Piperacerz.
Leucas,5 .. , ·Tumbe Piper, 6 '" Pepper .. , Menasu
Leonotis, I Betel leaf ... Vilyad-ele
Gomphostemma, I Peperomia, 4
Rosmarinus, I Rosemary
lI'Iyristicerz.
PlantaginM!. Myristica, 3 ... Nutmeg-tree Jaji Uyi
Plantago, I •.• Simpotli
Latlracerz.
NYClaginefZ. Cinnamomum, 2 Cinnamon Lavanga
Boerhaavia, 4 Hogweed patte,
Pisonia, I .•• Lettuce-tree Dalchini
Mimbilis, 1 Marvel of Peru. Machilus. I Chittu
Four o'clock plant tandri
Bougainvillea, 3 Alseodaphne, I __
The last grow and flower profusely at Lits2ea, I
Bangalore. Persea, I ... Alligator Pear
Amarantacerz. Hemandia,2
Deeringia, I FroteaceiZ.
Celosia, 3 ••• Cockscomb Helicia, I
Allmania, I Macadamia, I Australian nut-tree
Digem, 1- Grevillea, 2 ... Silver oak
Amarantus, 12. ... Dantu Hakea, 3
FLORA
Elaagnacctli. Pedilanthus, 2
El.reagnus, :2 ... HejjaIa Synade~ium, I
Lorantlia~etE. UrticetE.
Loranthus, 4... Badanike Celtis, r . .. Bendu
Trema, I Charcoal- ... Gorklu
Old mango-trees in Mysore are much
tree
infested by these mistletoes.
Humulus, r ... Hop
Santalacetli. Cannibis, I ... Hemp ... Bangi soppu
Santalum, 1 ... Sandalwood Srigandha Cultivation prohibited in Mysore.
The most valuable tree in Mysore. .• Sqeblus, I ... Mitli
Broussonetia, I Paper mulberry
.EupkorbiacetE.
Morus, S Mulberry Reshme gida,
Euphorbia, 10 Milk hedge Kalli Kambali gida
Buxus, 1 Dorstenia, I
Bridelia, I. Gurige FicuS,2S ... Banyan Alada mara,
Phyllanthus Gooseberry- ... Nelli Gonimara
tree PipaI Asvatha, arali
Glochidion, I mara
Flueggia, I Basuri mara
Breynia, I Suli Country fig Atti mara
Putranjiva, I
Goni mara (F. myst1Yensls) is the
Antiderma, I
largest species in the Mysore country.
Jatropha, '1 Phrsie-tlI1t
Specimens are not unusual with trunk
Manihot, I Ceara rubber
30 feet circumference, and head I40 feet
Tapioca
diameter. The Java fig (F. Benjamina)
Aleurites, I .. , Belgaum walnut
and Moreton Bay chestnut (F. macro-
Croton, I ... Croton oil... Japala
pkylla) are highly ornamental trees.
plant
Artocarpus,4 Jack-tree ... Halasina
Of so-called garden crotons, which
mara
properly belong to the genus Codltlium,
Urtiea, I Nilgiri nettle
122 varieties are named as cultivated at
Fleurya, I
Bangalore.
Girardinia, I
Givotia, I Pilea, I
Codi::eum, I Brehmeria, 3... Rhea Fibre or
Chrozophora, I Grass-cloth plant
Acalypha, 7 ... ... Kuppi Pouzolzia, r
Trewia, I. Debregeasia, I . .
Mallotus, 1 Kamala dye Kunkumada Platanacetli.
mara Platanus, I ... Oriental plane
Ricinus, 2 Castor-oil '" Haralu
Casuarinetli.
plant
Gelonium, I· Casuarina, 7 '" .. : Kesarike
Tragia, 1 C. equisetijolia is very extensively
Dalechampia, I • cultivated as a fuel-tree.
Sapium, 2 ... Tallow~tree CupulijerllJ.
Excrecaria, I. QU,ercus, I ... Oak _
Baloghia, 1 " Will hardly grow here
Poinsettia, 2: ..•Sand box-tree
Salicacetli.
Hura, I
Anda, 1 Salix, 2 •.• Willow'::. Niravanji
Hevea, 2 Para rubber Ceratoj1tylletli.
Xylophylla, I CeratophylIum, I •
HORTICULTURE 97
GJDlD.oapermm.
Coni/uti!. Wellingtonia, I Mammoth-tree
Cupressus, 7 Cypress Cryptomeria, 1
Juniperus, I Juniper Thuja, I Arbor vit:-e
Podocarpus, 21 Retinospara, 3
Dammara, 2 New Zealand pine
Pinus, 2 Cheer pine
Frenela,:2 ... Tasmanian pine I Cycas, 5
Araucaria,4 Pines Macrozamia, I
,.....bies, 2 Spruce Encephalartus, I
JlonocotyledonB.
( Amomum,:;:
Hydrilla. I Elettaria, 2 ..• Cardamom Yelakki
Lagarosiphon, I (Marantacere_ )
Vallisneria, I Maranta, 21
Blyxa, I Canna; 10 ..• Indian shot
Ottelia, I
(Musacere. )
Dendrobium, 37 Musa, 5 '" Plantain ... Bale gida
Bulbophyllum, 2 Of llf. paradisiaca 15 varieties are
Eria,3 named as in local cultivation.
Phajus, 3 Heliconia, 2
Crelogyne, 7 Strelitzia, I
Pholidota, 2 Ravenala, I '" Travellers' tree
Calanthe, 2
Iridacl!l1!.
A~dina, 1
Cymbidium, 3 Gladiolus, 5 Com flag
Eulophia, I Iris, 3 Fleur-de-lis
Cyrtopera, 1 Tigridia. I ... Tiger flower
Phakenopsis, 2 Pardanthus, I Leopard flower
JErides, 5 Antholyza, I.
Vanda,6 A lIIaryllidetz.
Saccolabium, 6 Crinum, 7
Vanilla, 2 Pancratium, I
Cultivated at Bangalore for its fruit. Nerine, I Guernsey lily
Pogonia, I I Amaryllis,S··· Mexican lily
Habenaria, I Eucharis, 2 ••• Amazon lily
Cypripedium, 4 •.• Lady's slipper Zephyranthes, 3 American crocus
Angrrecum, I Curculigo, 2
Bletia, 1 Cyrtantnus, I
Oncidium, I Hremanthus, 3 Blood /lower
Doryanthes, I
A number of orchids are still undeter-
Agave, 6 American aloe Kattali
mined.
Scita",inetl!. Fourcroya,4
(Zingiberacere. ) Bromelitzce.z.
Alpinia, 5 JEchmea, 2
Zingiber,2 Ginger Sonti Ananassa, 2 '" Pine apple Ananas
Costus,2 Billbergia, I
Xrempferia, 2 Indian crocus Tillandsia, 2
Hedychium, 4 Garland flower Pitcaimia, 2
Curcuma, 4 ... Turmt;ric._. Arisina gida Bromelia, I
H
FLORA
Dioscoreacel1!. Seaforthia, I
Dioscore{!, 8 yam Livistona, 2
Licuala,2
Sm,'/iJcll1!. Calamus, 6 &:tt~n.cane palm
Smi1ax~' 3 .,. Sarsaparilla Elreis, I
I Pltiksiacel1!. Oreodoxa, I
Kentia, I
Lapagfria, 2
LiHacel1!. Thrinax.3
Liliw1t, 5 ... Lily Rhapis, I ••• Ground rattan
Cryptogama.
Filius. Davallia,s
Acrostichum, 8 Doodia. I
Actinopteris, I Drynaria. I
Adiantum, 32 •.. Maiden·hair fern Gleichenia. I
Alsophila, I ... Tree Cern Goniopteris, I
Anemia, I Gymnogramma, 3 ... Golden Cern
Angiopteris, I Silver Cern
Aspidium, 4 ... Wood fern Hemionitis, I
Asplenium, 20 ... Spleenwort Hemitalia, I
Athyrium, I .. , Ladyfern Hypolepis, I
Blechnum,4 ... Hard fern Lastrea, 3
Ceropteris, I Lindsrea, I
Cheilanthus, 3 Lomaria, I
Cyrtomium, 2 Lygodium 2 Climbing fern
H 2
[00 FLORA
Nephrodiurn, 17 Polypodium, 12
Nephrolepis,8 Pteris, IS
~iphobolus, I Sagenia, I
Onychium,2 Scolopendrium, I
Ophioglossum, I
Osmunda, I ,. Royal fern Lycolodia~ett.
Pellrea, 2 Lycopodium, 2 ... Club'mos'!
Pleopeltis, I SelaginelIa, 13
Polybotrya, I
The following are not good for stacking; they grow mixed together,
g'ondyada or chetlldgam, bhlniam, bidur{t-yele, yenuamattt~ bili-hlillu,
timmattakam, naribdla, akki..hullu, hire.
There ~re also certain plants or herbs which are of great use to
cattle; the: l?est of these is called purtanipulz~ which has seeds like
burrs, with a thick-jointed sappy stem j grows along the ground, is very
good for milch cattle.
1 From a memorandum hy Colonel Boddam. The botanical name bas been added
where it could be identified.
101
In 1865 the acreage seems to have been 3'14 millions, so that culti-
vation has increased 80 per cent. in twenty-seven years since, But part
of the increase may, no doubt, be attributed to more accurate measure-
ment, resulting from the progre~s of the Revenue Survey, In the first
series the highest point was reached apparently in 1876, just before
the great famine; but the crops of that year perished, and it was
thirteen years before cultivation spread to the same extent again.
Adopting intervals of five years, the percentage of approximate acres
returned as under various crops was as follows :-
.
CROPS, %87 1 ,
I 1876, 1881" 1886, 1891,
{~ .........
Other Food Grains .. , } 66'04 I 84' 7S'II 73'4 t 45'9
28'6
Dry .. , Oil Seeds... ... 2'1 2'2 3'06 4'S 4'1
Cotton ,.. .., '7 8 '09 - '87 71
Tobacco
Wheat
,.,
'"
.. ,
.. ,
'4
'25
'21
'I
- '92
'36
'2
'06
'4
.. .. , 8' 12'73 13'3 12'7
V.et .. , { Rice ,.,
Sugar-cane '..
,
...
24'S
'45 ' '2 - '72 :62
M~lberry '.. .., '28 '2 - '2 '24
{ COCoa·n", and
Areca-nut ' ..
-1'" } 2'3 3'1 2'7 2'8
'"
Garden Vegetables .. , ... 1'9 'S - '66 I'X
...
Coffee' , ..
- I 2'3 2'1 3'2 2'1 2'6
CROPS lOS
DISTRICT. I
~ 005_.
Other Sugar. Cocoa-nut Vege-
Ragi. Food Cotton. Tobacco. Wheat. Rice. Mulbeny. and Coffee.
Grains. . caIle.
Areca-nut• tables.
-
. I
Bangalore •.• 449,986 23,440 10,944 - 1,235 2 42,062 2, 169 3,616 8, 183 1l,5 14 -
I-
Kolar ." 256,009 66,947 II,So8 - 826 69 40,476 7,49 2 1,75 1 1,709 27,032 ~5
Tumkur ... 308,427 175,187 28,308 4,188 1,54 1 43 28,805 961 J,3 16 3 8,7 25 7,048 -
~ysore ... 538,178 359,9 14 60,385 1,216 5,179 32 107,860 4,809 5,5 64 22,666 2, 6J 5 -
Kadur ... II 5,364 89.55 J 11,701 97 6 530 692 96,339 765 - 18,582 267 77,383
Chitaldroog 176,461 48S.7S6 39,702 27.755 1,060 I 1,589 26,656 774 - 5,850 3,960 -
i
Total ... 2,300,4 25 1,433,479 207,344 35.934 12,4II 3,01 9 635,118 3 1,933
I
I
I
12,247 141,881 57.739 130 ,040
RAGI 10 7
Ragi-(the marwa or mandwa of northern India) is by far the most
important of any crop raised on dry fields and supplies all the lower
ranks with their common diet, It is reckoned· the most wholesome
and invigorating food for labouring people. 1 Three kinds are distin-
guished, of it, which, however, are only varieties; the ka,; or black,
kemp" or red, and hullupare, All are equally productive, but the third
when nearly rip~ is very apt to shake the seed. In some places all
three are sown intermixed in the same field, but in others more atten-
tion is paid to the quality of the grain. The black is considered in
some parts to be simply grain that has got wet when it is threshing,
The principal varieties in the eastern districts are the girftfa ragi and
dorftfa ragt: The former ripens in four months, and the latter in four
and a half; and the latter is esteemed both the best in quality, and the
most productive; but when the rain sets iii late, as it requires less time
to ripen, the gi<;l<;la is preferable. In the Mysore District the gi<;l<;la
ragi is called Mr ragi, and somewhat different. There are three kinds
of Mr ragi: the balaga, or straight-spiked ragi, which is always sown
separately from the others j the bili modgala, or white ragi with incurved
spike;; and the kari modgala, or incurved black ragi': the two latter
are sometimes kept separate, and sometimes sown intermixed. The
cultivation for aU the three is quite the same and the value of the
different kinds is equal; but the produce of the kari modgala is rather
the greatest.
"The whole world," says Wilks, "does not, perhaps, exhibit a
cleaner system of husbandry than that of the cultivation of ragi in the
home fields of Mysore. On the first. shower of rain after harvest 'the
home fields are again turned up with the .plough,~ and this operation,
as showers occur, is repeated six successive times during the dry season,
at once destroying the weeds and opening the ground to the influence
The nutrient ratio is here I: J 3, the nutrient value 84- The percentage of phos.
phoric acid in the whole grain is about 0'4- '
3 This is the practice in the :M:YsOre District, but in the eastern districts the fields
are left untouched after harvest, with the stubble standing, until the .early rains of the
following spring.
108 FLORA
of the sun, the decomposition of water and air, and the. formation of
new compounds. The manure of the village, which is carefully and
skilfully prepared, is. then spread out on the land, and incorporated
with it by a seventh ploughing, and a harrowing with an instrument
nearly resembling a large rake, drawn by oxen and guided by a boy:
when the field is completely pulverized, a drill plough, of admirable
and simple contrivance, performs the operation of sowing twelve rows
at once by means of twelve hollow bamboos at the lower end, piercing
a transverse beam at equal intervals and united at the top in a wooden
bowl, which receives the seed and feeds the twelve drills: a pole at
right angles with this beam (introduced between two oxen) is connected
with the yoke; the bamboos project below about three inches beyond
the transverse beam, being jointed at their insertion for the purpose of
giving a true direction to the projecting parts, which being cut diagon-
ally at the end, serve, when the machine is :put in motion, at once to
make the little furrow and introduce the seed: a flat board, placed
edgewise and annexed to the machine, closes the process; levelling the
furrows and covering the seed. If the crop threatens to be too early or
too luxuriant, it is fed down with sheep. Two operations of a weeding
plough of very simple construction, at proper intervals of time, loosens
the earth about the roots and destroys the weeds; and afterwards during
the growth of the crop, at least three hand weedings are applied. This
laborious process rewards the husbandman in good seasons with a crop
of eighty fold from the best land. The period between seed-time and
harvest is five months. There is another kind of ragi which requires
but three months. It is sown at a different season in worse ground,
and requires different treatment."
In some parts, as near Seringapatam, the ground having been
prepared in the same way, the ragi is sown broad-cast, and covered by
the plough. The field is then smoothed with the halive, which is a
harrow or rather a large rake drawn by two bullocks. Then, if sheep
are to be had, a flock of them is repeatedly driven over the field, which
is supposed to enable it to retain the moisture; and for this purpose
bullocks are used when sheep cannot be procured. Next day single
furrows are drawn throughout the field at the relative distance of six feet.
In these are dropped the seeds of either avaTe or tovari, which are
never cultiv~ted by themselves; nor is Tdgi ever cultivated without
being mixed. \,Vith drills of these leguminous plants. The seed of the
avare or tovari is covered by the foot of the person who drops it into
the furrow. Fifteen days afterwards the Runte or bullock-hoe is drawn
all over the field; which destroys every young plant that it touches, and
brings the remainder into regular rows. On the thirty-fifth day the
RAGI
Runte is drawl1 again, at right angles to its former direction. On the
forty-fifth day it is sometimes drawn again; but when the two former
ones have sufficiently thinned the young corn, the third hoeing is not
necessary. At the end of the second month, the weeds should be
removed by the small iron instrument called ujan: According to the
quantity !>f rain, the rcigi ripens in from three to four months. The
avart! and tovari do not ripen till the seventh month. The reason of
sowing these plants along with the ragi seems to be that the rains
frequently fail, and then the ragi dies altogether, or at least the crop is
very scanty; but in that case the leguminous plants resist the drought
and are ripened by the dews, wbjch are strong in autumn.. When the
ragi succeeds, the leguminous plants are oppressed by it and produce
only a small return; but when the ragi Jails, they spread wonderfully
and give a very considerable return.
In other places, as in Kolar, where the seed is sown by the drill-
plough, Rurige; behind the ktirige is tied the implement called sudiRe,
into which ,is put the seed of the avare or tovari; by this method, for
every twelve drills of ragi there is one· drill of pulse. After the field
has been sown, it is harrowed with the bullock-rake called halive, and
then smoothed with a hunch of thorns, which is drawn by a bullock
and pressed -down by a large stone. Here sheep are only used to
tramp!e the ragi fields when there is a scarcity of rain. The bullock-
hoe called Runte is used on the fifteenth and eighteenth days after
sowing. On the twenty-sixth day the harrowing is repeated. On the
thirty-second the field is cleared from weeds with the implement called
oravan: In four months the ragi ripens and in five the pulses.
In the west, about Periyapatna, in very rich soils, nothing is put in
drills along with ragi; but immediately after that grain has been cut, a
second crop of Ra(iale is sown, which does not injure the ground.
Sometimes a second crop of same or of, huchche{{ll is taken; but these
exhaust the soil much. When rain. does not come at the proper
season, the ragi fields are sown with hllra{t~ Ra(iale, huchche{{u, or Rart"-
same. The two leguminous plants do not injure the soil; but the
huchcheHu and same tender the succeeding crop of rcigi very poor.
In Shimoga the ragi seed, mixed with dung, is placed very thin with
the hand• in furrows drawn at the distance of about seven inches
throughout the field, a small quantity being dropped at about every
ten inches. In every seventh furrow are put the seeds of avan, tovari,
and pundi intermixed, or of uddu by itself. .
Ragi is reaped by the sickle, and the straw is cut within four inches
of the ground For three days the handfuls are left on the field; and
then, without being bound up in sheaves, are stacked, and the whole is.
,
ItO FLORA
well thatched. At any convenient time within three months it is
opened, dried two days in the sun, and then trodden out by oxen.
The seed, having been thoroughly dried in the sun, is preserved in
straw mu¢e. The remainder is put into pits, or hagevu ; where, if car e
has been taken to dig the pit in dry soil, it will keep in perrec t
preservation for ten years,
Ragi is always ground into flour, as wanted, by means of a hand-mill
called b£sa-gallu, .In this operation it loses nothing by measure. The
flour is dressed in various ways, The • most common are, a kind of
pudding called hittu~ and two kinds of cakes called 1'0(# and doshe,
both of which are fried in oil. For all kinds of cattle, the nigi straw is
reckoned superior to that of rice, I
I The following is an estimate by Dr, Forbes Watson of the food-value of rBgi and
other Indian grains, taken from Mr, 'F;l1iot's book (Experiences of Planter), a
"The position of rligi as food, when compared with some of the other Indian
cereals, appears from the following tabl~ : -
The order according to which these cereals are arranged is determined by the
amount of nitrogenous matter they contain, Wheat stands pre-eminent, followed by
bajree and jowaree [or sajje and jola], whilst rice and ragi 9ccuPY the lowest position
It will be observed that, in order to avoid the perturbations in the natural order
which may arise from a varying amount of moisture in the grains, all the analyses
have been reduced to a common moisture of twelve per cent., which is that to which
all grains more or less approach, The numbers inserted in the table are, therefore,
true comparative numbers.
The ragis grown at different places seem to show almost a greater latitude in com-
position than most of the other grains. Among the seven samples analyzed the
amollnt of nitrogenous matter varies between 5 '49 and 9 '24 per cent" so that, although
RAGI III
Tu!a or I..U# rag; is not the same with that cultivated on dry grounds,
although in the sense adopted by botanists it is -not specifically
different; but the seed which is raised on dry fields will not thrive in
gardens; nor will that which i~ raised in gardens thrive without
irrigation. Garden r.igi is always transplanted, and hence it is called
nap: The following is the process followed in the Kolar District.
For the seedling bed, dig the ground in Pushya (Dec.-Jan.) and give
it a little dung. Divide it into squares, and let it have some more
manure. Then sow the seed very thick; cover it with dung, and give
it water, which must be repeated once in three days. The ground
into which it is to be transplanted, is in Pushya ploughed five
times, and must be dunged and divided into squares with proper
channels. About the beginning of Magha, or end of January,
water the seedlings well, and pull them up by the roots: tie them in
bundles, and put them in water. Then reduce to mud the ground into
which they are to be transplanted, and place the young ragi in it, with
four inches distance between each plant. Next day water, and every
third day for a month this must be repeated. Then weed with a small
the average is inferior to the rice, there are samples which may be richer in nitrogen
than most of the rices. Still, this is only one aspect of the question. The amount
of nitrogen is too often looked upon as the only exponent of the nutritive value.
This is a very circumscribed view of the extremely complicated and many-sided
problem of nutrition. Each of the normal components of the human body can
become of paramount importance under certain conditions. The oxide of iron in the
ash of the grains amounts only to some tenths of a per cent. ; but still the regular
supply even of this small quantity is essential for the proper performance of the vital
functions, as it is indispensable in the formation of the blood-corpuscles. A dearth
of iron would, therefore, be just as fatal as a want of the nitrogenous, or carbonous,
or other principal constituent of food. In judging, therefore, of the relative value of
an article of food, the amounts of nitrogen arid carbon cannot be relied on as the sole
guide. The mineral constituents must be taken into account. At the time when I
published my first analyses of clgi, these extended only to the organic compounds of
the grain, and the position which I then assigned to it~ded only by the percentage
of nitrogen-has been bome out by the subsequent analyses. Since then, however, a
deutiled examination of the ash has been made, which yielded some remarkable con-
clusions. The clgi seems to be uncommonly rich in certain important mineraI con-
stituents. The amount of phosphoric' acid in clgi is only lower by one-fourth than
that in wheat, and it is more than twk:e as high as in rice. It contains eight times as
much iron, and eight times as much potassa as rice, and, indeed, more of potassa
than any of the other grains. It is, likewise, exceptionally rich in lime. The ash,
to 2.
composed, as it chiefly is, of the most important elements, amounts on the average
per cent. in ragi, as compared with 0760 per cent. contained in rice. It is
therefore possible, if not indeed probable, that the large amoimt and favOUl'-
able composition of the clgi ash may more than counterbalance its inferiority in
nitrog(!n, so that although, according to the nutritive standard hitherto in use, it must
be put below rice, clgi may still be, on the whole, a food satisfying by itself more
completely the numerous exigencies of an article of human diet than rice."
II2 FLORA
hoe, and water once in fOUf days. It ripens in three months from the
time-when the seed was sown; and in a middling crop produces twenty
fold. It is only!iQwn on the ground at times when no other crop could
be procured, ::j.S the expense of cultivation nearly equals the value of the
crop. Another kind of nat ragi cultivated in Sira as a Vais'akha crop is
called tdpati.
Ayare-is never cultivated alone, but always with ragi, as
described above. When ripe, the legumes are nearly dry. The plant
having been cut and for one day exposed to the sun, is beaten with a
stick to separate the seed. That which is designed for seed is
preserved in mz'ttJes; while that for consumption is kept in pots, and
is used in curries. The straw is eaten by all kinds of cattle ex<;:ept
horses. I
Togari -(or Toyari)~is also cultivated only with ragi, as described
above. It is cut when almost dry, then put up in heaps, and on the
day after it is opened to dry in the sun. The grain is beaten out with
a stick; and that intended for sowing must be preserved in a straw
mtlt/e. It is used in curry. After the seed has been threshed, cattle
eat the husks of the legume. The stra\v is used for fuel. A larger
variety, called turltka togari, is produced by garden cultivation. 2
The best soil for the cultivation of these three articles is the black
soil, or ere bhltmi; which yields a crop of ragi every year, and even
without manure will give a considerable return; but when it can be
procured, dung is always given, After a crop of jo{a, ragi does not
thrive; but j61a succeeds after a crop of ragi. The next best soil for
ragi, and the one most commonly used, is the kebbe or red soil. In
this also it is sometimes cultivated without dung; but it requires to be
manured at least once in two or three years. In mara!u, or sandy, and
dare soils, it every year requires dung,
Jola-next to ragi is the most considerable dry crop, In the south
it is often sown for fodder; for, when the crop is not uncommonly good,
1 The following is Professor Church's analysis of avare beans :-
In 100 parts In I lb
Husked With husk oz grs
Water 12'1 12'1 1 410
Albuminoids 24'4 22'4 3 255
Starch 57'S 54'2 8 294
Oil 1'5 1'4 0 98
Fibre 1'2 6'5 t 17
A~h' 3'0 3'4 0 23 8
The nutrient ratio deduced is 1: 2'5 ; the nutrient value 80,
~ According to the same authority I lb of the pea would contain I oz 361 grains of
water, 3 oz 208 grains of albuminoids, and 9 oz 11 grains of starch, The nutrient
ratio would be about 1 : 3 ; the nutrient value 80.
JOLA
the grain is no object. It is cut and given to the cattle at a time when
ragi straw is not to be procure"- Previously to being given to cattle,
however, it must l:>e dried, as the green straw is found to be very
pernicious. There' are two kinds of jO{a; the white (biti) and red
(.~empu). When they are intended to be cut for the grain, these are
sown separately; as the ted kind ripens in three months, while four a~e
required to ripen the white j6la. A red ragi soil is preferred for it,
and crops of nigi and j61a are generally taken alternately, the crop of
ragi having an extraordinary allowance of dung. The j61a requires less
rain than the ragi, and admits of a second crop of hurali being taken
after it; and thus, in the course of two years, there are on the same
ground three crops.
The j6!a is both made into flour for ,Puddings and cakes, and is
boiled whole to"eat with curry, like rice. It is a good grain; but at the
utmost does not keep above two years.
The jota that is cultivated on dry field in Madgiri is of three kinds :
agara, kempu, and hasarit. They are all, probably, mere varieties.
The best soil for them is a black clay; and the next, the same mixed
with sand. For ragi these soils are of a pool quality; but on the same
dry field j61a and ragi may be alternately cultivated without injuring
either. In Vais'akha" or the second month after the vernal equinox,
plough four times. After the next rain sow the seed. It is sown
either broad-cast or by dropping it in the furrow after the plough.
Smo<!th the field by drawing a plank over it. It requires nei~her
weeding "nor manure. For fodder its straw is inferior to that of nigi,
but superior to that of rice. Agara j6!a ripens in 4t months, kempu
and hasaru in four months. Their produce is rather less in the order
they are mentioned.
Towards Harihar the j61a crop is always accompanied by one or
more of the following articles: avare, togari, hasaru, madiki, huralt~ and
alasandz~ These being intended chiefly for" family use, a portion of
each is wanted, and every man puts in his j6}a field a drill or two of
each kind. J6}a thrives on black clay, but is also sown on the red
earth, and even sometimes on the stony soil. In Ch~itra the field is
hbed with a heg-kunte, which requires from six to eight oxen to draw it;
for this is' the month following the vernal equinox, when the soil is very
dry and ohara. In the following month the field is ploughed once, and
then manured. In the month preceding the summer solstice, the seed
is sown after a rain by means of the drill; while the· rows of the
accompanying grains are put In by means of the sudike, which is tied
to the drill. "The field is then &moothed with the b6lu kunte, 'a hoe
dra~ by oxen, of lighter make than the heg~kunte. On the twentieth
1I..J. FLORA
day the field is weeded with the de R1Inle, and on the twenty-eighth
day this is repeated. In five months the j6la ripens, without further
trouble. I '
In the north of the Tumkur District a few fields of watered land are
entirely allotted for the cultivation of bilj iNa. The soil of these is a
rich black mould, but does not require much water. Only one crop a
year is taken. The produce is great, not only as an immense increase
on the seed sown, but as affording a, great deal of food. The following
is the mode of cultivation :-Begin to plough in Vais'akha and in the
course of seven months plough eight or nine times. Then manure
with dung, mud from the bottom of tanks, and leaves of the honge j
and if there be no rain, water the field before sowing. Previous to
being planted, the seed must have been soaked in water. A man then
draws furrows with a plough, and another places the seed in the
furrows at the distance of four or five inches. By the next furrow it
is covered. The field is then smoothed by drawing over it a plank, on
one end of which a man stands, and by this means that forms a low
ridge. Thus throughout the field, at the distance of six feet, which is
the length of the plank, parallel rows of ridges are produced. The
intermediate spaces are divided into oblong plots by forming with the
hand ridges which at every eight or twelve cubits distance cross the
others at right angles. At the same time the areas of the plots are
exactly levelled. The waterings, after the first month, must be given
once in twelve or fourteen days. In some' villages the farmers weed
the iN" when it is six weeks old; in others they do not take this
trouble. Some people around every field of io{a plant a row of
Rusu1Ilba seeds, and the prickly nature of that plant keeps away cattle.
Bili iNa is sometimes sown in place of the Vais':ikha crop of rice.
This must be followed by a Karttika crop of ragi, as after it the
produce of rice would be very small. The j61a also thriv.es best after a
Karttika crop of nigi. Agara iola is also sometimes seen in place of
the Vais'akha crop on rice ground. It ripens in four months.
Saye.-There are three kinds of sdve cultivated in the east: h(lrt~
I The nutrient ratio of jJta is given by Professor Church as I : 8i, and the nutrient
value as 86. It contains, he tells us, '86 per cent. of phosphoric acid and '21 per
cent. of pota$h. The following is his analysis of the grain :-
In tOO p:1rts In rib
Water U'S :I 0& OG"
Albuminoids 9'3 1 ,,214 It
half months it ripens without farther trouble. The straw is only useful
as fodder for camels.
Dod uddu is cultivated in the west on good tagi soils, and is taken
as an alternate crop with that grain. After cutting the ra.gi the field is
ploughed once a month for a year. At the last ploughing some people
sow the seed broad-cast, and cover it with the plough; others drop it
into the furrow after the plough. In this last case, the young plants
are always too thick; and when they are a 'month old, part of them
must be destroyed by the hoe drawn by oxen. If sown broad-cast, the
weeds at the end of a month must be removed by the hand. The
broad-cast sowing gives least trouble. The drill uddu produces a little
more. It ripens in three months.
The chittll, or lesser uddu, is cultivated at the same season with the
Mr rtigi, and requires four months. to' ripen. Owing to a more
luxuriant growth, even when sown broad-cast, it requires the use of the
hoe drawn by oxen. It is not, however, so productive as the great
uddu. Cattle eat the straw of uddu when mixed with the husks, and
with those of hurali, kadale, avare, and togari, and with the spikes of
ragi, after these have been cleared of grain. This fodder is reckoned
superior to even the straw of ragi.
Hesaru.-It is of one kind only, but is cultivated in the south both
as a lzain and as a Mrcrop; in both of which the manner of cultivation
is exactly the same as that of the uddus. :rhe straw, being equally
unfit for cattle, is reserved for manure. The grain is dressed as curry.
In the east it is commonly raised on dry field. It requires a black
clay; and, although it have no manure, it does not injure the following
crop of ragi. In the course of a few days in Vais'akha, plough twice,
sow broad-cast, plough the seed, and ·harrow. In three months it
ripens without farther trouble. It is then cut by the ground, stacked
for six days, dried in the sun for four, and trodden out by oxen as
usuaL The grain, for use, is preserved in store-houses, and does not
keep good more than two months, even although it be occasionally
dried. The straw is totally useless, and will not even answer for
manure.
The /zesaru cultivated at Sira is called karl, or black, and requires
a black soil, to which it is said to add much strength. It is therefore
taken alternately with' nalla1)e, or with lzuc/zc/ze{{u, both of which are
considered as, exhausting crops. It is cultivated exactly i~ the same
manner as lzurali is, and ripens in three months. Except for feeding
camels, its straw or husks are of no use.
In a few places in Shimoga where there is a moist black soil, the
rice-ground produces a 'second crop of kadale, and of lzesaru. For the
122 FLORA
hesaru, the field after the rice harvest must be ploughed twice. In the
mOl)th following the shortest day, it must be watered from a reservoir,
and smoothed with. the implement called koradu. As a mark for the
sower, furrows are then drawn through the whole field, at the distance
of four cubits; and the seed having been sown broad-cast is covered
by the plough. The field is then smoothed with the koradu, and in
four months the crop ripens.
W ollellu-is cultivated near Seringapatam, and in some places is
called phulagana e{{u. It is raised t!xactly like the kar "ddu, cut down
when ripe, and stacked for seven days. It is then exposed to the sun
for three days, but at night is collected again into a heap; and,
between every two days drying in the SlJn, it is kept a day in the heap.
By this process the capsules burst of themselves, and the seed falls
down on the ground. The cultivators sell the greater part of the seed
to the oil-makers. This oil is here in common -use with the natives,
both for the table and for unction. The seed is also made into flour,
which is mixed with jaggory, and formed into a variety of sweet cakes.
The straw is used for fuel and for manure.
In Kolar it is more commonly called achchellu, and is cultivated as
follows. In Vais'akha plough twice, without manure, sow broad-cast,
and plough in the seed. In three months it ripens without farther
trouble, is cut down by the ground, and is afterwards managed exactly
like the "ddu. The seed is preserved in the same manner. The
produce in a good crop is twenty seeds, and in a middling one twelve.
The straw is used for fueL
North of the Tumkur District are cultivated two kinds of sesamum,
the karu Or wo{{e{{u, and the gur-e{{u. The last forms part of the
watered cr9ps; the kar-eUu is cultivated on dry field. The soil best
fitted for it is dare, or stony land, which answers also for same
and hurali. The ground on which kar-eUu has been cultivated will
answer for the last-mentioned grain, but not so well as that which has
been uncultivated. After it, even without dung, same thrives well.
The same ground will every yein produce a good crop of this e{{u. If
a crop of ellu is taken one year, and a crop of same the next, and so on
successively, the crops of eUu will be poor, but those of same will be
good. After the first rain that happens in Vais'akha, which begins
about the middle of April, plough three times. With the next rain sow
broad-cast, and plough in the seed. In between four and five months,
it ripens w'ithout farther trouble. The produce in a good crop is
eighty-fold.
In the west the kar-e{{11 is sown on nigi fields that consist of a red
soil, and does not exhaust them. The field is ploughed as for ragi,
WOLLELLU 12 3
but it is not allowed manure. The seed is mixed with sand, sown broad-
cast, and harrowed ~·ith the rake drawn by oxen. It" ripens in four
months wifhout farther trouble. The seed is equal to half of the ragi
that would be sown on the same field. The produce is about twenty
seeds. The straw is burned, and the ashes are used for manure.
Huchchellu-;-ar the foolish-oil-Plant, is near Seringapatam most
commonly sown after j6!a as a second crop. When that has been
reaped, plough four times in the course of eight days. Toward the end
of SrivaJ,la; or about the middle of August, after a good rain, sow
broad-cast, and plough in the seed. It requires neither manure nor
weeding, and ripens in three months. It is cut near the root and
stacked for eight days. Then, having been for two or three days
exposed to the sun, the seed is beaten out with a stick, and separated
from fragments of the plant by a fan. The seed is kept in pots. Part
of it is parched and made into sweetmeats with jaggory; but the
greater part is sold to the oil-maker for expression. This oil is used in
cookery, but is reckoned inferior to that of wo{{e{{u. The stems are a
favourite food of the camel; but are disliked by the blJ.llock, though
want often forces this animal to eat them. When not used as a second
crop after j61a, it is always sown on the two poorer soils.
The huchche{{u near Bangalore is managed exactly in the same
manner as the wo({e{{u The 70 seers measure require a little more
water than the other eHu, and gives 65 seers of oil (or a little more
than 4! gallons): This also is used for the table. The cake is never
used for curry, but is commonly given to milch cattle.
Huchche{{u is never SOwn at Kolar as a l)econd crop. After the male,
or heavy rains are over~ plough once, sow,broad-cast, and plough in the
seed It gets no manure, and in three months ripens without farther
trouble. It is then cut down near the root, stacked for six days, dried
in the sun for three, and trodden out. The seed is preserved in store-
houses; the straw is used only as manure.
In Madgiri huchche{{u is sown in places called javugu, or sticking-
land, which are situated at the bottom o(rocks; from whence in the
rainy season the water filters, and renders the soil very moist. In such
places nothing else will thrive. When the rain has' set in so late as to
prevent the cultivation of anything else, the huchcheHu is sown also on
any land, especially on ragi fields. On such soils, however, it does not
succeed. In BMdrapada or'Asvija (from about the middle of August till
about that of October), plough once, sow broad-cast, and plough in the
seed, which ripens in four months. .
Haralu.-Two varieties of it are common; the chikka, or little
haralu, cultivated in gardens; and the dodda, or great haralu, that is
FLORA
cultivated in the fields. To grow, the latter :-In the Spring, plough
five times before tpe 15th of Vais'akha. With the first good rain that
happens afterwards/ draw furrows all over the field at a CUbit's distance;
and having put the seeds into these at a similar distance, cover them by
drawing furrows close to the former. When the plants are eight inches
high, hoe the intervals by drawing the kltnte first lonpitudinally, and
then transversely. When the plants are a cubit and a half high, give
the intervals a double ploughing. Tpe ,plant requires no manure, and
in eight months begins to produce ripe fruit. A bunch is known to be
ripe by one or two of the capsules bursting j and then all those which
are ripe are collected by I;>reaking them off with the hand. They are
afterwards put into a heap or large basket; and the bunches, as they
ripen, are collected once a week, till the commencement of the next
rainy season, when the plant dies. Once in three weeks or a month,
when the heap collected is sufficiently large, the capsules are< for three
or four days spread out to the sun, and then beaten with a stick to
make them burst The seed is then picked out from the husks, and
either made by the family into' oil for domestic use, or sold to the oil-
makers. It is cultivated on the two best qualities of land, and on the
better kinds of maralu. When the same piece of ground is reserved
always for the cultivation of this plant, the succeeding crops are better
than the first; when cultivated alternately with ragi" it seems neither to
improve nor injure the soil for that grain.
In Kolar District both the great and small kinds are cultivated; but,
although the mode of cultivation is the same for both, they are always
kept separate. In the beginning of the female or slight rains plough
twice. When the rains become heavy, plough again; and then, at the
distance of three-quarters of a cubit from eacl;t other in all directions,
place the seeds in the furrows. When the plants are a span high, weed
with 'the plough, throwing the earth up in ridges at the roots of the
plants. At the end of the first and second months from the former
w<,;eding, repeat this operation. In four months it begins to give ripe
fruit j and once in four days the bunches that are ripe are collected in
a pit until a sufficient quantity is procured. It is then exposed to the
sun, and the husks are beaten off with a stick. In the May following,
the plant dries up, and is cut for fuel. It is only cultivated in the gQod
ragi soils, ltijich it rather improves for that grain, although it gets no
dung. The'small kind is reckoned the best, and most productive.
Harallt is cultivated in the north-east on a particular soil, whic~ is
reserved for the purpose, and consists of ash-coloured clay mixed with
sand. There are here in common use three kinds of Itaralu; the
phola or field; and the dotfifa, and c/titttt, which are cultivated iri
HARALU
gardens. A red kind is also to be seen in gardens, w~ere it is raised
as an ornament. The chit haralu produces the best oil. Next to it is
the phola that is cultivated in the fields. In the course of a few days,
any time in the three months following the "ernal equinox, plough
three times. With the next rain that happens, plough again, and at
the same time drop the seeds in one furrow at the distance of one
cubit and a half, and then cov~r them with the next furrow. A month
afterwards hoe with the kunte, so as to kill the weeds, and to throw the
earth in ridges toward the roots of the plant. It ripens without farther
trouble. At the time the haralu is planted, seeds of the pulses called
avare and togari are commonly scattered through the field. In four
months after this, the haralu begins to produce ripe fruit, and for three
months continues in full crop. For two·· months more it produces
small quantities.
Haralu, of the kind called phola, is cultivated at Sira. For this a
sandy soil is reckoned best; and as it is thought to improve the soil,
the little ragi that is sown on dry field generally fonows it. In the first
month after the vernal equinox, plough twice; then, with the first rain
in the next month, at every cubit's distance th~oughout the field, draw
furrows intersecting each other at right angles. At every intersection
drop a seed, and cover them with another furrow. After two months
weed with the plough; and with the kunte, or hoe drawn by oxen,
throw th,e earth in ridges toward the young plants. In six months it
begins to give ripe fruit, which for three months is gathered once a
week.
Sanabu.-For the cultivation of this plant as pursued in the
Bangalore District, the soil ought to be red or black, like the best kind
used for cutlivation of ragi. It is allowed no manure; and the seed is
sown broad-cast on the ground, without any previoQs cultiva~ion, at the
season when the rains become what the natives cal1 male, that is to say,
when they become heavy. After being so\Vn, the field is ploughed
twice, once lengthwise, and once across; but receives no farther cultiva- .
tion. At other times the sanabu is cultivated on rice-ground in the
dry season; but it must then be watered froin a canal or reservoir. It
requires four months to ripen, which is known by the seeds having
come to full maturity. After .being cut down, it is spread out to the
sun, and dried The seed is then beaten out by striking the pods
with a stick. After this, the stems are tied up in large bundles, about
two fathoms in circumference, and are preserved in stacks or under
sheds.
Cotton.-The soil on which it is sown at Sira is a black clay con-
taining nodules of limestone. In the two months following the vernal
126 FLORA
equinox, plough three times. At any convenient time, in the two next
months, mix the sffed with dun~, and drop it in the furrows after the
plough, forming lines about nine inches apart. A month afterwards
plough again between the lines; and in order to destroy the super-
fluous plants and weeds, use the hoe drawn by oxen three times, cross-
ing these furrows at right angles. The second and third times that this
hoe is used, it must follow the same track as at first, otherwise too
many of the plants would be desti'oyed. Between each hoeing three
or four days should intervene. In six months the cotton begins to
produce ripe capsules, and continues in crop four more. The plants
are then cut close to the ground; and after the next rainy season the
field is ploughed twice in contrary directions. A month afterwards it
is hoed once or twice with the same implement, and it produces a crop
twice as great as it did in the first year. In the third year a crop of
same o~ nava1)e must be taken, and in the fourth year cotton is again
sown as at first.
The principal crop in the fine country towards Narsipur and Talkad
is cotton, which there is never raised in soil that contains calcareous
nodules. The black SQil that is free from lime is divided into three
qualities. The first gives annually twd crops, one of j6}a and one of
cotton; the two inferior qualities produce cotton only.
Cotton is raised towards Harihar entirely on black soil, and is either
sown as a crop by itself, or drilled in the rows of a navane field In
the former case, two crops of cotton cannot follow each other, but one
crop of jola at least must intervene. In the second month after the
vernal equinox, the field is ploughed once, then manured, then hoed
with the heg Runte; and the grass is kept down by occasional hoeings
with the oolu Runte, until the sowing season in the month preceding
the autumnal equinox. The seed is sown by a drill having only
two bills, behind each of which is fixed a sharp-pointed bamboo,
through which a man drops the seed; so that each drill requires the
attendance of three men and two oxen. The seed, in order to allow
it to run through the bamboo, is first dipped in cow-dung and water,
and then mixed with so~e earth. Twenty days after sowing, and also
on the thirty-fifth and fiftieth days, the field is hoed with the eide Runte.
The crop season is during th~ month before and that after the vernal
influence.
Tobacco is sown in Banavar in the dry field cultivated for ragi and
other similar grains, of which a crop must intervene between every two
crops of tobacco. When the season proves very wet, it cannot be
cultivated, and it requires a good ragi soil. A few small stones do no
harm, but it will not grow on the hard soil called dare; and, in fact,
TOBACCO 12 7
the soil of the first quality is that usually employed, though sometimes-
the tobacco is planted on the best fields of the second quality. In the
three months following the vernal equinox, the field ought, if possible,
to be ploughed ten times; but some of these ploughings are often
neglected. After the fourth or fifth time, sheep and cattle must for some
nights be kept on the field for manure. During the last fifteen days of
the second month after midsummer, small holes are made throughout
the field. They are formed with the hand, and disposed in rows distant
from each other Ii cubit; and in every hole a young, tobacco plant is
set. This being the rainy season, the tobacco requires no watering,
unless during the first ten days from its having been transplanted there
should happen to be two successive fair days. In this case, on the
second fair day, water must be given with a pot. On the fifteenth day a
little dung is put into each hole, and the field is hoed with the kunte.
Every fourth or fifth day, until the tobacco is cut, this is repeated, so as
to keep the soil open and well pulverized. At,the end of a month and
a half, the top shoots of the plants are pinched off, and every eight or
ten days this is repeated; so that six or seven leaves only are permitted
to remain on each stem. . In the month preceding the shortest day, it
is fit for cutting. .
The J6tems are cut about four or five inches from the ground, and
are then split lengthwise; so that each portion has three or four leaves.
These half stems are strung upon a line, which is passed through their
root ends; and then for twenty days they are spread out to the sun and
air. Every third day they are turned, and they must be covered with
mats should there happen to be rain; but at this season that seldom
comes. The tobacco is then taken into the house, put into a heap, and
turned four or five times, with an interval of three days between each
time. It is then fit for sale, and by the merchants is made up into
bundles which include the stems.
In order to prepare the seedlings, a plot of ground must be dug in
the month which precedes the longest day. It must be then cleared
from stones, and separated by little banks into squares for watering, in
the same manner as in this country is done to kitchen gardens. The
tobacco seed is then mixed with dung, and sown in the squares, which
are smoothed with the hand, sprinkled with water, and then covered
with branches of the wild date. Every third day it must be watered.
On the eighth day the plants come up, and then the palm branches must
be removed. If the plants be wanted soon, they ought to have more dung,
and to be kept clear from weed.s. With this management, they are fit
for transplanting in from a month to six weeks. If they are not wanted
for two months, or ten weeks, the second dunging is omitted, and the
FLORA
growth of the plants is checked by giving them no water for eight days
after they come up. .
Sasiye is a mustard which is always sown, in the east, mixed with
ragi. It ripens sooner than that grain; and, when dry, the branches
are broken with the hand, exposed two days to the sun, and then
beaten out with a stick. In this country, oil is never made fro.m the
seed, as is usual in Bengal; it is employed as a seasoning in curries and
pickles.
Kadale always requires a black mould; and is cultivated, in the
west, partly ~s a second crop after ragi, and partly on fields that ha\ e
given no other crop in the year. In this case, the produce is much
greater, and the manner of .cultivation is as follows:-In the two months
preceding the autumnal equinox, the ragi having been cut, the field
is ploughed once a month for fourteen' or fifteen month;. Then in the
course of four or five days plough twice. After the last ploughing, drop
the seed in the furrows at six inches distance from each other, and it
ripens without farther trouble. The seed is sown as thick as that of
nigi.
It is a considerable crop in the south-east of the Mysore District, but
so exhausts the soil of even the richest fields that it is seldom taken
from the same ground oftener than once in seven years. It is generally
sown after j61a in place of cotton, ,and must be followed by wheat,
wonellu or nlgi. The two for.mer ,may be followed by cotton, the ragi
cannot. In the third year, when nigi has been used, the field is sown
with navane or j61a, succeeded as usual by cotton. Immediately after
the j61a has been cut, which is about the autumnal equinox, the field is
ploughed once, then dunged, and then ploughed three tim5!s, an in the
course of a mont~. In the beginning of the second month after the
autumnal equinox, .the kadale is sown in drills ~ike the cotton; but the
drills are only half a cubit distant. Between the drills, on the fifteenth
day, the hoe drawll by oxen is used. On the thirtieth th~ weeds are
removed by the kale kudagolu. If the soil be rather hard, about ~he
thirty-third day the hoe drawn by oxen must be again used In four
months the kat/ale ripens. Kadale is sometimes sown after a fallow; in
which case the ground is prepared in a similar manner as for cotton in
the two po~rer soils.
Toward~ Harihar, a few rich spots are reserved solely for the cultiva-
tion of kat/ale, and these are cultivated in the following manner :-In
the month following the vernal equinox the field is ploughed once, then
manured, and in t~e following month is hoed with the lzeg kunte.
Between that period and the month preceding the shortest day, the
grass i~ ploughed down twice, and the seed is sown with the sharp
IVHEAT 12 9
bamboo following the plough, and covered with the heg Runte, It ripens
in three months, I .
I Professor Church gives the following analysis of the composition of chick pea. or
Bengal gram : - •
In 100 parts In ,lb
Husked with husk husked
Water - U'S tf·z loz 367 grs
Albuminoids 21'1 19'5 3 " 207 "
Starch 59'0 53'8 9' .. 19z "
Oil , .. 4'2 4'6 0,. z94 ..
Fibre 1'0 7'8 0" 70"
Ash .. , 2'6 3'1 o " 18z "
The ash of husked contains 1'1, and of unhusked 0'8 of phosphoric acid. The
nutrient ratio of the unhusked peas is 1 I 3'3; the nutrient value 84-
K
13° FLORA
the Kartika crop be altogether left out, the Vais' akha crop of rice follow-
ing wheat will be as good as if the ground had been regularly cultivated
for rice alone; and in India it is a commonly received opinion, that
where a supply of water admits of it, ground can never be in such good
heart as when regularly cultivated by a succession of rice crops. Wheat
requires a clay soil, and the manner of cultivating both kinds is the
same. In the two months preceding, and the one following the autumnal
equinox, plough five times. In th~ following month, atter a rain, or
aft~r having watered the field, plough again, and drop the seed into the
furrows. Then divide it into squares, as for j6}a, and water it once a
month. The straw is only used for fire. If give~ to cattle for fodder,
it is supposed capable of producing the distemper.
A very small quantity of the wheat called jave godhi is raised near
Periyapatna on fields of a very rich soil, from which alternate crops of
kadale and of it are taken. The manure is given to the kadale; but
wheat requires none. From the winter to the summer solstice plough
once a month. Then in the following month plough twice, sow broad-
cast, and cover the seed with' the plough. It ripens in four months
without farther trouble.
The wheat raised near Narsipur in the Mysore District is of tht! kind
called hotte gOdht~ and there are two seasons for its cultivation, the hain
and kar. It is sown on the best soil only, and always after a crop of
kadale. The kar season, when the rains set in early, is always pre-
ferred, not only as the wheat is then more productive, but as in the
same year it may be followed.by a crop of cotton, which is not the case
with the hain wheat. In the two months following the vernal equinox,
the field for kar wheat is dunged, ploughed two or three times, and
then hoed with the kunte, which is drawn by oxen. The seed is then
sown, in drills one cubit distant, by dropping it in the furrow after a
plough. On the fifteenth, twenty-eighth and thirty-fifth days tbe hoe is
again used, and two or three days afterwards the weeds are removed by
the kale klldagolu. This wheat ripens in three months and a half, and is
immediately followed by a crop of cotton. The wheat is liable to be
spoiled by a disease called ars;na mdr;; owing to which, in the course
of one day, it becomes yellow and dies.
When the rains are late in coming, the hain crop of wheat is .taken
after kadale. Cotton cannot be taken in the satne year. The manner
of cultivati6n is the same as for the kir crop, only the season is
different. The ploughings are performed in the month which pre-
cedes the autumnal equipox, or in the begipt:ling. of that which follows.
At the end of this mf>nth the seed is sown. The produce is about
one-half only of that of tp.e kiT crop.
RICE 13 1
Riee.-Of the vanetles of this grain 108 specimens have been
collected in the Government Museum, each bearing its appropriate
vernacular name. There are thr~e modes of sowing the seed, from
whence arise three kinds of cultivation. In the first mode the seed is
sown dry on the fields that are to rear it to maturity: this is called the
bara batta or pUQajt: In the second mode the seed is made to vegetate
before it is sown; and the field when fitted to receive it is reduced to a
puddle: this is called mote batta. In the third kind of cultivation the
seed is sown very thick in a small plot of ground; and when it has
shot up to about a foot high, the young rice is transplanted into the
fields where it'is to ripen: this is called nati. ,
The kinds of rice cultivated at Seringapatam are as follow :-dotjtfa
batta, lwtte kembattt~ arsina kel1lbatti, sukadds, murarjila, yalakki raja,
kona1Jali, bil; samta batta,pulta batta, kari kallu. With the exception
of the first, which takes seven months, all the other kinds ripen in five
and a half months.
In the hain crop the following is the management of the dry-seed
cultivation. During the months Phalguna, Chaitra and Vais'akha, that
is from February tiU May, plough twice a month; having, three days
previous to the first ploughing in PMlguna, softened the soil by giving
the field water. After the fourth ploughing the field must be manured
WIth dung, procured either from the city or cow-house. After the fifth
ploughing the fields must be watered either by rain or from the canal;
and three days afterwards the seed must be sown broad-cast and then
covered by the sixth ploughing. Any rain that happens to fall for the
fi~t thirty days after sowing the seed must be allowed to I:Un off by a
breach in the bank which surrounds the fields j and should much rain
fall at this season, the crop is considerably injured. Should there have
been no rain for the first thirty days, the field must be kept constantly
inundated till the crop be ripe; but if there have been occasional
showers the inundation should not commence till the forty-fifth day.
Weeding and loosening the soil about the roots of the young plants
with the hand, and placing them at proper distanceS, where sown too
close or too far apart, must be performed three times; first on the
forty-fifth or fiftieth day; secondly twenty days afterwards; and thirdly
fifteen days after the second weeding. These periods refer to the crops
that require seven months to ripen. For rice which ripens in five and
a half months, the field must be inundated on the twentieth day; and
the weedings are on the twentieth, thirtieth and foitieth days.
In the hain crop the following is the manner <>f conducting the
sprouted-seed cultivation. The ploughing season occupies the month
of Asha<:lha (June-Jul y). During the whole of this time the field is
"K 2
FLORA
inundated and is ploughed four times; while at each ploughing it is
turned over twice in two different directions, which cross each other at
right angles. This may be called double ploughing. About the 1st
of Srivana the field is manured, immediately gets a fifth ploughing, and
the mud is smoothed by the labourers' feet. All the water except one
inch in depth must then be let off, and the prepared seed must be sown
hroad-cast. As it 5inks in the mud it requires no labour to cover it.
For the first twenty-four days the field' must once every other day have
some water, and must afterwards, until ripe, be kept constantly inun-
dated. The weedings are on the twenty-fifth, thirty. fifth and fiftieth
days. In order to prepare the seed it must be put into a pot, and kept.
for three days covered with water. It is then mixed with an equal
quantity of rotten cow-dung, and laid on a heap in some part of the
house, entirely sheltered from the wind. The heap is well covered
with straw and mats; and at the end of three days the seed, having
shot out sprouts about an inch in length, is found fit for sowing. This
manner of cultivation is much more troublesome than that called dry-
seed: and the produce from the same extent of ground is in both nearly
equal; but the sprouted-seed cultivation gives time for a preceding
crop of pulse on the same field, and saves a quarter of the seed.
Two distinctions are made in the manner of cultivating transplanted'
rice; the one called baravdgi or by dry plants; and the other called
nfragi or by wet plants. For both kinds low land is required.
The manner of raising the dry-seedlings for the hain crop is as.
follows :-Labour the: ground at the same season, and in the same
manner as for the dry-see9 crop. On the 1st of Jyeshtha, or in May,
give the manure, sow the seed very thick and cover it with the plough.
If no rain fall before the eighth day, then water the field, and again
on the twenty-second; but if there are any showers these waterings.
are unnecessary. From the forty-fifth till the sixtieth day the plants
continue fit to be removed. In order to be able to raise them for-
transplanting, the field must he inundated for five days before they are
plucked. The ground on which the dry-seedlings are to be ripened is
ploughed four times in the course of eight weeks, commencing about
the 15th of J yeshtha; but must all the while be inundated. The
manure is given before the fourth ploughing. After this, the mud
having been smoothed by the feet, the seedlings are transplanted into
it, and from 'three to five plants are stuck together into the mud at
about a span distance from the other little bunches. The water is then
let off for a day: afterwards the field, till the grain is ripe, is kept
I
drain off the superfluous water, draw others about a.cubit wide, and
deeper than the former. The garden is thus divided into rows ten
cubits in width, having on one side an elevated channel for supplying it
with water, and on the other side a deep canal, to carry off what is
superfluous. These rows are divided into beds, each also having on
0n.e side a channel to !,upply it with water, and on the other a
canal to carry offwhat is superfluous; and it is surrounded by a narrow
bank, about six inches high, which excludes the water that 'flows
through the channels: within these little banks the divisions of the
beds are carefully levelled.
In the centre of each division is then formed a row of small holes,
distant from each other one cubit; and in Pushya (Dec.-Jan.) in
every hole are' eut two cuttings of the betel-leaf vine, each two cubits
long. The middle of each cutting is pushed down, and slightly
covered with earth; while the four ends project and form an equal
number of young plants, which for the first eighteen months are allowed
to climb upon dry sticks that are put ,in for the purpose. For the first
week after being planted, the shoots must be watered twice a day with
pots; for another week once a day, and until the end of the second
month once in three days. A small drill is then made across each
division of the beds, and between every two holes in each; and in
these drills are planted rows of the seeds of the agase, nugge and
varjepu. The young betel plants must then have some dung, and for
four months more must be watered with the pot once in three days.
Afterwards, sd long as the garden lasts, all the ch~nnels must once in
four days be filled' with water. This keeps the ground sufficiently
moist, ·and water applied immediately to the plants is Injurious. The
garden ought to be kept clean from weeds by the hand, and once a year,
in December, must have dung.
When the plants are a year. and a half old they are removed from
the sticks; two cubits of each, next the root, is buried in the earth;
and the remainder, ,conducted close to the root of one of the young
trees, is allowed to support itself on the stem. At the end of two
years two cubits more of each plant are buried in the ground; and ever
.afterwards this is once a year repeated. At the beginning of the fourth
year the cultivator begins to gather the leaves for sale, and for six or
seven years continues to obtain a constant supply. Mterwards the
plants die, and a new garden must be formed in some other place. In
order to give additional coolness to the garden, at its first formation a
plantain-tree is put at each corner of every bed, and by means of
suckers soon forms a cluster. So long as the' garden lasts these
clusters are prese~ed. At all times the gardens are very cool and
M
FLORA
pleasant; but they are not neatly kept; and in the space between the
hedge and the beds, a great variety of bushes and weeds are allowed to
grow.
In the west, the betel vine is grown with the areca palm in the follow-
ing manner :-When the areca plantation is fifteen years old, in the
month immediately following the vernal equinox, a hole is dug near
every tree, one cubit deep and one and a half in width. After having
exposed the earth to the air for a mOnth, return it into holes and allow
it to remain for another month. Then take out a little of the earth,
smooth the surface of the pit, and bury in it the ends of five cuttings
of the betel-leaf vine, which are placed with their upper extremities
sloping toward the palm. Once every two days, for a month, water the
cuttings, and shade them with leaves. Then remove the leaves and
with the point of' a sharp stick loosen the earth in the holes. In the
first year the waterings must be repeated every day, and the whole mU$t
once a month be hoed; while at the same time dung is given to every
plant. In the second year, the vines are tied up to the palms; once
in two months the garden is hoed and manured; and it is in the hot
season only that the plants are watered. At the end of the second
year the vines begin to produce saleable leaves. In the third year and
every other year afterwards, so much of the vines next the root. as has
no leaves, must be buried. Once in six months the garden must be
hoed and manured; and in the hot season the vines must be watered
every other day.
The owners of these plantations are annoyed by elephants, monkeys
and squirrels; and, besides, both palms and vine are subject to diseases;
one of which, the onibe, in the course of two or three years kills the
whole. Except when these causes of destruction occur, the vine con-
tinues always to flpurish; but the palm begins to decay at forty-five
years of age, and is then removed, care being' taken not to injure the
vine. Near this is made a fresh hole, in which some persons place two nuts
for seed, and others plant a young seedling. In order to support the
vine during the fifteen years which are required to bring forward the
new palm, a large branch of the lUlruvdna, or erytizrina, is stuck in the
ground, and watered for two or three days; when it strikes root and
supplies the place of an areca.
Coffee,'':''''-The variety of coffee cultivated in Mysore appears to be •
the true coJ/ea arabica, which Rhind informs us was originally intro-
duced into Arabia from Abyssinia. It was introduced into this
Province some two centuries ago by a persoq named Baba Buclan, who,
I Adapted from a memorandum by Mr. Graham Anderson, C. I. E., Bargua Estate,
Manjarabad.
COFFEE
on his return from a pilgrimage to Mecca, brought ~ few seeds, which
he planted on the range of mountains still bearing his name. 1
In the selection of land for coffee cultivation, care must be taken to
obtain a tract well sheltered by nature from undue exposure either to
the south-west or the east wind, and situated, with a northern, north-
eastern, or north-western aspect, within the zone that is favoured with
as large as possible a share of the March and April showers and yet
not visited by too large a share of rain in the south-west monsoon.
There is in fact a line or coffee zone in every coffee-producing country,
and m~re especially in Mysore, even a mile beyond which the coffee-tree
will not exist. The plant rejoices in a damp, warm temperature, such as
is procurable in the west of Mysore at elevations from 2,500 to 3,500
feet above sea-level, although the tree will grow under certain circum-
stances at elevations both below and above these. A good rich loamy
soil, of any colour, with a good de1?osit of vegetable matter on the
surface; and not much sheet rock underlying it, is required.
There are five descriptions of land in Mysore in which coffee has
been planted2 :-:-the forest termed kdns; heavy ghat forest, termed
male; village jungles, termed u¢uve; kumn~ or land the original timber
on which having been cut has been followed by a secondary growth of
trees of a smaller type; and kaf)ave, or lands covered with hard-wood
trees and bamboos. Some of the finest estates have been formed on
lands of the first and third classes, which have the decided- advantage
over all other descriptions, of possessing a rich deposit of decayed
vegetable mould that has not been exposed to atmospheric-influences,
and hence contains an almost inexhaustible store of organic and in-
organic constituents available as food for the coffee plant.
The kans are generally situated in mountainous country, intersected
by streams of clear water, with rocky or sandy beds. The peculiarity
of the ravines through which these streamlets flow is, that the under-
growth is entirely'different from that found under similar circumstances
in the ghat forests, consisting as it does of a gigantic species of
1 Further particulars of the history of coffee cultivation will be found under Kadur
and Hassan Districts in Vo!.,II.
1I This ~escription applies to the Malmld, where alone extensive coffee plantations
have hitherto been formed. But .forty years ago there were coffee gardens in Banga-
lore, and a few plants were grown in private gardens under wells by European
residents since then, yielding sufficient for domestic wants. The same practice seems
to have been common, in Cochin so far back as 1743, according to Cantervisscher's
"Letters from Malabar:" Of late years an experiment on a larger scale has been
made at Bangalore, by Mr. -Minakshaiya, and coffee grown with great success on
irrigated land. The consequence has been a demand by European planters for land
suitable for the purpose near Bangalore and Mysore, and in other Maidan parts.
M 2
FLORA
triangular coffee-weed (called in Canarese hanal or heb-gllrkal), and
other succulent plants, whereas in the latter case basket reeds (termed
warti) and canes (bet/a) of every description are generally found in a
tangled mass. Utjuve is strictly village jungle or forest, sometimes
almost entirely surrounded by rice-fields. The trees are frequently
large and of good descriptions, and the undergrowth is principally
small coffee-weed, bamboos and thorns. There are fewer ravines in
this kind of land and they are generally-smaller and less precipitous,
but frequently old excavations, termed wanlgalu, are met with, which
evidently were dug out as approaches to villages formerly situated in the
very heart of the forest. ,Male tracts are situated close to the crest of the
ghats and generally contain gigantic timber, but can seldom boast of
good soil, except in protected situations, the generality of the land
having suffered from wash caused by the almost incessant rainfall in
the monsoon. The great height of the trees also proves prejudicial to
coffee, which is cut to pieces by the drip. The situation being bleak,
windy, and exposed to terrific rainfall, is seldom profitable for coffee
cultivation. Kumri lands frequently contain magnificent-looking soil,
but a certain amount of virtue has gone out of it by fornter exposure,
and although coffee has been planted and fine estates made on such
land, 'still the operation is always accompanied by a considerable
amount of risk, and always by heavy extra expenditure. In ka1,lave
lands ravines containing fair average soil and trees are to be met with,
and these places are the only portions suitable for coffee. This
description of land has the disadvantage of showing a maximum area
of holding with a minimum of space available for cultivation.
Clearing for a plantation consists of removing with the axe and
cutting all undergrowth and obstructions, and such trees as are not
required. Large trees that have a thick foliage in the hot weather and
little or none in the monsoon, are left as shade at regular .distances,
attention being paid to leave fewer trees on portions with a northern
aspect than on those facing the south, all quarters. exposed to the wind
especially requiring protection. This accomplished, the ground is either
cleared by lopping and laying in line to await the process of rotting in
the monsoon, or fire is used to facilitate matters. Lines of pegs,
generally at 6 x 6 feet, are then laid down, and the land is holed, each
hole being ger,terally one foot wide by two feet deep. This is done to
remove all obstacles to the roots of the young plants, and -to make a
nice loose bed for their reception. Roads are traced to and from
convenient points in the property, and'these are again intersected by
paths to facilitat'e the genera.1 working of the estate.
For nurseries, convenient situations, With facilities for irrigation or
COFFEE
with river or tank frontage, are selected and entirely cleared of trees,
the soii being dug to the~ depth of two feet or more, and every root and
stone removed. This is then laid out into beds, generally about four
feet wide, separated by paths, and the whole well drained and put in
order with the same care as a flower garden. Manure is applied and
the. beds are then cut up. into furrows, at six inches apart, into which
the seeds are placed, about one ipch apart. The whole bed is then
covered up with dry leaves and watered by hand, care being taken to
maintain a uniform state of moisture, which must not be excessive.
The seed germinates in six weeks, and from the bean, which is raised
on a slender green stem of about eight inches in height, burst forth two
small oval leaves; These two-leafed ..seedlings are pricked out into
beds at either 4 x 4 or 6 X 6 inches, and require from ten to
fourteen months, with constant attention and watering, to form into
good plants, which should have thr~e or four pairs of small primary
branches and be from one foot to one and a half in height.
Plallting is performed in the months of June, July and August. The
plants being carefully removed from the beds and the roots trimmed,
they are planted either with a mamou or planting staff by a regular
gang of experienced men. Great attention is paid to this oper~tion to
see that the holes are properly filled in and that the roots are not bent
or injured, and lastly that the plants are firmly set in the ground and
not hung.
Under favourable circums~nces, the plants are ready for tojjz'ng in
the second year. A topping staff, duly marked to the proper height,
is placed alongside of the young ·tree, and the top or head and one
primary branch are removed. Trees are topped at heights varying
from two feet to four and a half feet, but the medium of three feet is
generally preferred. This operation has the effect of directing the sap
into the primary branches and making them throw out secondary
shoots, which come from each eye along the branch. An abundance of
vigour has the effect of forcing out a number of sh09ts under the junc-
tion of the upper primaries with the stem,' an<! also from the stem at
various places. These are termed stIckers, and are all removed by
gangs of women and boys. The first crop generally app'ears in the
third year, and consists merely of a few berries on the primary branches,
aggregating about one maund per acre. In the fourth year a return of
about one cwt. per acre may be expected, and it is not until the seventh
or eighth year that the planter is rewarded by a 'full crop, which, even
under the most favourable circumstances, rarely exceeds five or six
cwts. per aCre.
. The crop commences to ripen in October and November. As soon
166 FLORA
as the cherries are of a fine red colour, they are picked into baskets,
•
and brought to the. pulper to be either measured or weighed, and
deposited in a vat made for their reception. They are passed through
the pulper with a stream of water either the same day or early next
morning, and the pulp or outer skin being thus removed, ~he beans are
allowed to ferment for twenty or twenty-four hours, without water. to
facilitate the removal of the saccha~in6 matter which surrounds them.
After the mass has been washed and well stamped 'out in three waters,
all light bean~ and skins being carefully separated, the beans a~e re-
moved to the draining mats, where they are constantly turned over and
allowed to remain for a day or more, or until all water has drained off.
They are then spread out thickly on the drying ground in order to dry
slowly, This is an operation requiring constant attention for six or
,eight days, the whole having to be covered up every evening to protect
it from dews. The beans should not be dried'too thinly' spread, or too
suddenly exposed to the full rays of the sun, .as they are apt to become
bleached and bent. A drying ground protected by large trees is the
best, as in that case portions in shade and sun are both available.
When the beans are sufficiently dried, they are bagged and despatched
to the coast or Bangalore for preparation and shipment.
The yield of an est~te that has been well maintained in cultivation
may be put down at from three and a half to four. cwts. per acre. As
much as six cwts. per acre have been produced off portions, but of
coui"s~ only under the most favourable circumstances, and such is
an exception to the general rule. An accurately calculated estimate
shows that, in a series of years, the crop is more frequently below
three and a half cwts. than above, But the result varies in different
places.
o The earliest official noticel of coffee in Mysore is said to have been
in 1822, But though the plant has been known for so long, it is only
of recent years that coffee has come into use among natives, and chiefly
in the towns. When Mr. Elliot first settled in Mysore, in 1856, he
was repeatedly asked by the farmers of the <:o"untry whether Europeans
ate the berry, or of what use it could possibly be. The variety of
coffee originally cultivated here came to be known as Chick, probably
from Chickma'gillur, the principal town at the foot of the Baba 'Budan
hills, the Mysote borne of the plant. This variety had thriven well and
promised to do so for an indefinite period of time, but in 1866 and the
three succeeding years there were dry hot seasoIl$, which caused a
wide-spread attack of. the Borer insect. About the same time a general
1 The information in the following paragraphs is takf'n chiefly from Cold, Sport and
Coffee-planting in lI:lysore, by Mr. R. B., Elliot, of Bartchinhulla Estate, Manjarabad.
~OFFEE
Commissary-General, about the time when leaf disease was causing such
destruction. It was thought that this hardier plant, native of a hotter
climate and lower region, might be found proof against the disease.
But, netwithstanding various experiments, whether the flavour of the
berry is inferior, or from whatever cause, it has not supplanted the
old variety. I A hybrid, a cross between the two, is said to be more
promising.I
Site of
Plantation, Total Chinchoni- Pure sulphate Other
ofquimne sulphates
Alkaloids, Quinine. dine and obtained or
chinchonine, crystallized, "uimne.
"
No. of plants.
Species. District. No. or
acres.
Mature. Immature .
...
C. succirubra (red bark) ... ... { Mysore
Kadur ...
24
224
8,860
124,255
12,873,
43,45 0
Total
.-
'" 248 133, 1I 5 56,3 23
...
=danUn~ (Loxa{
Mysore I 75 1,141
C. officin,,". ,u. Hassan ...
or crown bark; pale bark) ... 36 8,000 5,003
Kadur ... 34 14,464 ...
...
Total 71
I 22,539 6,144
Hyoscyamus niger
oil
Henbane
Lagunaria patersonii Foliage tree
I Stiuingla sebifera ... Chinese tallow tree
Trapa bispinosa ,.. Zinghara nut,
water chestnut
Landolphia kirkii .. , - Yields caoutchouc I Tristania conferta... Timber tree
Landolphia watsoni Yields caoutchouc Vangueria edulus... Fruit tree
Malachea Capitata Yields fibre i Vitis martini Cochin-China vine
Experiments have also been made with several varieties of cotton and
potatoes. Varieties of cocoa-nut have been imported from Colombo
in Ceylon; also trial has been made of various kinds of grape vines,
loquat and bhere fruit (zizyphus jujuba).
It may be useful here' to give. the following list of plants whose
cultivation has been attempted without any permanent success at
Bangalore : - .
Acacia decurrens ._, Black wattle Durio zibethinus... Durian
Arracacia eseulenta Arracacha Eucalyptus globu- Blue gulll
Avena elatior Common 9ILt Ius"
Camellia theifera... Tea plant Garcinia mangos- Mangosteen
Caryophyllus ara- Clove tree tana-
maticus Glycine hispida ... Soy bean
Cassia obovata Tinnevelly senna Helianthus annullS Russian sunflower
Castania vulgaris ..• Spanish chestnut Humulus lupulus ... Hop vine
Catalpa speciosa ... Californian timber Myristica fragrans Nutmeg tree
tree Platanus orientalis Oriental plane
Cephrelis ipecacu- ! pecacuanba Symphytum asperri- Prickly comfrey
anha mum
Cyperus escu1entus Ground almond, Ullucus tuberosus Tuber
rush-nut Witha.via (Puneeria)Cheese-maker
Cyperus pangorei... Sedge coagulans
'I Botanically not far removed from the indigenous Undak mara (sterculia urens).
2 The plant which yields Indian madder has been found wild in Kankanhalli and
other parts.
I Eucalyptus saligna, rostrata, marginata and citriodora are established in the
gardens 3Ild ~b seed:
• Grafting it on the gamboge tree (Garcinia morella) seems to have been successful
in Jamaica.
I74
FAUNA
FERiE NATURiE
N 2
180 FAUNA
the telegraph station at Hunsur, whence messages could be sent all
over India. Altoget\ler, in two drives in 1889-90, and three drives in
1890-1, there W'ere 159 elephants caught, and the greater number were
sold at Nanjangud, Palghat, and Tellicherry. Excluding the large
initial outlay for Kumki elephants and trained hands from the north,
with special charges conr.ected with the Royal visit, the expenditure
was fairly covered by the receipts, while the stockades, with live and
dead stock, remained for future use afb. moderate cost for up-keep. In
1891-2 there were two drives, resulting in the capture ....of seventy-five
elephants. Sales were effected at Paschimavahini and at Haidarabad in
addition to the places before mentioned. That the expenditure was
much in excess of the receipts was greatly owing to cost of 'additional
telephone materials and instruments. In May, 1892, Mr.• Sanderson
died. Since then Mr. K. Shamiengar, for a short time his assistant,
has been in charge of the keddahs. In two drives in 1892-31 and two
drives in 1893-4 he was successful in capturing 120 elephants, of which
twenty-one died. The disposal of the remainder still left a deficit on
the department of about Rs. 22,000. But the network of telephones
has been so skilfqlly laid, both in the Kakank6te and Chamrajnagar
forests, as practically to ensure the ultimate capture of every elephant
that passes within certain limits, and the expenses will be recouped.
Elephants have of late years become troublesome in the Shimoga
and Kadur Districts, destroying sugar-cane and paddy crops, and
injuring the areca-nut gardens. Attempts to stop them by shooting
some were made, but proved ineffectual. The Keddah department are
therefore endeavouring to capture some of the herds, which are small
and scattered, in temporary stockades.s The effect of the inroads of
elephants has been to drive the field-watchers to the trf!es, and this has
left an opening for wild pig to do more mischief to the crops than
before, when the watchers were on the spot to scare them away.
Crops are also liable to considerable damage at times from rats. In
the latter months of 1878 something like a plague of rats appeared,
especially in the Chitalqroog District, and committed great havoc in
the cotton and rice crops of individual villages. Certain kinds of field
rat regularly store up a good deal of grain in their burrows near the
embankments of fields, which Woddars and. various wandering tribes
dig up when the ground is out of cultivation and help themselves to
the grain. .
I At the end of 1892 the Viceroy, the Marquess of Lansdowne, witn~ed the
drive.
S A capture of sixty elephants near Sakrebail has now (November, 1894) been
announced.
BIRDS 181
No one who has travelled much over the Province, especially in the
wilder and more secluded tracts of country, but mQst have noted the
immens~ variety and beauty of the feathered tribes. The naturalist
and the sportsman alike will, it is hoped, find every familiar acquaint-
ance included in the following list It may perhaps be noted that the
I
ostrich has laid eggs and hatched young in the Maharaja's menagerie
at :Mysore, but they did not live long.
Ayes-Hakki.
Passeres.
Corvidte-Crows-Ki.iki, K agio Irena puella Fairy blue-bird
Corvusmacrorhyn- Jungle crow Hypsipetes gan- South-Indian black
chus eesa bulbul
Corvus splendens Indian house-crow Mol pastes 14-emor- ~Iadras red-vented
Dendr~etta rufa Indian tree-pie rhous bulbul
Parmi atriceps Indian grey tit Otocompsa fusci- Southern red-whis-
Parus nuchalis White-winged black caudata kered bulbul
tit Pycnonotus gularis Ruby throated
:\Iacblolophushap- Southern yellow tit bulbul
lonotus Pycnonotus luteo- White browed
Crateropopida. Ius bulbul
Argya caudata .,. Common babbler Micropus phreoce- Grey-headed bulbul
Argya malcolmL.. Large grey babbler phalus
Argya subrufu. ... Large rufous bab- Sittida-N uthatches.
bler Sitta castaneiven- Chestnut - bellied
Crateropus cano- Jungle babbler tris nuthatch
rus Sitta frontalis Violet-fronted blue
Crateropus griseus White-headed bab- nuthatch
bier
Pomatorhinus hors- Southern scimitar .Dzerurid.e-Drongos.
fieldi babbler Dicrurus ater Black drongo (king-
Dumetia albigula. Small white-throated crow)
ris babbler Dicrurus longicau- Indian ashy drongo
Pyctorhis sinensis Yellow-eyed babbler datus
Pellorneum ruficeps SPotted babbler Dicrurus crerules- \Vhite bellied
Rhopocichla atri- Black-headed bab- cens drongo
ceps bier Chaptia renea Bronzed drongo
Myophoreus hors- ~Ialabar whistling Chibia hottentotta Hair-crested drongo'
fieldi thrush Dissemurus para- Larger rocket-tailed
Larvivora brunnea Indian blue chat diseus drongo
Brachypteryx ru- Rufous bellied
fiventris short-wing Sylviitk-Warblers.
Zosterops palpe- Indian white-eye Acrocephalus sten- Indian great reed-
brosa toreus warbler
.tEgithina tiphia_.. Common iora Acrocephalus duo Blyth's reed-warbler
Chloropsis jerdoni Jeldon's CblOlOpsiS metorum
As Mr. Oates' work stops here, the remainder is taken from J. A. Murray's India"
Birds or the At·ifauna of Britisll India. But, from the two works not being
arranged on the same system._! have endeavoured to give the information from the
latter in the order in which it is presumed it will .appear in the former \\ hen
completed.
Picl.
Picida:-Woodpeckers-1Uara-kutaka. Gecinus striolatus Blyth's striated
Yunx torquilla Common wryneck green ' wood-
Tiga jaranensis ... Common large three- pecker
toed woodpecker Thriponax hodg- Great black wood-
Brachypternus au- Golden - backed soni peeker
rantias woodpecker Chrysocolaptes fes- Black-backed wood-
Brachypternuschry- Lesser golden- tivus pecker
sonotus backed wood- Picus mahrattensis YeIlow-fronted pied
pecker woodpecker
Micropternus gula- South-Indian rufous Iyngificus hard- Southern pigmy
ris peeker wickii woodpecker
Coccyges.
Czeculida:-Cuckoos-KJgila. Upupida:-Hoopoes.
Cuculus striatus ... Asiatic cuckoo Vpupa epops Hoopoe
Cuculus sonneratii Banded cuckoo Jlferojida:-Bee-eaters.
Hierococcyx\-arius Common hawk Merops viridis ... Common Indian
cuckoo green bee-ea ter
Cacomantis nigra Indian plaintive Merops phillipinus Blue-tailed bee-eater
cuckoo Merops leschen- Chec;tnut - headed
Coccystesjacobinus Pied-crested cuckoo aulti bee-eater
Coccystes coro- Red-winged crested Nyctiornis ather- Blue - necked bee-
mandus _ cuckoo toni eater
Eudynamys honorata Indian koel
CoracUuitE-Rollers.
Rhopodytes viridi- Small green-billed
Coracias indica ... Indian roIler
rostris malkoha
Centrococcyx rufi- Common crow phea- A lctdinUltz-Kingfishers.
penn is sant Alcedobengalensis Little Indian king-
Centrococcyx ben- Lesser coul-:al fisher
galensis Ceryle rudis Pied kingfisher
Taccocua leschen- Southern sirkeer Halcyon smyrnen- White - breasted
aulti sis kingfisher
Capilonida:-Barbets. Ceyx tridactyla •. , Three-toed kingfisher
Megalrema' cani- Common green Pelargopsis gurial Indian stork-billed
ceps barbet kingfisher
Megalrema viridis Small green barbet BucerotUitz-Hornbills.
Xantholremahrema- Crimson - breasted Dichoceros bicornis Great pied hornbill
cephala barbet Ant h r acoceros Malabar pied horn-
Xantholrema nll\la- Crimson - throated coronatu5 bill
barica barbet Ocyceros birostris Common grey hornbill
Psittacida:-Parrots-Gb;Zi.
Loriculus vernalis Indian loriquet
I
Psittacl.
Palreornis rosa Western rose-
headed paroquet
Palreornis torquatus Rose-ringed paroquet
BIR.DS
smges.
Bubomik-Eagle and Scops Owls. I Glaucidium mala- ~ralabar owlet
Bubo bengaIensis Rock homed owl
Bubo nipalensis ___ :Forest eagle owl
I
I
baricum .
Asio accipitrinus... Stout-eared owl
Scops pennatus __ . Indian scops owl Symium ocellatum Mottled wood-owl
Scops malabaricus Malabar scops owl Symium indrance Southern wood-owl
Carine brama Spotted owlet
Ninox scutulata .. , Brown hawk owl Strigida-Owls-Gtlbe, gztge.
Glaucidium radia- Jungle owlet Strix flammea Indian screech-owl
tum Suix candida Grass-owl
Acc:ipines.
Vulluridte-Vultures-Haaliu. Spiz:etus cirrhalus Crested hawk-eagle
Gyps indicus Long-billed vulture -juHu bhairi
Pseudogyps ben- Common brown Circretus gallicus Common serpent-
galensis - rana vulture eagle
haddu Spilomis melanotis Southern harrier-
Otogyps calvus ... Black vulture eagle
Butastur teesa ... White-eyed buzzard
Fakollida-Falcons-¢ege. Haliastur ingus- Maroon-backed kite
Circus pygargus '" Montague's harrier garuda (Brahmini kite)
Circus macrurus... Pale harrier Milvus govinda _.. Common Indian
Circus reruginosus Marsh harrier kite
Asturtrivirgatus... Crested goshawk Milvus melanotis Large Indian kite
Astur badius Brown hawk Pemis ptilonorhyn- Honey buzzard
Accipiter nisus- European sparrow- chus
bannada !)ege hawk Baza. lophotes Black-crested kite
Accipiter virgatus Besra sparrow-hawk h-ficrohierax creru- White-naped pigmy
-ur-chitlu lescens falcon
Buteo ferox Long - legged buz- Falco communis- Peregrine falcon
zard bhaira
Aquila heliaca Imperial eagle Falco peregrinator Shaheen falcon
Aquila vindhiana Tawny eagle -gege
Aquila clanga Spotted eagle 'Falco juggur - Lugger falcon
Nisretus fasciatus Crestless hawk 7eagle gigaga
Nisretus pennatus Dwarf or booted Falco chiquera ... Red-headed merlin
eagle Hierofalco saker .. _ Cherrug falcon
Neopus malayensis Black eagle Polioaetui ichthy- Eastern white-tailed
Spizretusnipalensis Spotted hawk-eagle aetus eagle
Steganopodes.
Pelecanida-Pelicans.
Pelecanus roseus... Eastern white peli-
can
I
' Phalacrocoraxpyg- Little cormorant
m<:eus
Plotus melanogaster Indian snake-bird
Herodiones.
Ciconida-Storks-Baka. Ardeitke-Herons-Kokkare.
Ardea cinerea ... Common heron
Leptopilus javanicus Lesser adjutant
Ardea purpurea... Blue heron
Xenorhynchus asi- Black-necked stork
Herodias alba ... Large white heron
aticus
Herodias garzetta Little black-billed
Ciconia leucoce- \\"'hite-necked stork
white heron
phala
Bubulcuscoromandus Cattle egret
186 FAU.NA
Ardeola grayi }'ond heron, paddy Nyctorax griseus... Night heron
bird
Butorides javanica Little green bittern Tanlali,ite.
Ardetta . flavicallis Blue bittern Tantalus leucoce- Pelican ibis
Ardetta cinnamomea Chestnut bittern phalus
Ardetta sinensis... Little yellow bittern • Platalea leucorodia Spoonhill
Botaurus stellaris Common· European Threskiornis me- White ibi~
bittern lanocephalus
Gaere..
Alla/~,·-Ducks-Bdiu. Casarca rutila Brahmini duck
Sarkidiornis mela- Comb duck Spatula clypeata... Shoveller
nonotus Dalila acuta Pintail
Nettapus coroman- Cotton teal Querquedulacrecca Common teal
delianus Fuligula cristata... Tufted pochard
Dendrocygna ja- Lesser v. hi~tling- Podidpul.e-Grebcs.
vanica teal Podiceps minor ... Dab-chick
Columbm.
Treoro1lti/a>-Fruit Pigeons.
Crocopus chlori- Southern green
I Collllnblllte-Pigeons and Doves-
p,srwdla.
gaster pigeon Columba interme- Indian blue roel.-
Osmotreron mala- Malabar green dia. pigeon ,
badca pigeon Turtur meena .•• Rufous turtle-dove
Carpophaga ;enea Imperial green Turtur senegalen- Little brown dov\!
pigeon sis
Carpoph%,'3. insig- Bronze - back im- Turtur risorius Indian ring-dove
nis perial pigeon
Oallinm.
rte>ro, hiM-Sand grouse. Telraolllt/.r.
Pterocles fasciatus Painted sand grouse Francolinus pictus Painted partridge
Ortygornis ponti- Common grey par-
Phas';II",l.f-l'eafov. l-.¥Qt,,/u. ceriana. tric.lge
1'a\"o cristatus. ... Common peacock Perdicuili. asiatica Jungle bush quail
Perdicula. argoon- Rock bush qunil
J"'glljodid. ,-. dah
Gallus ferrugineus Common jungle- Microperdix ery- Red-billed bush
fowl throrhyncha quail
Gallus sonnemti .. Grey jungle-fowl Coturnixcommunis Large grey (Iuail
Galloperdix spa- Red spur-fowl
diceus TinaR/i.I,,'.
Galloperdix hmu- Painted spur-fowl Turnix plumbipes Indo-;\lalayan hus-
latus tard quail
Geranomorphm.
Otitid.e-Bustards and floricans. Lobivanellus indicus Red-wattled lapwing
Sypheotides au;itllS Lesser florikin Sarciophorus bilo- Yellow-wattled lap•
.' bus wing
Cursonil.e-Courier plovers. CEdicnemus crepi- Stone player
Cursorills coro- Indian courier tans
manddiclls player GnJ"ite-Cranes-A'aAt'a.
Charadrills fuh'\ls Eastern golden Gnls cinerea Common crane
plover AnthropoidesYirgo Demoiselle cralle
REPTILES
Limicolte.
S(olopaddte. Himantopus candidus Stilt
Scolopax rusticola... Woodcock
GalIinago nemoricola Wood snipe Ral/idtz-Rails.
Gallinago scolopacina Common snipe _Porphyrio poliocephalus Purple coot
Gallinago gallinula... Jack snipe Fulica atra Bald coot
Machetes pugnax ... Ruff Porzana bailloni Pigmy rail
Actitis ochropus ... Green sand-piper Porzana maruetta Spotted crake
Totanus gIareola ... Wood sand-piper Gallinula chloropus Moorhen
Totanus calidris ... Red shank Gallinula phrenicura ... White-breasted
Recurvirostra avocetta Avocet water-hen
Sante.
Laridtz.
Sterna melanogastra Black-bellied tern
I Rhynchops
collis
albi- Indian skimmer
REPTILES.
"The few crocodiles that are found in the Mysore rivers very rarely
attack people (says Mr. Sanderson'); and fishermen, who pay no heed
to them, have told me that if they come upon a crocodile whilst
following their employment, it will skulk at the bottom- and not move
though handled, apparently believing it escapes observation."
The loss of life from snake-bite may be gathered from the following
particulars :-1n 1889-90 there were 91 human beings and 32 cattle
killed by snakes j in 1890-1 the numbers were 77 :;Lnd 8 ; in 1891-2 they
were 109 and 31:. The amounts paid in these three years as rewards
for the destruction of venomous snakes were Rs. 678 for 2,579, Rs. 690
for 2,589, and Rs. 664 for 2,873 respectivt:ly. So far as the figures go,
the loss of lifer as compared with what was reported in the first edition
fifteen y~ars ago, is certainly diminished. and this may possibly be the
result of the improved sanitary arrangements in towns and villages,
whereby much of the rubbish around dwelling-houses which formerly
gave cover to snakes is now regularly cleared away.
Reptilia.1I
Emydosauria-Crocodiles.
Crocodilidtz-Crocodiles-Mosale. .
GaviaIus gangeticus ••• '" Croc~us palustris
Chelonia-Tortoises and Tu'ttles.
Trionyckidr:e---Tortoises-",A'me.
Trionyx leithii
Testudinitk.
Testudo elegans ... Hal arne... '" Nicoria trljuga ... Muriki arne
1 "Thirteen Years II;mong the Wild Beast~ of India," Ip. I~
2 Compile(Urpm the volume by G. A. Boulenger in the Fazl'fla of British India.
. \ \
188 FAUNA
Squamata-Lizards and Snakes.
Geckomiice-Geckos---C(ti, oti-kcita.
Gymnodactylus nebuloslis ... Hemidaetylus frenatus
Gymnodactyllis deccanensis_ .. Hemidaetylus gleadovu Halli
Gonatodes mysoriensis Hemidactylus rnaeulatus
Gonatodes gracilis' _.. Hemidaetylus triedrus
Hemidactylus reticulatus Hemidaetylus eostrei Halli
Ettblepharidce.
Enblepharis hardwickii
Agalll idle.
Sitana pOl1ticeriana ... Calotes ellioti
Calotes versicolor O'ti Charasia dorsalis
yaranidte- Lizards-Halli.
Varanlls bengalensis... U'saravalli
Lacertidte.
Cabrita leschenaultii. .. ·Ophiops jerdonii
S. il1clate-Skinks-Hdva rd~i.
Mabina .carinata Lygosoma albopunctatum
Mabina macularia ... Lygosoma punctatum
Challlteleo1Ztziite-Chameleons-Gommbe.
Chamreleon calcaratus
(Ophidia)
Typhlopidce-Worm-lik.e snakes.
Typhlops braminus •.• Typhlops acutus
Boidte- Pythons or boas.
Python molurlls Dasara havu
Gongylophis eonicus ... Eryx johniil
Oropeltziite-Earth snakes.
Rhinophis sanguinells Silybura phipsonii
Silybllra ellioti Pselldoplectrurus canaricus
Colttbridte-Snakes-Hdvu.
Xylophis perroteti Tropidonotus piscator. Nii Mvu
Lycodon striatus Tropidonotus plumbicolor Hasur havu
Lycodon aliliclIs HeUeops schistosus
rlydrophobusnympha Dipsas trigonata
Ablabes calamaria Dryophis perroteti
Simotes arnensis Dryophis mycterixans Hasurnulige
Oligodon venustus
OJigodon subgriseus ... ~.. Hypsirhina enhydris .•. Nil. hlivu
Zamenis mucoslls' Kere Callophis nigreseens
Zamenis fasciolatus Bungarus fasciatus
Coluber h~lena Blingarus creruleusl' GOdinagara
Dendrophis 'pictus :.. Naia tripudians4 Nagarahavu
Tropidonotus ~tolatus N aia bungarus
Vijeritite-Vipers.
Vipera russellii Kolaku-manda,la Echis carinata ... .•• KaUu Mvu
1 The so-called two-heac1!d snake. 2 Rat snake or whip snake (dhdmin in Hindi).
3 Known as the krait. 4 The cobra. or cobra de capello.
FISHES 18 9
Batl'achia.
Ranith-Frogs-Kappe.
Rana hexadactyla .. . Rana limnocharis
Rana cyanophlyctisl .. . Rana breviceps
Rana. tigrina ... Rana beddomii
Engystomatitk.
Microhyla ornata Callula variegata
Callula pulchra Cacopus systema
Buf{}/ritk-Toads.
Bufo melanostictus
FISHES.
t< The rivers and artificial lakes in Mysore abound with excellent fish,
but I have never succeeded ip getting much sport with the fly (writes
Mr. Sanderson}.'! They may be taken by ~inningor ground fishing-
the latter chiefly at night. There is now in the Museum at Bangalore
the head and skin of a fish-a species of carp or mahseer, and called
bili or silver-fish in Canarese-caught by me in 1871 in the Lakshman-
tirtha, which measured sixty inches in length and thirty-eight in girth.
The circumference inside the mouth when caught was twenty-four
inches. I was unfortunately unable to weigh this fish, but I
estimated it by rough tests at not less than 1001bs. I have seen much
larger fish, without doubt upwa"rds of ISO lbs., caught by natives, chiefly
by netting during the months when the rivers are low. At such times
two or three villages of professional fishermen will combine to net a
single large fish known to be a prisoner in a pool during the hot
-weather. The pool may be a hundred yards long and broad, and the
water fifteen feet deep, with cavernous rocks capable of sheltering fish;
but by joining their nets, and diving and working for two or three days,
they seldom fail to secure the prize."
The following list has been compiled from Dr. Day'S book. 3 A
number of native names of fish, not identified, will be found under
each District in VoL II.
Pisces-.Mi'nu:
Teleostei.
Siluridr.e-Cat-fishes. Callichrous bima- Godale
Clarias magur ... Marave-Black cat- culatus'
fish Pseudentropius Bale ._ Ladyfish
Saccobranchus fos- CMlu minu - Yel- atherinoides
silis low catfish, scor- Macrones vittatus' Geralu
pion fish Macrones keletius
'Vallago attu Vale, ole Rita hastata
1 (?) The chunam or fiying frog. 'Op. cit. 3 In the" Fauna of British,India."
• Prtffta in Hindustani: called the" butter-fish" by Europeans in Bengal.
I Dr. Day has the following note :_i'This fish is termed 'the fiddler' in l\f}sore;
FAUNA
Cyprill ida-Carps. Barbus vittatus
Chela argentea ... White carp
Lepidocephalichthys thermalis
Chela boopis
Nemachilus guentheJi,
Chela clupeoides
Nemachilus semiarmatus
Nemachilus denisonii Percid(/!-Perches.
Nemachilus heavani • Ambassis nama
Discognathus lamta Pandipakke (korafi Ambassis ranga
kao!i, lEnd.)
Labeo fimhriatus Nandidte.
Laheo calhassu ... Kari mlnu Badis buchanani
Labeo kontius Badis dario
Cirrhina cirrhosa Nandus marmoratus
Cirrhina reba Pristolepis marginata
Matsya argentea Pristolepis malabarica
Barhus chagunio Gobiidte.
Barbu~ sarana Gid pakke Gobius giurus ... Abbroni
Barbus chrysopoma
Barbus micropogon RhY1ZChobdellt'dcr.
Barbl1S carnaticus Gid pakke (Giddi Mastacembalus ar· Thorny-hacked
kaoli, Hind.) matus
Barbus torI Ophiocephalidtl'.
Barhus carmuca Ophiocephalus Hun-ina maral
Barbus melanampyx marulius
Barhu~ parrah ... (Kacha korava, Ophiocephalusleu. BiIi korava
Hind.) copunctatus
Barbus dorsalis ... Mar pakke Ophiocephalus Kuchina maral
Barbus kolus striatus
Barbu~ melanostigma Ophiocephalus Mar korava
Barbus puckelli guchlla
Barbus arulius aruli o phiocephallls Balu, beli korava
Barbus ticto (Kaoli, Hind.) punctatus
INSECTS.
Arachnida.
Araneidre }
Lycosidre ...
Mygalidre
,
Spiders Very numerous and of great variety.
Scorpionidre Scorpions '" There are three species j the large black
rock· scorpion (1IIan{lragabbe), the
large red field scorpion, and the little
red house scorpion. The sting is
very rarely fatal, but often causes
great pain for a time.
Acarldre Mites
Sarcoptes kajji hula Itch acarus' This loathsome affeclion is very com-
scabiei mpn, even among the upper classes
of natives.
Ixodidre uQJ)e ... Ticks
1 A flight of locusts which passed over Mandya on the evening of the 16th of
May, 1800, is thus desclibed by Buchanan :-" It extended in length probably about
three-miles; its width was about a hundred 'yards, and its height fifty feet. The
insects passed from west to east in the direction of the wind, at the rate of six or
seven miles an hour. The whole ground, and every tree and bush, was covered with
them, but each individual halted for a very short time on anyone spot. In an hour
after the flock had passed few were to be discovered in the neighbourhood of the
town. The noise of this immense number of insecls somewhat resembled the
sound of a cataract. At a distance they appeared like a long, narrow,' red cloud
near the horizon, which was continually varying its shape. The locusts were as large
as a man's finger, and of a reddish colour." A flight the previous year had eaten up
all the young Jola: the present flight settled at a village to the eastward of Mandya;
and did the same.
FAUNA
Myrlapoda.
Iulidre.
Iulus ind\lS "f ban<J.i basava Very common.
Scolopendridre.. jari Centipedes There are several species, differ-
ing in size and colour; the
largest is of a greyil.h colour
with . crimson legs; of the
smaller kinds, one is black
and another of a sandy or
ashy colour.
Polydesmidre
Insecta.
Anoplura.
Pediculus ... ... henu Louse Every one mu~t be familiar with
the sight of native women re-
moving this unpleasant occu-
pant from one another's hair.
The same operat;on may be
constantly witnessed among
the common monkeys.
Heme"ptera.
Scutellera
Phlrea
CImex tigaQi Bug
Neides
Cicada
Fulgora minchu hula Firefly
Aphis These are of great variety and
beauty on different kinds of
trees.
Coccus Cochineal insect
C.lacca aruga Lac insect
Kermes ... Gall insect
Orthoptera.
Mantis religiosa Praying There are numerous species, of
mantis various sizes and colours;
some appear to have the
power of changing colour
like a chameleon.
Phasma .. . Animated straw
Phyllium .. . Leaf-like. Several of these are of great
insects beauty and curiosity. One
is an exact counterpart of the
mango leaf.
Gryllus jille '" Crickets... Very numerous and various. The
stridulation of the tree cricket
and the mole' cricket are at
times, in certain Iocalitiel.,
almost deafening.
Locusta ... patanga, mi<J.ite .. Grasshoppers
Acridium... mi9-ite, toppu Locusts ... These insects are here ~ompara.
tively harmless.
Blatta Cockroaches
INSECTS 193
}llturoptera.
Libellula ..• tUni hula ... Dragon fly
Ephemera
M}Tmeleon Ant lion ... . • Yery common.
Termes geddalu White ants Universal; their nest or ant-
hill is called hZ/Ita; the
winged nymphs, which
issue in swarms in the
rains, are called Ie halu
hl/ta.
Aphampfl!ra.
Pulex irritans chika~a .•. Common flea
Dtptera.
Culex gungaru Gnat
Tipula ... Daddy longlegs.
Culex so!!e Mosquito... . .. A well-known pest.
Musca nOl)a Fly ._. All "\'arieties.
Mango fly or eye fly Very numerous at Banga-·
lore in the mango season .
• It is no bigger than a flea.
upidopll!ra.
Rhopalocera chitte, kapate,! poi. Butterflies A ,"ery great variety;-
tragitte,2 sitade- Nymphalidre, 34 species;
vi hula Lycrenick'e, 28 species; 3
Papilionid~, 16 species. 4
Heterocera nusi Moths
Bombyx reshmi hula The caterpillar is
mori the silkworm.
Hymt:1Wptera.
Ichneumon
Formica iruve Ants Abound in every part in
great ,"ariety.
Yespa kaJ)ajada hula "'asp and hornet
Apis jenu hula Honey bee
Xylocarpa jirangi Carpenter bee
Bombus Bumble bee
Coleoptltra.
Scaralxeus dumbe Beetles Beetles abound in great pro-
fusion, and of much beauty
of form and colouring.
Buprestis _.. hasar dumbe .•. Green beetles The wings are used for the
decoration of slippers, &c.
Carabus
Copris Dung, beetle Very common on every
road.
J The plain or sober-coloured ones. 2 Those ",ith gay and "ariegated colours.
3 From .Marshall and de Niceville's work The Butll!rjlies of India (no more pub-
lished). • From Donovan.
o
194 FAUNA
Of insects use/It' to man the most important are the silk-producing
worms, the lac arui cochineal insects, and bees.
Silkworm.-The fatality which attended the rearing of silkworms
for some years, and checked an i~dustry that was a source of livelihood
to large numbers of Muhammadans, is 'noticed in Vol. II.; together
with the efforts that were made at the time, though ineffectually, to
re-establish a healthy race of insects, more especially by Signor de
Vecchj, in connection with a Silk 'Filature Company at Kengeri, Ban-
galore District. The industry has now revived and is again flourishing,
owing to the comparative immuuity of the worms from disease. Sil~
is produced in all the taluqs of tIle Bangalore District, as well as in
Chik Ballapur and Tirumakudal Narsipur taluqs.
TaSRl' Silkworm.-The domestication of the' tasar silkworm was
advocated some years ago, as the cocoons have been found in the
jungles around Nandidroog and Devaraydroog. The following notes
on the subject are taken from Captain Coussmaker's reports at the
time:
There are four ways in which the tasar silk cocoons may be procured,
all of which I myself have successfully tried. Firstly:-During the hot
weather, when the leaf is off; then the cocoons are easily discernible
hanging like berries from the twigs; men might then go into the jungles
and collect them. Secondly:-From June to October the caterpillars are
large and commit much ravage on the trees. Their presen(:e then is easily
detected by the denuded appearance of the twigs, and by their droppings
und~r tJle tree (the large caterpillars do not wander at all, but eat steadily
along one twig, devouring leaf after leaf) ; men might then go an0 collect
them all on to one tree, beneath which they themselves might build a hut
and live, scaring away birds, sqpirrels, &c. Both of these methods are
practised in the Bengal-Presidency. Thirdly:-The moths can be paired
when they issue from the cocoons, and the caterpillars reared from the eggs.
FOllJ"thly :-When the moths issue from the cocoons, the females can be
tied lip to certain trees and the males liberated there, when, if any of these
latter be not in full vigour, wild males may come and pair with the females,
which can then be removed.
In hatching out and rearing the caterpillars there is no difficulty; twig;
of whatever tree is most convenient to use should be put into earthen pots
full of earth and water, the mouths of which should, as recommended by
Captain H4tton, be closed with cotton rammed in, to keep the twigs steady
and to prevertt the caterpillars crawling down into the water and drowning
themselves. For the first fifreeo days, during w~ich the caterpillars wander
about much, the pots should be kept each in a small wooden frame, the
opposite sides of which should be covered with mosquito net or fine bamboo
chicks, so that the light and air may penetrate freely and the worms not
escape. After that time the pots should be put upon shelves or -tables with
SILKJVORMS 195
the twigs interlacing so as to form. a long hedge, and left uncovered. The
caterpillars should be kept there until they change their skins for the last
time, when they may be put on to twigs slispended over bamboos hung from
the ceiling; and here they will spin their cocoons, which may be gathered
every day when the twigs are renewed. In all cases the twigs should be
changed every day-those that are old and stripped, thrown away; those
that the caterpillars are on,. should be put near the fresh twigs, aqd they will
crawl off of their own accord. It is advisable to water them two or three
times a day from a watering-pot with a'very ii.ne rose; give them a gentle
shower as it were; this is refreshing both to caterpillars and twigs. I have
noticed that in changing their skins, it sometim.es happens that the old skin
does not come off freely. I think that a moderate amount of moisture is
essential to their well-doing. In this .way, with the least possible trouble
and expense, any amount of these caterpillars can be reared; ordinary
precautions being taken to protect them from their numerous enemi~s, by
stopping rat-holes, sweeping away cobwebs, nailing wire netting or bamboo
chicks liver the windows, which should be kept open by night and day.
I am glad to see that Mr. Massa reports so favourably upon the specimens
of tasar silk cloth. I myself am greatly indebted to Mr. R. S. De Souza,
the jailor at, Dharwar, at whose suggestion the twilled variety was wove,
and it was through his ready assistance and careful supervision that the
specimens were obtained.
Experiments have also been made with the Eri silkworm from Assam,
which feeds on the leaves of the castor-oil plant; and with a variety of
gold·lace cocoons found in the jungles of Hassan.
One hundred years ago the Hon'ble Court of Directors attempted to intro-
duce cochineal culture into India, and offered a reward of £2,000 to anyone
successfully importing it. In 1795 a naval officer secretly imported some
cochineal insects from Brazil, which were distributed over India, imd
cultivation fostered by the Court of 'Directors. After expending two lakhs
of rupees it was discovered that the wrong insect had been got. There are
two sorts of cochineal insect-the si/7lestre or wild one, and the grana-jilZa
or domesticated one ; the latter only producing the cochineal of commerce.
I t unfortunately was the si,'vestre that had' been imported, and was not worth
the trouble of cultivating. The grana-fina has never been successfully
imported. Besides getting the true insect, the proper cactus for its support
is necessary; the common opuntiajicus indi.a, or prickly-pear, will not suit
the domesticated kind. It must be o/Jtll1.tia cochinelliftra or ojJuntia tuna.
Referring to Kew as to the COITect cactus, authorities differed. After much
correspondence this point was settled, and I got the true caetul cochinellifern,
compared the plants so named growing at the Botanical Gardens in Calcutta,
o 2
19 6 FAUNA
Madras and Bangalore, and found them identical, corresponding with the
description of cactus 'at Teneriffe.
After reviewing all that has b~en done, the writer in Watt's Dictionary
says :-,,'The first and most natural step towards the introduction into
India of a commercial industry in cochineal should be the thorough
investigation of the races of cocoons already existing in the country and
the plants on which they feed."
Lac Insect.-The lac insect is found in several parts, as near the
Nandi hills. The tree on which it feeds is the jtilJri (shorea talllra,
Roxb.) All the trees, says Buchanan, are small, not exceeding eight
or ten feet in height; and their growth is kept down by the insect and
its managers; for this size answers best. The tree, left to itself, grows
to a large size and is good timber. For feeding the insect, if thrives
very well in a dry barren soil; and is not planted, but allowed to spring
up spontaneously as nature directs. In Kartika, or from about the
middle of October to the middll! of November, the lac is ripe. At that
time it surrounds almost every s~all bra~ch of the tree, and destroys
almost every leaf. The branches intended for sale are then cut off,
spread out on mats, and dried in the shade. A tree or two that are
fullest of the insects are preserved to propagate the breed; and of
those a small branch is tied to every tree in the month Chaitra, or
from about the middle of March to the middle of April; at which time
the trees again shoot out young branches and leaves. The lac dried
on the sticks is sold to the merchants. This is what is called
stick-lac, which, after the dye has been extracted, is formed into seed
and shell-lac.
Bees.-The bees are described by Buchanan as of four kinds. That
from which 'most of the honey and wax is procured is called lui/enll-
hu(a. This is a large bee, which builds under projections of the rocks
or in caverns. A large nest gives eight seers of honey = 4 'S 5 lb.. and
three seers of wax = I 'S2 lb. A small hive gives about one-third of this
quantity. The honey is gathered twice a year, in' A'sM<:1ha and Magha,
or in the month following the summer solstice and the second after that
of winter. Some people of the Bedar caste make the collecting of
honey and ~·ax a profession, and it is one attended with much danger.
Having dis~~vered a hive, some of them kindle a fire under the rock,
and throw on it the leaves of the cassia fistula and of the pulesen~
which emit a smoke so acrid that nothing living can endure it The
bees are forced to retire; and some others of the Bedar, so soon as the
smoke subsides, lower down by a rope one ot their companions, who
with a pole knocks off the nest and is immediately drawn up again;
BEES 197
for if he made any delay the bees would return, and their stinging is so
violent that it endangers life. In order to fortify him against the sharp
points of rocks, and against injury from the rope which passes round
his chest, the adventurous Beda is secured before and behind by
several folds of leather.
The bee that produces the next greatest quantity of honey is called
the ka{l{li or chittu-Jenu-hu{a; that is, stick or small honey. This bee
is very small, and builds around the branch of a tree a comb of an
oblong shape and sharpened at both ends. It is found at all seasons,
but is in the greatest perfection at the same time with the other. The
honey is of the finest quality; but the whole comb seldom weighs
more than two seers, or 1 ·2Ib. This bee.. does not sting, and is readily
driven away by a twig switched round the comb.
The tutjuve is a bee of which the honey is of an excellent quality,
but rarely procured; for it generally builds deep in the crevices of
rocks, where it is totally inaccessible. Sometimes, however, it is found
in hollow trees, and one hive will give from twenty to twenty-five seers
of honey, or about twelve or fifteen pounds; but the quantity of
wax is in proportion small. This is a large bee; but it very seldom
stings those who plunder its hive.
The tonga is a very small bee, that seldom stings. It takes
possession of the deserted nests of the white ants, which in this coun-
try are very numerous in the wastes of red soil such as is- usually
cultivated for ragi. Of this stiff earth the white ants raise hills re-
sembling the stump of a tree, which are from four to six feet high, very
hard, and able long to resist the heaviest rain. These, when deserted,
most commonly become the lurking-places of snakes; but sometimes
give shelter to the tonga bee. Its nest is therefore easily accessible;
but it is very small, and contains only about a seer of honey and half a .
seer of wax.
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Horses.-The only native breed\of )l.Orses is, as in most parts of
India, an ill-shaped, vicious tattu; as a rule not exceeding twelve
hands in height. 1 In spite of the pains which Haidar and Tipu took
to improve the Mysore breed by importation, even their far-famed
cavalry were as a rule badly mounted. The former Silahdar horses,
sprung generally from Arab sires and Mahratta dams,< were probably
fair speCimens of the class of animal which supplied the Muhammadan
armies. These were extremely weedy and deficient in barrel, but
would stand a great deal of work. A few stallions have always been
maintained by Government; but the Silahdars generally used to pur-
chase their horses from private breeders, and their demand was the
sale incentive to breeding. Of late years a hardy race of ponies has
come into use for drawing the small two-wheeled conveyance called a
jutka, which does duty for a: native cab. The ponies are doubtless of
Mahratta breed, and capable of great endurance. To improve the
general breed of horses six superior stallions were obtained in 1889
from the Military Department and stationed at headquarters of Dis-
tricts. The following year four fresh stallions and a pony mare were
procured and the remaining Districts supplied But so far the demand
for their services has been rather limited.
A horse-breeding establishment is kept up by Government at
Kunigal (removed there many years ago from Closepet) for supplying
the Silahdars with suitable mounts. In 1886 there were seven Arab
stallions and one Australian; in 1891 the Arab stallions had risen to
eight in number, and the Australian to three. During the intervening
five years 271 foals were bred at the Stud, and, including stock of
previous years, 246 were passed into the ranks. In addition to these,
seventy were cast and sold as unfit or undersized, sixty-two died, and
three were destroyed. The number remaining on hand in the Stud
Farm iUl891 was 154.
Mules.---:-It is said that Tipu Sultan introduced some fine asses from
Arabia for the purpose of breeding mules; but the prejudices of his
subjects were so strong that nothing could be done. A private scheme
1 Writing in 1803, Colonel Welsh says :-" Colar is so famous for a breed of
viCious horses that all over the peninsula, whenever a horse turns out ill, he is called
Colarie."
HORNED CATTLE 199
for a regular system of bre\'!ding these useful animals, so invaluable for
transport, has been lately put before the Mysore Government for assist-
ance, but nothing definite has so far been decided on.
Asses.-Every washerman keeps three or four females and a
male. The superfluous males are sold to various kinds of petty traders,
and people who transport salt and grain. The breed is very small, no
pains being taken to improve it; nor indeed to keep it from growing
worse. Some are of the usual ash-colour, whilst others are almost black,
in which case the cross on their shoulder disappears. These are not
varieties as to species; for black individuals have sometimes ash-
coloured colts, and, on the contrary, black colts are sometimes pro-
duced by ash-coloured dams. The ass~s get nothing to eat except
what in' the intervals of labour they can pick up about the village.
When the crop is on the ground they are tied up at night; but at
other seasons they are allowed to roam abo).1t, and in order to prevent
them from wandering too far their fore-feet are tied together. The
maies are never castrated, and the best are always sold off by the
washermen, which are the principal causes of the degeneracy of the
breed. At three years of age the females begin to breed, and some
have every year a colt, while others breed once only in three years. An
ass's burthen is reckoned about 76 Ibs; with which they will daily
travel about seven miles:
Horned Cattle.-The principal breeds of horned cattle in Mysore
are the Amrit Mahal, Madesvaran Betta, the Kinkanhalli, and the
village cattle. .(\lmost all other cattle seen in the country are im-
portations or crosses between the above-mentioned breeds.
The Amrit ,Mahdl,lliterally Milk Department, is an e!.tablishment for
the breeding of a race of cattle peculiar to the country of Mysore and
famous for its utility for military purposes. The establishment was founded
at ~ome time during the Hindu government, with special privileges as
regards grazing; but its maintenance for the special purpose of supplying
draught cattle for artillery i& due to Haidar Ali. He is reported to have in-
troduced a breed of cattle from the Trichinopoly country, by a cross
between which and the indigenous breed' of Mysore was produced the
Hallikar' breed, which is considered the best in the whole establishment.
Great doubt exists as to what 'the breed imported was, but general tradition
points to the small Brahmani bulls, which to this day are noted for their
endurance and fast trotting powers. '
"It was this establishment," wrote Sir Mark Cubbon, "which enabled
1 The particulars are taken from a pamphlet containing t.he history of the Amrit
MaMl. compiled from the Records of the Department by Captain M. A. Rowlandson,
and one 01). Hunsur, by Dr. Gilchrist; with corrections by,Major McInroy, the officer
formerly in charge, to whom I was indebted fur them. .
200 FAUNA
Haidar Ali to march 100 'miles in two days and a half to the relief of
Chidambram, and .after every defeat to draw off his guns in the face oC his
enemies; which enabled Tipu Sultan to cross the peninsula in one month
for the recovery of Bednurj and to march sixty-three miles in two days
before General Medows; which, in later times, enabled General Pritzler
to march 346 miles in 25 days in pursuit of the Peshwa: and which enabled
General Campbell, after the failure of his Bengal equipments, to advance
upon Ava and bring the war to a favouril-bl~ termination. It was also this
~sfablishment which enabled the Duke of Wellington to execute those
movements of unexampled rapidity which are the admiration of every mili-
tary man, and in consideration of whose services he recommended it to pro-
tection in a letter addressed at the close of the war to the Commander-in-
Chief." Allusions in the Wellington Despatches show that the Great Duke
often, during the Peninsular War in Spain, regretted that he had not the
assistance of the Amrit Mah,U cattle.
After the capture of Seringapatam, the Breeding establishment was
intrusted to the native government, and the Public Cattle department to an
agent; but the inducements which had led Haidar and Tipu to keep up
its efficiency were wanting, and hy the end of 1813 the cattle had degener-
ated to such a degree that the management was taken over by the British,
and 10,914 head of breeding cattle, the exact number made over to the
Raja's government in 1800, received back. A. Commissariat officer (Captain
Harvey) was placed in charge, with a suitable establishment, and up to the
31S~July, 1816, the number of cattIehad increased to J4,399, exclusive of900
calves transferred as fit for service. By 1823 the original number had nearly
doubled itself, besides supplying for the publie service young bullocks equal
to one-fourth part of the increased establishment. In 1860, from motives of
economy, Sir Charles Trevelyan ordered the establishment to be broken up,
and the herds to be sold; but the results were to the detriment of the pu blic
service. The Amrit Mahal was therefore, with the cordial approval and
assistance of the then MaharaJa, re-established in December 1867, with·
5,935 head of c;attIe. In i871 there were 9,800 head of all sizes, exclusive
of 1,000 young male cattle in the Training Depot. It was arranged that a
certain number of bulls should be handed over to the ¥ysore Government
annually, to be stationed at various points in the country for the purpose of
improving the breed of cattle used by" the ryots.
The cattle were divided into 3~ herds, containing from 200 to 700 head of
cattle each; for the grazing of which, 208 kdvals or pasture grounds were
allotted in various parts of the country.) They are divided into hot weather, -
wet weather and cold weather kivaIs, according to the seasons of the year
d~ring whicn they are of most use. The hot weather kivaIs are generally
the,beds of tanks in which grass springs up during the hot months, and near
which there ,are trees for the purp?se of affording shade to the cattle during
1 Though a herd consists of both males and females of various ages, they are not
allowed to graze in immediate company, each being divided into seven lots, called
pals, to prevent their injuring one another. The average number of attendants or
graziers is one to every fifty head of cattle. •
A ...lfRIT ~}fAHAL 201
the heat of the day. These are ,-ery valuable ka,vals, and are reserved as
far as possible for the sole use of the Government cattle. The cold and wet
weather klivals are those which during those seasons have plenty of grass
and water: but which during the. hot weather dry up and are of little use to
the department j in both the latter descriptions of kcivals the ryots' cattle
are permitted to graze certain fixed portions, and after the Government
cattle have left for their annual visit to the jungles. the slterve~ars are
permitted to sell some part of the grazing, and from the funds thus obtained
the kd7liugdrs or guards are paid and other expenses met. This privilege
ceases at the end of July each year.
The Amril .Afahal cattle comprise three varieties, called the Hallikar, l
HagalV3.91 and Chit\lldroog, from the districts which originally produced
them, and may be readily distinguished f~om every other breed in India
by the peculiar shape ~nd beauty of their heads and the symmetry of
their form. They seldom attain an extraordinary height, but in pro-
portion to their size are remarkably deep and wide in the chest, fong
and broad in .the back, round in the barrel, well ribbed up and strong
in the shoulder and limb. 2 They are active, fiery, and walk faster than
troops; ih a word, they seem to constitute a distinct species, and
possess the same ~uperiority over other bullocks, in every valuable
quality, that thoroughbreds do over other horses. The cows of this
breed are write, but the males have generally an admixture of blue over
the fore and hind quarters. There is a fourth variety of coloured
cattle, which are considered inferior to the white in energy and per-
severance, though they rather surpass them in size. As the former
breed is the most perfect that is known, it would only tend to its
deterioration to cross it with any other, and the bulls are accordingly
bred in the best herds, and individuals, selected from the best specimens,
distributed to improve the breeds in the other herds.
A cow of this breed is supposed t~ give about one pucka seer of
milk a day, and the calf could not be deprived of a,ny part of it without
1 An absurd legend is current among the herdsmen of the department regarding
the origin of the Halliktir. They state that Haidar'Ali, af~er one of his trips to the
south, brought back to the Mysore country a number of cows of the small Brahmani
caste. These cow$ were turned loose into a k3,,'al (in the Tumkur District) in which
there were great numbers of antelope, and a cross between the big black bucks and
the small Brahmani cows gave the present HalliIci.r breed. In support of the story
they point to the small spot below the eye, common to antelope and to Hallikar cattle.
I The general characters of a good bullock are a round barrel, stout strong legs,
and broad forehead. The average height is 48 inches, and 50 inches was about the
highest standard. But the average h~ight has very much increased since the re-
$!Stablishment of the department in 1866. Some of the bullocks now run up to
531 inches. Of course weight is also a material consideration. The average is
about 12 maunds or 43 stone, but no means have been adopted to determine this
exactly. -
202 FAUNA
being materially injured in its growth. The calves remain with their
mothers during the, day, but are separated from them at night, and are
kept in a fold under charge of the herdsmen until they are three months
old, when they begin to graze and get strength. In the cold season,
when the herbage is abundant, they are generally weaned at the age of
five months; but such as are brought forth later in the year cannot be
separated from their mothers till after the hot weather. After
separation, care is taken to conduCt tlie~ to the richest ,pastures in
the neighbourhood, and they are never supplied with any other food.
Heifers begin to breed hetween three and a half and four years old,
and bring forth six or seven times. Twenty cows are allowed to one
hull. The bulls begin to propagate at five years of age' and retain their
vigour till ten, when they are discarded from the herds. The average
annual amount of births is fifty per cent on the number of cows, and
the proportion of male and female calves is nearly equal.
The whole of the cattle, bulls, cows and calves subsist entirely on
what the pastures afford, and on the stalks of the castor, baller, Rulli,
and other nourishing plants, which are left on the ground for their use
after the harvest in the months of January, February and March.. This
brings them into excellent condition at the most favourable season for
the cows taking the bull. In the dry weather, when a want of forage
and water prevails in the open country. the herds are conducted to the
south-western jungles, where toe natural moisture of the soil, the early
showers, and the shelter afforded by the trees are favourable to vegeta-
tion. They arrive there in May and return to their pastures in
September, when the grass ~s in great abundance all over Mysore.
The calves are castrated in November, the cold weather being found
peculiarly favourable to the success of the operation, and invariably
between the age of five and twelve months, as their growth is supposed
to bl:! promoted by early castration; and it is attended with this impor-
tant advantage, that it prevents the cows being impregnated by inferior
bulls and consequently prevents the breed from degenerating. They
are separated from t]1e herds after foui years 9f age and transferred to
the Public Cattle Department when turned of ~ve, perfectly trained and
fit for wotk. They arrive at their full strength at seven and are past
their vigour at twelve; they work till fourteen or fifteen, after which
they decline "rapidly and generally die at eighteen years of age. The
cattle of thes~ herds are kept in their wild state, without shelter of any
description; they are very fiery and cannot be approached by.
strangers without the protection of the herdsmen. It requires several
months to break thenl in, and the employment is extremely difficult
and dangerous.
A.J.VRIT ilIAHAL 203
At the age of three years the catching of bullocks takes place, previous
to which they are nearly as wild as the inhabitants of the jungle. The
bullocks are first driven into a large oval enclosure, which they are made
to enter with much difficulty. This communicates with a square yard,
surrounding an inner enclosure about twenty feet square, which is
surrounded with a strong f~nce made of wooden posts placed close together
and about twelve feet high. '''nen they are collected in this, the opening
is closed. The trainers then ascend on tbe top of the fence, and throw a
noose round each of the bullock's horns. This done, the end of the rope is
passed between posts near the ground, and the animal is drawn close up
and secured by people on the outside. The passage is then opened and old
trained bullocks admitted. One of the latter is bound by the neck to one
of the wild animals, which being done, the rope is loosened, when he
immediately endeavours to escape. His p-ained comrade, however, to
whom he is coupled, restrains him, though but partially; accordingly the
two leave the enclosure at tolerable speed. The rope by which the
untrained bullock was originally noosed is allowed to remain attached to
his horns, and when they approach one of the strong posts placed in the
immediate vicinity of the enclosure the rope is quickly turned round it, by
which the animals are again brought up. The untrained bullock is then
well secured by the neck, with as little latitude of motion as possible.
There he is kept alone for about two days, until he becomes consideraflly
tamed and WQrn out with unceasing efforts to escape. The next operation
consists in attaching to the animal a couple of blocks of wood so hea\]' as
to be moved with some difficulty, and giving him as much liberty as this
admits of. He is then admitted to the company of old trained cattle, and
from the twofold effects of example and partial restraint he gradually
becomes submissive. The bullocks are now grazed in the vicinity of Hunsur
for a further period of three years, being tied up regularly each evening in
lines. They are then transferred to the Public Cattle Department to undergo
final breaking for the public service.
Since the Rendition the following changes have taken place:-On the
1st January, 1882, the MysoreGovernment purchased the Ampt ~lah:il
cattle from the Madras Government, there being at that time 30 herds,
with 12,502 head, of which 4,618 were cows and 117 breeding bulls. It
was stipulated that the Department should supply the Madras Govern-
ment for ten years with three-year-old bullocks at Rs. 50- per head, to a
number not exceeding 400 annually. In 1886 this limit was reduced
to 200 of four years old at the same price. The· herds were therefore
broken up in 1887 and their number ,reduced to sixteen. In 1889
steps were taken to form special herds of big and fine cattle. There
are thus 23 herds now (1894) under six darogas. The steers are not
caught near Hunsur, but in different kivals, and are accustomed to
being tied up before being handed over to Madras. Others are sold at
reduced rates or distributed to raiyats at suitable places. Each of the
20 4 FAUNA
darogas has also a sheep farm, where the country ewes are crossed by
cross-bred Kashm\r, rams.
At the Hissar Cattle Farm in the Punjab, artillery cattle are bred
from the Mysore cross to serve as" leaders." At the Bhadgaon Farm
of the Bombay Goverhment cattle-breeding has been established for
over eleven years, the herd having taken its 'origin from the Mysore
Amrit Mahal. The main object has been to breed Mysore bulls for
crossing and improving the cattk'ofthe country around. "As I
passed through the district, I saw evidence," writes Dr. Voelcker, "of
the impress which the Mysore cattle reared at the Farm had made
upon some of the other cattle, and how superior to the ordinary cattle
were those which had the Mysore 'touch' in them." 1
Mddesvaran Betta--.This· breed comes from the jungles and hills
near BiIigirirangan Betta, on the south-eastern frontier of Mysore.
They are larger than the Amrit Mah,n cattle, but are loosely made and
not well ribbed up. They have heavy loose-hanging dewlaps, sloping
broad foreheads, and large muzzles. They ltre very heavy slow
animals, but crossed with a Hallikir bull they form excellent cattle
for draught and ploughing. Of this cross-breed are the cattle mostly
•
used by the large cart owners who carry on trade from towns 10 •
the
Mysore territory to the Western Coast, Bellary and other places.
Kdnkdnhallt:- This breed comes from KlfnkanhalIi, in the south-
east of Mysore; they are very like the Madesvaran Betta breed, but are
generally smaller, though larger than the Am~it Mah,U breed. They
have thick horns, broad sloping foreheads, and white, very thick skins.
In all other respects the remarks regqrding the Madesvaran Betta breed
are applica~le to the Kankanhalli. '
The village cattle, vary very much in size, colour and characteristics;
in some parts very fair cattle ~ay be seen, but as a general rule the
village cattle are a stunted inferior race. The cows generally give
from half to one seer of milk per diem, though occasionally some may
be met which give three seers, but it will be generally found ~hat
t?ese have been fed on nutritious food, such as oil-cake, cotton-seed
and such like. The bullocks are small, but for their size do a sur-
prising'amount of work.
Buffalo.2-Of the buffalo there are three varieties, the Hullu, the
Gaujri or G,ujarat, and the r;hokatu, which comes from the country
bordering on'the river Krishna.
The Hullu is by far the most common, and is the native breed of the
country. The, female has a calf every year, and gives milk for seven
I Report 011 the Improvellle11t of IlUlian Agriculture, 204.
2 Much of the information in the following paragraphs is from Buchanan.
SHEEP
months. Besides what the calf draws from her, she gives twice a day
about a quart of milk. She generally bears from ten to twelve calves,
and is very Jlnruly when the keeper attempts to milk her without the
calf being present. They will convey a greater weight, either in a cart
or on their back, than a common ox; but walk very slowly, do not
endure heat, and cannot easily travel more than seven miles a day.
The two stranger breeds are greatly superior in size to the H"l/II;
but in this country they very soon degenerate. The females breed
once in two or three years only, and produce in all about six calves.
For two years after each parturition they continue to gh;e a large
quantity o( milk; but in the third year their milk begins to diminish;
and it entirely ceases about two months before the time of calving. In
this country, besides what the calf is alloW'"ed, they give daily from six
to eight quarts of milk and require no more food than the common
breed, neither do they refuse their milk should the calf be removed or
die. The males are entirely reserved for breeding or for carrying
loads'; one of ~em \\"ill carry as much as ~ix oxen, and will walk
faster.
Sheep.-These are of three varieties, the Kurubar or ordinary breed,
so called from the caste which rears it; the Gollar, which is less
common and which owes its name to the same cause; and the }'qaga,
which is the rarest of the three. \\-'bite, brown and black colours are
found in all three breeds. The Kurubar is a small sheep, with. horns
curling backwards. Both its flesh and wool are superior to those of the
other two varieties. The Gollar is distinguished from the Kurubar by
its large size, coarser wool, longer neck and different formation as to
. the head and jaws. The Ye}a.ga, which is rare, is longer in the leg, and
stands higber than the other breeds, but is less bulky and more
resembles a goat in structure of the body and limbs. The sheep of this
variety are never shorn of their wool, being too coarse for manufacture,
and they shed their coats once a year. This js the breed which
is uSed for draught and carriage of children. The Gollar sheep are
left out at night at aU seasons and in all weathers, and do not appear
to suffer from the exposure, while the Kurub:us and Yel~oas are
invariably housed at night. The different breeds are never mixed,
chiefly owing to antagonism between the Kurubar and Gollar castes;
but even in the absence of enmity between the shepherds it i~ doubtful
whether the two varieties could ever be brought to mix, and it is pretty
well established that the YeJaga will not amalgamate with the- other
two. They are solely dependent on pasturage, being never fed on grain.
Sheep, with the exception of the Yelagas, are shorn twice a year, and
fifty fleeces amount to about a maund weight. The wool is all coarse,
206 FAl7.NA
and is made into rough kamblis. The shepherds usually hand over
100 fleeces to the lNeaver, who gives them in return a kambli. There
was formerly ~ Government manufactory at Hunsur, which turned out
good blankets made from the wool of the white sheep in the Govern-
ment farm. This has been abolished.
"The woolly breed of sheep, which exists. throughout Mysore, is
fairly esteemed," says Dr. Shortt, "both for its mutton-forming and
wool-producing qualities. The rams have large heavy horns, wrinkled
and encircled outwards, and their points inwards and forwards. The
head is large and heavy-looking, with a prominent Roman nose. The
ears are of moderate size and pointed, and the tail short, never exceed-
-ing 3 to 4 inches. The ewes are mostly hornless; They a"re occasion-
ally met with small light horns, seldom exceeding 3 to 4 inches in
length. The prevailing colour is from a light to a very dark grey or
black. The ram stands 25 inches; and the ewe 23 inches in height.
The ordinary live weight is from 40 to 60 lbs., but gram-fed wethers
attain from 60 to 8'0 lbs. They have fairly compact carcases, with
good width, prominence and depth of chest; the body is well wooled
and rectangularly formed; in picked specimens the_ counter is full and
the shoulder is fairly -filled when in co~dition. The fleece never
exceeds 3 to 4Ibs., and the staple averages 3 to 4 inches in length.
An ordinary sheep fetches from 2 to 3 rupees in the market, fat wethers
7 to 10 rupees each. "
" "This breed furnishes the chief fighting rams of Southern India, for
which purpose good picked male rams are sought after by native Rajas,
Zamindars and others. They are much petted and pampered, till they
grow quite savage; they will butt and also stri!<e with their fore-feet;
and I have also seen in one or two instances a propensity to bite. They
are pitted against each other, and large sums of money staked on
the result. In fighting, they run a tilt by first moving backwards some
short distance to add force -to the impulse of their weight; and fre-
quently in the fight they have their heads or horns broken. These
rams, from special selection and good feed, often attain 30 inches in
height and over 80 Ibs. in weight. Size does not necessarily ensure
success in the battle, as I have' seen the largest ram of the kind I
remember ever having met with, run away after a few tilts from one
that was vc:ry much smaller. All the breeds of sheep in Southern
India are pugnacious and reared to fight, the preference always being
given "to the black woolly breeds of Mysore or to those of Coimbatore.
This breed extends from Mysore to Bellary, where after a time the
wool frequently changes into long lank hair."
For many years Sir Mark Cubbon had an experimental sheep farm at
GOATS · 20 7
Heraganhalli, Nagamangala taluq, under the charge- of a European
Commiss~riat subordinate officer. Merino rams were imported yearly
from Australia and the cross.-breeds distributed aU over the country.
The· breed of sheep throughout the Province was thus immensely
improved both as to size, quality of mutton, and wool. The wool was
sent in bales by the Mysore Government -to England for sale, as well
as for the purpose of being man,ufactured into blankets and serge.
The fann was given up in 1863, as it did not pay expenses. This was
owing apparently to sheep-breeding alone receiving attention : if other
branches of farming had been combined, the results would prohably
have been more favourable.
In 1888 a flock of fifteen rams and ewes was imported from A-ustralia
with the v.iew of improving the fleece ofPthe country breed. A flock
of whita sheep and their Iambs by an acclimatized merino ram had also
been collected, for breeding purposes. .The Iambs thus bred are larger
and the fleece of the sheep much better than those of the ordinary
sheep of the coun'try. Some have been sent to Haidarabad and others
. sold or distributed to raiyats'for breeding.
Goats.-There a;e two kinds of goats, the long-legged or meke, and
the short-legged or kanclU' meke, but the two can propagate togethet.
In every, flock ot sheep _there is commonly a proportion of 10 or
20 11leke to 100' sheep. This does not interfere with. the pasture
of the sheep, for tqe goats live entirely on the leaves of bushes and
trees. One male is kept for twenty females. Of those not~wanted for
breeding, the shepherd sacrifices some for his own use while they are
young j the remainder he castrates and sells to the butcher. The
female breeds at two years of age. 'They breed once a year, about
four times, after which they are generally killed by the shepherds for
their own use. For three months the kid is allowed the whole milk;
afterwards the mother is milked once a day for two months; and eigh,t
goats will give a quart of milk. The excrement of, both sheep and
goats is much used for manure.
208
ETHNOGRAPHY
I See J. F. Hewitt's" The Ruling Races of Prehistoric Times," from which these
particulars have been extracted, out of a bewildering maze of detail. "It was in
this region (the Western Punjab) probably that they (the Aryans) found the first
enemy of foreign race to themselves, for they mention hostile serpent-worshippers of
a yellow complexion, and from other sources we tearn that very early in history there
had been movements amongst the light-tinted race of West-Central Asia, that went
by the gen~rlc name of Skythian."~J. A. Baines, General Report on tke Census of
India, 1891, p. 122.
M See" The Original Inhabitants of Bhllrata-varsha," by Dr. G. Oppert.
8 The story is told in Rig-veda, vii., 18, 33 (1-6) and 83. and in iii., 33.-Hewitt,
p.l12.
TunAS 211
,may have been the land of their origin, it seems more likely that "a
race of drovers of semi-amphibious buffaloes gradually pushed forward
its herds through the rich moist flats of Wainad to the grassy downs of
the Nilagiris, than through the dry plains Qf Coimbatore and Salem."1
Colonel Marshall, in his interesting work on the Todas, says :-" In
the process of writing of them I have grown to the very strong
conviction that the pepple are a surviving sample of some portion of the
Turanian race when in its very primitive stage. lVithout much exercise
of the imagination I can picture them the contemporaries and.
neighbours, even perhaps the ancestors, of races of south-western Asia
which have made a figure in early history. There is much of the
'blameless Ethiopian' about them: som~thing of, the Jew and
Chaldean in their appearance." In a nore he adds :-" On the eve of
sending this work to the press I would beg again to urge my belief in
the connection between the Dravidian Toda and the Ethiop."~
Still keeping to the hills, we may probably set down the Kurubas of
the south·western forests, and the Soligas of the Biligirirangan hills on
the south-east, as aboriginal tribes. The Kurubas, or Kurumbas, as
they are there called, extend to the Nilgiri hills, where the Badagas,
who attribute to them great powers of sorcery, always at the time of
ploughing employ a Kuruba to turn the first furrow, which may be
embl~nlatic of an ancient ownership in the soi~ and a sort of acknow-
ledgment that the Kuruba permits it to be cultivated. It is significant
too that the Kurubas do not pay gudu or tribute to the Todas as the
other tribes do. 3
The Kidu or wild Kurubas of Mysore are divided into Betta or
Hill Kurubas, 4 a small and active race capable of enduring great
fatigue, who are expert woodmen: and the J enu or Honey Kurubas,
said to be a darker and inferior race, who employ themselves in collect-
ing honey and bees'-wax. Their villages or clusters of huts are called
hdtji. Among their peculiar customs, a separate hut or chdva¢i is set
apart in which the unmarried females of the hiqi sleep at night, and
another at the other extremity of the hicJi for the unmarried males;
both being under the supervision of the headman of the tribe. They
are their own barbers, bits of broken glass doing duty for razors.
Strangers are not allowed to enter a haqi with shoes on. In cases of
death, adults only are cremated j children are buried. The BeHa
even said to dispense with more substantial covering.. This also accords
with the ancient practice illustrated in numerous bas-reliefs. For
women, as there represented, are commonly arrayed in nothing more
than rows of ornamental chains and jewellery, pendent from the throat
and loins-an attire, if such it may be called, worthy of the Age of
Innocence; and becoming enough, it may be, on the golden-olive and
nut-brown tints, that ~carce reveal a blush, of Nature's vesture for the
fair of these climes.
The Koravas in Chutia Nagpur are described as Kolarians,l and such
those in Mysore may be by origin. They are here credited with strong
thieving propensities. One section is called Dabbe (split bamboo), and
consists no doubt specially of mat-makers, It would appear. as if some
reminiscence of a custom like COUVeJde li»gered among the Koravas, for
it is said that when a woman is confined, her hJlsband takes medicine
for her. 2 They live in small camps of movable wicker huts, which are
sometimes stationary for a time near large towns, but are often removed
from place to place daily.
Descending to the interior, we find an out-caste race, the Holayas,
whose name may be derived from hola, a field,'1 occupying a quarter
of their own, called the Hola-ger~ outside every village boundary hedge.
They are the ChanQila of Sanskrit writers; and are the representatives
of the Bala-gai or right-hand faction, of which an account will be found
further on. "As a body they are the servants of the ryots, and are
mainly engaged in tending the plough and watching the herds. But
one of this despised order is generally the priest to the village goddess,
and as such, on that annual day when all hasten to pay their offerings
at her shrine, takes precedence of the twice·born Brahman."1
The loti or kulaz,dtJi (he who directs the ryots), always a Holaya,
is a recognized and indispensable member of every village corporation.
In his official position he is the village policeman, the beadle of the
village community, the headman's henchman; but in the rights and
1 Hewitt, p. 47. "The old traditions make no distinction between the dark races, .
if indeed there were any. Philology indicates a fairly well-marked distinction between
the languages of the tribes of the central belt, and groups one section, mainly that to
the southward, under the head of Dravidian, and the other under a title which has
remained, for want of a better, in its primitive and not very correct form of Kolarian.
Physiology, however, has been busy amongst these tribes, and discovers no trace of
distinction between the two groups."-Baines, p. 123.
• Mys. Cen. Rep., p. 226.
a But the Brahmans call them Holeyas, which they derive from hole, impure.
4 This and following particulars are taken from a paper by Captain Mackenzie on
the" KuJava<;li of the Hassan District."-Ind. Ant., II •• 65.
216 ETHNOGRAPHY
privileges which yet ciing to him we get glimpses of his former estate,
and find proofs that.the Holayar were the first to establish villages. All
the castes unhesitatingly admit that the kuJav.i<:li is (de jure) the owner
of the village. If there is a dispute as to the village boundaries,' the
kulav:iQi is the only one competent to take the oath as to how the
boundary ought to run, and to this day a village boundary dispute is
often decided by this one fact-if the kulava<;lis agree, the other inhabi-
tants of the village can say no more." Formerly, when a village was first
established, a large stone, called kan~ k~llll, was set up within it. To
such stones the patel once a year makes an offering, but the ku!avaQ~
after the ceremony is over, is entitled to carry off the rice, &c., offered,
and in cases where there i\p no patel, the kulavac;1i, perforrr.s the
ceremony.
But what seems to prove strongly that the Holaya was the first to
take' possession of tl;:te soil is, that the kulavaQi receives, and is entitled
to receive, from the friends of any p~rson who dies in the village a
certain burial fee, or, as it is forcibly put, "they buy from him the ground
for the dead." This fee'is still called in Canarese nela hdga. 1 In
Manjarabad, the ancient Balam, the kulava<;li does not receive this fee
from those ryots who are related to the headman. Here the kuJavaQi
occupies a higher position; he has in fact been adopted into the patel's
family, for on a death occurring in such family the kulavaQi goes into
mourning by shaving his head. He always receives from the friends
the cloths the deceased wore, and a brass basin.
The kulavaQi, however, has to pay an annual tax, consisting of
one fowl, one hat;la (4 annlls 8 pie), and a handful of rice, to the agent
of the SUQuga<;lu Sidda or lord of the bu~ning grounds, who resides
somewhere in the Baba :Sudan hills and is of the GangaQikara Wok.
kaliga caste.
Traditions, whose authenticity there seems no reason to doubt, are
preserved, as elsewb,ere related, of an early Jain immigration, perhaps
in the 4th century B.C., from Ujjayini and the north; also of the
introduction in the 3rd or 4th century A.D. of Brahmans, the .pro-
genitors of the Haiga or Havika Brahmans of the Nagar country, from
Ahichchhatra in Panchala or Rohilkhand, by one of .the Kadamba
kings; 2 of the attempt of the king of the Chandalas above the Ghats to
1 From 1lela, 'the ground, and hdga, a small coin (worth one anna two pie).
I The Haiga Brahmans seem to be of pure face and of no bastard or doubtful
caste. They are described as very fair, with large eyes and aquiline noses, a descrip.
tio),! which would imply for them a derivation from an uncorrupted and little inter·
mixed northern sOl1rce.~Campbell, Et~nol. India, 74.
POPULATION 217
form a matrimonial alliance with a Kadamba princes~, his consequent
death by treachery and the loss of his kingdom, into which the
Brahmans under th~ new rulers gained admission. In the south we have
evidence . that in the 3rd and 4th centuries the Ganga kings were
extending their sway over Mysore, and this seems to have been accom-
panied by a gradual setting aside of the predominant Jain influence by
that of Brahmans. The Chola invasions of the 11th century i~troduced
a large Tamil influence. In the east and north, we may suppose that
under the Mauryas and the Pallavas, up to the 6th century, Buddhistic
influences would be chiefly at work, and settlers from the Telugu
countries attracted into Mysore. The progress of events as related in
the next chapter will suggest the circumstances under which the
population was probably recruited by K-ongas, Re<JcJis, Wo<J~Jas and
other tribes.
As far back as the loth century we 'find two great territorial divisions,
namely, Gangava(.1~ occupying the. southern and central parts of the
country, and NOl}ambava<.ii the northern. The correspondence of
names shows that in the Gangu<Jikara and Nonaba Wokkaligas, who
form, especially the first, so large a proportion of the agricultural class,
we have the descendants of the subjects of those provinces. The advent
of Muhammadan and Mahratta immigrants can without much di!ficulty
be assigned to the right time, and that of Europeans is well known.
The vicissitudes through which the country has passed will prepare us
to find a great admixture of castes and peopl~. Accordingly, no fewer
than I I 2 different names of castes and 382 recogniZed subdivisions
occur in the las.t Census Report for 1891. The number of sub-
divisions actually returned, however, is stated to have been no less
.thart 864-
POPULATION
The first census was taken in 1840-1 and the next in 1851-2, since
which period annual returns were made up until 1871, when a census
more minute and exact was carried out. The latter indeed may-
probably be considered the only real census obtained by actual enumer-
ation of the people; the older kluineslzumdri estimates having been
generally formed, it is believed, by multiplying the ascertained number
of families by a figure assumed to be the average number of members
composing each. Nevertheless the 5gures, so far as any are available,
are not without interest.
218 ETHNOGRAPHY
-
Year. Hindus. Muhammadans. Othen. Total.
,
1801 ... ... ... 1,969.493
1804 2,094,359 77,395 ... 2,17 1,7541
1832 ... ...
1841 ... ." .. , 3,500,000•
3,050,7 13
." ...
18 51 ... ... ... 3,426,45 8
18 52 ...
...
... , .., 3.460,696
18 54 . ... ... 3,5° 1,283
1855
1856
... ... ... 3,535,44 1
3,476,966 152,611 ." 3, 629,577
1857 3,447,944 161,160 ... 3,609, 1043
18 58 3,557,IIO 181,817 ... 3,738,9 27
18 59 3,621,7234 200,500' .. , 3,822,223
1860 ... ... ... 3,821,000
1863 ... .. , ... 3,87 2,209
1864 ... ... .. . 3,895, 68 7
1865 ... ... ... 4,013,601
1866 ... ... ... 3,915,721 } Famine
1867 3,7 24,178 17 2,255 14,3°2 3,910,735 years.
1868 ... ... ... 3,909. 121
1869 3,793,973 182,654 29,7 13 4,006,340
1870 3,839,679 189.'27 2 27, 81 5 4,108,607
-~- -- ---~--~-
The results of the regular census of 1871 showed that the population
must have been under-estimated in the previous valuations. 6 But so
far as these afford any data for calculation, the rate of increase in the
decade 1841-1851 was 12'3 per cent; in the 9 years 1851-1860
the rate was II'S per cent j and in the decade 1860-1870 it was 7'5
per c~ent.
I Excluding Balam and the recently interchanged districts, the number was 202,261.
A considerable migration took place from the districts allotted to the Nizam into
Dodballapur and that neighbourhood, but nearly the \vhole of these per:;ons gradually
returned after the cession of those provinces to the Company. Many families which
had emigrated to Baramahal in 1792, when it was ceded to the Company, now returned
to Mysore. About 200,000 persons also emigrated temporarily from the Mahratta
country into Mysore, to escape from the famine which prevailed there.
I This is printed in the report as 4,500,000, a total which seems so manifestly
wrong that I have taken the liberty of altering the first figure.
S The decrease is explained as due to the omission of the island of Seringapatam.
• Approximate.
• Writing in 1804. Col. Wilks has the following remarks on the estimate of
popUlation at. that period :-" I am induced to suspect some error in one of the
computations, Notwithstanding the frequency in Mysore of that most fatal source of
depopulation, 'the presence of a Mahratta army. The usurpation of Haidar Ali may
be considered as complete in 1760; at that time many of the districts were permanently
occupied by Mahratta troops. Gopal Rao Hari invaded M:ysore in the same year.
It was again invaded by Bani Visaji Pandit in 1761 ; by Madhu Rao in 1765. 1767
and 1770; by Tryambak Rao in 1771; by Raghunatha Rao in 1774; by Hari Pant
Purkia in 1776 and 1786; and lately I have investigated on the spot and examined
CENSUS TOTALS 21 9
The following table shov.'S the total male and femal.e population, and
the total in each District, as found by the census of 1811, compared
with the numbers of the previous estimate : -
Year,
I Males. Females. Total.
Ditrdellce
percent,
No. per
square mile.
1---
I
-----, ,
Ii
1871 2.535.924 2.5 19.488 5,055,4 12 172 '5
1881 2.085,842 ' 2,100.346 4,186.188 - 17"I9 142'8
ISgI I 2,483.45 1 ' 2.460•1 53 4.943,604 + 18"09 I 168'6
the tTaces of the merciless Ia'-a",ues committed in 1791 and 1792 by ParasuIam Bhao.
In consequence of these incessant calamities, many districts formerly well.peopled do
not exhibit the vestige of a human being; and Chitaldroog District in particular may
be considered as deprived of the great 'mass of its inhabitants.
The won! vals} is applied to the inhabitants of a district who. deserting their homes
on the approach of a hostile predatwy force such as that of the Mahrattas, migrate
e1I masse to another part of the country or to inaccessible woods and hills until the
departure of the enemy. And no testimony could be more emphatic to a state of
habitual misery than the existence, in all the languages of the soutb. of this single
term to describe what cannot be expressed in any European language but by a long
circumlocution."
I The limits of the several Districts have been subject to alterations since, and do
not therefore exactly coincide with the existing limits, though the names are the
same.
220 ETHNOGRAPHY
The decrease which took place in the decennial period 1871 to 1881
was due to the grea;t.famime of 1877 and 1878, (The present popula-
tion is somewl)at greater than that of Ire1and-4,704,7So in 1891.)
The distribution of the population by districts is as follows :-
I
District. Approximate
Area.
I Males. I
I
Feraales. Total,
No. per
square
mile,
Pen:entage
to total,
-----,--1-----1---1----'--'--- ----1----1----
Bangalore ." 3,081 399,486 403,508 802,994 260 16'24
Kolar .. . 3,433 297,655 293,375 59 1 ,030 175 11'96
Tllmkllt
Mysore
.. .
.. .
4,3 67
5,078
I 29 1,133
580,737
28 9,653
601,077
580,7 86
1,181,814
133
23 2
11'75
23'90
Hassan .. . 2, 60 3 255,044 259,908 514,952 197 10'42
Shimoga .. . 4,048 275,884 25 2 ,097 52 7,981 130 10'68
Kadur .. . 2, 685 173,922 156,141 330 ,06 3 12 3 6'67
Chitaldroog .. . 4,010 209,590 204,394 4 1 3,984 103 8'38
Compared with the similar table for 1871 it appears that Hindus have
diminished hy 1'25 per cent., while Muhammadans have increased by
'98, and Christians by '27, which together exactly make up the
difference, It should however be taken into account that the total
population in the same period fell by 2'5 per cent.
Hindus.-Under the term Hindu have been included all natives of
this part of India 'who do not prQperly cOI?e under one of the other
headings, The Hindus are nominally divided into four castes, which
are entirely separate from each other, and between whom no connection
by marriage' or otherwise is permitted. The distinction is complete in
every sense, hereditary and personal, and it is impossible for any
member of these castes to be other than what his birth made him,
unless indeed he should transgress some law binding on his particular
caste beyond the possibility of pardon cir expiation, In such a case the
CASTE 22l
J Strong opposition was manifested on the part of certain classes in the census of
J8<}I to be graded among Stidras, accompanied with strenuous efforts to be included
among Brahmans.
J From (asia, Portuguese for race or breed. According to a passage in the Maha
Bharata, the colour of Brahmans is white, of Kshatriyas red, of Vaisyas yellow, of
Stidras black.
222 ETHNOGRAPHY
memQtts of another,-gave in later years strength and vitality to a
system' which otherwise must soon have become extinguished. At
what epoch this fundamental change in its constitution was made is not
known." 1
In Mysore the various castes are probably as numerous as in any
other part of India of equal extent The natives of the Province, by a
fanciful arrangement, recognize 101 as the limit to the total number,
but in the enumerators' forms of the ;ecent census it was found that 864
castes had been returned, more than double the number given in 1871.
Some of these, though returned ih different localities under different
names, doubtless belonged originally to the same stock. A few families
or individuals probably separated from the main body, and having
removed to another part of the country, either adopted a new name or
were given on'e hy their neighb,aurs. There is every reason to believe
that in some similar manner the number of castes is ev~n now can·
stantly increaSing. Disputes arise, and the caste divides into two
factions, each headed by some inBuential man or family; they refuse
to associate with each other or to intermarry, and unless in a short
time some common interest compels the parties to re-unite, a separate
caste or sub-division is permanently formed, which adopts some
peculiarity of its own to distinguish it from the original.
The agricultural, artisan and trading communities are termed jafJas
or profes~ions, which are eighteen in number. These jafJas are divided
into two factions, called Bala-gai and YeQa-gai, or right and left hands.
A large number of castes belong to one or other of these divisions.
All Brahmans, Kshatriyas, and most of the Slidras are considered
neutral. Although the right- and left-hand factions are said to include
only eighteen trades, there are many castes which adhere to one side
or the other, but their numbers do not seem to be taken into
account.
The following are the castes composing the two factions :--
Right-hand Faction. Left-hand Faction.
Bal}ajiga ... Traders. ; Panchala, comprising : -
Wokkaliga Cultivators. Ba<;lagi ... Carpenters.
Gal}iga Oilmen who yok~ Kanchugara Copper or bras.~
only one bullock smiths.
to the milt. Kammara Iron smiths.
Rangare Dyers. Kal-kutiga Stone-masons, and
U<;la Mahratta traders. Akasale ... Goldsmiths. I
Gujarati Gujarat merchants.
1 Hindll Tribes and Castes, Intro. xvii. Gotamiputra Satakat:ni, v.:ho reigned in
the-second century, is,said, in an inscription at N£Sik, to have pr.evented the mhing
of the four cash's (varna).-Arch. Surv. W. Ind., iv., 109.
PANAS 223
The Ba~jigas and tinga Ba~jigas ar~ the foremen of the right-
hand faction. They say that all the -eighteen paIJas or professions
enumerated above belong t9 them, and that the nine pa1)as of the left-
hand are separate. The P:inchalas and Nagartas, who are at the head
of the left-hand faction, contend that the eighteen pa1)as are equally
divided between the two factions, and that the nine above enumerated
belong to them. In the main it is evidently a struggle for precedence
between the artisans and the traders, or between followers of the old-
established handicrafts and innovators who brought in the exchange of
commodities with other parts, supported by producers and ministers to
luxury. It has been found impossible to obtain a uniform, authentic,
and complete list of the castes composing each faction, but the state-
ment above is only doubtful in the.case of one or two of the inter-
mediate castes, and perhaps Komatis should take the place of Jains,
and Toreya that of Y3.kula. The works referred to as authorities are
SahpJdri Kha1l{la and EOb'a-vijaya, both said to be of the time of the
rise of Vijayanagur in the fourteenth century, but the information has
not been found in the former, and the latter work is not forthcoming.
The origin of the distinction between the two divisions is founded
on fable, 1 and is said to have taken place at Conjeveram, wher; the
goddess KaIi placed certain castes on her right hand and others on
her left. The two parties have ever since disputed as to the relative
honour accorded to each side. The division appears to be of compara-
tively modern origin, as no mention of it has been found in any ancient
work.' It is, moreover, confined entirely to the south of India. Each
I There is also a right- and left·hand division of Sakti worshippers, the-rites of the
former being principally magical, of the latter bloody and licentious. But there
seems to be no connection between the cases.
I There is indeed a doubtful passage in the JIallllfllflllSlJ which may be supposed to
refer to it, and if so, the institution would seem to be of great antiquity. When the
l'.andya princess was sent from Madura to Ceylon, in response to an embassy fro.
224 ETHNOGRAPHY
party insists on its exclusive rights to certain privileges on all public
festivals and cereinonies, and it not unfrequently happens that one side
usurps the supposed and jealously guarded rights of the other. Oil
such occasions a faction fight is almost sure to ensue, Cases are
recorded where the carrying of an umbrella, or wearing parti&ular
coloured flowers in the turban, has given rise to severe outbreaks
accompanied by bloodshed. The opposition between the two divisions
is still kept up, but apparently not ~ith the same bitterness as in fonner
times. In fact some of the castes seem in the late census to have been
averse to own themselves as belonging to either Jland, preferring to
admit adhesion only to the eighteen pal)a or the nine pal}a, while over
100,000 made no return at all in the matter. The figures actually
obtained were, 1,693,461 as belonging to the eighteen pal}3. (the right·
hand), and 503,439 as belonging to the nine pal)a (the left-hand).
The right-hand claim the exclusive privilege of having twelve pillars
in the pandal or shed under which their marriage ceremonies are
performed (allowing to the left only eleven); of riding on horse-
back in processions, and of carrying a flag painted with the figure of
Hanuman. 1
The two factions are also styled Desa and Pete (in some places
Nagu). The reason given is that Linga Banajigas, who are at the head
of the right-hand division, not being original natives of the place, were
called Desavalas or outsiders, and the qthers Pete or Na<Juvalas.
In the recent census of 1891 ,the old caste gradation has been set
aside in favour of classifications according to occupation, and, as
regards Hindus, according to the numerical importance of the castes.
The results of the former are given under the following prescribed
heads : -
Class or Occupation Numbers Perc:entag1l
A Agricultural J,665,44 2 33'69
B Professional 290,104 5'88
C Commercial 470,570 9'5 2
D Artisan and Village menial 1,877,94 1 37'99
E Vagrant minor Artisans and Performers,&c. 344,055 6'96
Races and nationalities 29 1,168 5'89
Others, not stated ... 3,7 2 4 0'07
50,000 to 100,000.
Besta , .. .. D 99,897 Neyigara ... D ..' 86.986
D' ...
Akkasale
Vppara D
98,181
89, 12 3 I Agasa
Tigala ' "
D ... ,
A ...
85,67 1
56',7 10
20,000 to 50,000.
Mara~ ... A 44,446 Gal}iga D 35,808
KumMra D 40,809 KOOla!i C 29,054
I'9 iga .. D 39,937 Koracha A .. 24,494'
Lambal}i A 39,137 Nagarta C 22,964
Nayinda D 37,296- Kshatriya ... A 2t,795
10,000 to 20,000,
Satani ... ... ... B ... 19,987 I Darji '" D .. , 10,664
5,000 to 10,000.
Rachevar ... ABDE Na~uva .. B 7,476
9.554\
J6gi E 9,4 10 Kammara ... D 6,250
Ba~lagi ':" .•. D 8,646 Mudali ." C 5,437
1,000 to 5,000.
Meda E 4,26x Bha~ Raju B \_ .. 1,388
Domba E 2,500 Dasarl ... B 1,178
La9a C 2,046 Iruliga B 1,156
G61}iga D .. 1,426 Bu~labu~1ike .•. E 1,092
KSHAT.RIYA 227
Below 1,000.
Garu<)iga E 876 Gujarati C 71
M6chi ... D 746 Su<)uga~lusidda ... E 46
Sannyisi' B 684 Baniya C 41
Pille •.. A 559 Gondaliga ... E 29
Gosayi B 424 Marva~li c 21
Kanchugara D 396 Pan#ram ... E 15
Jalag:ira D 258 Uriya ..• A 8
Bair:igi B 222 Karma E 7
Mon<;la E 189 Kayast B 6
Nayar ... A 117 SaQiyar E 3
Kanakkan .. , B .. 108 Multani C 2
Sillekyata ... E 93 Jat C
The totals of these groups may be thus stated, showing the number
of castes under each and the percentage to the total Hindu population:-
Total Percent
10 castes of over 100,000 3,685,7 15 79'5°
6 " 50,000 to 100,000 516,568 II'13
10 ." 20,000 to 50,000 335,740 7'24
2 " 10,000 to 20,000 30,65 1 0'66
6 " 5,000 to 10,000 46,773 1'00
8 " 1,000 to 5,000 ... 15,047 0'32
24 " below 1,000 4,922 0'10
The classes contained in the first table of occupation are subdivided
into certain groups, and the different castes may be described in the
order in which they fall under these heads.
In the Agricultural class (A) the first group is called "military and
~ominant,'~d comprises Kshatriya, Mahratta and Rachevar.
Kshatriya.-The total number is 21,824, composed principally of
12,287 Kshatriyas, 7,895 Rajputs, and 1,629 Rajapinc;1e. Under the
first occur the following subdivisions,-Bais, Bintaknr, Bondili, Dhatri,
Govar, Kamsi, Kotari, Rajakula, Raju (Kanda, Kannac;1a and Mopur).
The Rajput tribes are,-Ch3.m, Chandrabansi, Chhattri, Chavan,
Hindustani, Rajput GauQa, Rohila, Singh, S:i1ar, Snrajbansi, Thakur
(Chandra, Deka!, Gaya. Gaharvariya and Nava), Talukhanc;1iya and
Tamb61i. Under Rajapinde are included' Arasu, Bac;1a Arasu, and
Komarapatta. There are also 12 Ko<;laga or Coorgs. The distribution
in the Dis"tricts is as follows:-
~ ~
Caste. -....
"t"l 1
~
~ :.~~ ='~
B
= lr ie
~
-g
f
~
~ ,.~ I , ~ 0~
Kshatriya - - - 2,455 783 898 '\ 3,740 1,347-'\ 1,205 I 1,450 I~
Rajput '" 1,857 947 990 1,6II 364 1,668 I 166 92
Rajapinde 30 68 92 I 1,3 17 -: 24 I 98 -
-----'----'--1----
Total I 4,342 I 1,798 I 1,980 i 6,668 1,7II: 2,897 '1.7 14 502
Q 2
228 ETliNOGRAPHY
The Kshatriyas and Rajputs are principally in the army and police.
The R:ijaplDde includes the Arasu, to which belongs the Royal family
of Mysore, and other castes connected with the ruling house.
Marata, or Mahratta.-There are 44,446 of these, of whom over
10,600 are in each of the Bangalore a,nd Mysore Districts, 4,640 in
Kolar, and about 3,000 in each of the other Districts. The sub-
divisions are said to be,-Bhaniya, Baruva, Kine, KshatrabMnu;
Lankekara, Manga, Ravuta, BhUsa and Kuml1ri; Kine and Bhusa
being more numerous than the others. Their principal occupation is
military service, especially as cavalry and rough riders. But the
majority have for some time past taken to cultivation and menial ser-
vice. The Mahrattas are commonly called Are by the Mysore people.
RacheYa.r.-Those belonging to the Agricultural class number 3,696,
including the subdivision of Telugu Rachevar, and 66 Ral}agara. More
than a third are in Mysore District, 870 in Bangalore, half that number
in Hassan, Kolar, and l'umkur, with loin Shimoga. There are no
Rachevar in Chitaldroog, but it has 15 RaJ;lagara. Both claim a royal
connection.
The second agricultural group is the most important one of Cul-
tivators, and contains 128,168 Lingayita, 1,342,882 Wokkaliga, and
56,710 Tigala, distributed as shown below, with 1I7 Nayar,1 nearly all
in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore, and 559 Pille,2 mostly in
Mysore, Kolar, arl<LBansaktte-Dtstricts.
-
~ ..: 2! ~
Caste.
0
}
p:.
e j
...."
~
-~
a
:.a
;:II
~
i
:= til
J
-- - -- -
Lingayita
Wokkaliga
Tigala ...
......... 13,194 - %,42%1 8,97 1 52, 264 19,260 13,9581 9,9431
225,5 II 163,160 179,206 325,557 171,3 23 135,0691 73. 4961
29,192 10,156 14,7 18 . 1,222 714 __ I97: ___4~11
~--
Total 267,897 174,737 202,895 379,043 19 1 ,297 149,2241 83,930 !
.
WokkaJiga.
jIll
~ ~ ~ ~
i ·.t"j
~ ~
f
~
o
Gangagikara '" 105,284 - ; , 64,478271,935 126,443 9,081 13,386 2,089
Morasu ••• '" 46,505 $4,263 997 21 138 22 4
sada ... 3,367 4,55 6 8,SgI 3.078 4,194 39,6691 14.664 27,g88
Reddi ... 24.466 40,267 1,640 8,503 35 2 1,01 4 355 8,056
Kunchatiga ll,84o 663 44,231 3,488 3,828 8,082 1,61 4 10,758
NOl}aha ... 159 - 30,654 2,01<l 7,444 8,55 2 ll,II9 3,865
Halepaika - - - - - 12,576 2,994 -
Halu ... 3 - I - - 6,818 238 7,7 19 -
Hallikara 2,414 260\ 5,148 2,409 1,399 935 802 125
,
The Gangac;1illia are the most numerous of the W okkaligas, being
o\'er 44 per cent. of the whole number, and purely KannaQa. They are
found principally in the centre and south of the country, and represent
the subjects of the ancient province of Gangavac;1i, a Ninety-six Thou-
sand country, which formed an important part. of the Ganga empire The
name GangaQikara is a contraction of "GangavaQikara. At the present
day the GangaQikaras are followers some of Siva and some of Vishnu.
Of the former some wear the iinga and others nol These sects
neither eat together nor intermarry. The guru of the Vishnu wor-
shippers is the head of the Sri-Vaishnava Brahmans, who lives at
Melukote. In addition to being cultivators, the Ganga<Jik:iras act as
farm labourers and as porters. '
ETHNOGRAP/IY
The MorasQ are Wokkaligas chiefly of Kolar and Bangalore DIstricts.
They appear to l!ave been originally immigrants from a district called
Morasa-naQ, to the east of this country, whose chiefs formed settlements
in the neighbourhood of Nandidroog. The section called Bera}-koeJuva
(or finger-giving) had a strange custom, which, on account of its
cruelty, was put a stop to by Government. Every woman of the sect,
previous to piercing the ears of her eldest daughter preparatory to ncr
being betrothed in marriage, had t~ suffer amputation of the ring and
little fingers of the right hand. ,This was performed, for a regulated
fee, by the blacksmith of the village, who chopped off the last joint of •
each finger with a chisel. If the girl to be betrothed were motherless,
the mother of the boy to whom she was to be betrothed was bound to
submit to the mutilation unless she had already made the sacrifice.
The story invented to account for this barbarous custom is given in the
first edition. Since its prohibition the women content themselves with
putting on a gold or silver ,finger-stall or thimble, which is pulled off
instead of the end of the finger itself. The principal sanctuary of the
Morasu Wokkaligas is at Siti-betta in the Kolar taluq, where there is a
temple of Virabhadra.
Of the other large tribes of Wokkaligas, the Sada abound mostly in
the north and west. They include Jains and Lingayits, Vaishnavas,
and Saivas. Not improbably they all ~elonged to the first originally.
In the old days many of them acted in the KandacMr or native
militia. They are not only cultivators but sometimes trade in
grain. The Rec,lc,li are chiefly in the east and north, and have numerous
subdivisions. To some extent they seem to be of Telugu origin, and
have been supposed to represent the subjects of the ancient RattavaQi,
or kingdom of the Rattas.
The N ol).aba, in like manner, are relics of the ancient province of
No}ambavac,li or NOl).ambavadi, a Thirty-two Thousand country, situated
principally in the Tumkur and Chitaldroog Districts. It is'in these
parts and the west that they are now located. At the present day tlty
are by faith Linzayits, the residence of their chief guru being at
Gandi~ere, near Chiknayakanhalli.' The acknowledged head of the
NOl).abas, though no more than an ordinary cultivator, is the present
descendant of an original Honnappa GauQa, and named after him :' he
lives at Hps~haUi, near Gubbi.
The Halepaika, in~abiting the north-west, are of interest, and have
already been described above (p. .2u). The Halu Wokkaligas are Illost
numerous iii Kadur and Hassan Districts. As their name implies,
they ~ombine the keeping of cows or buffaloes and sale of milk (Mill)
with other agricultural pursuits. The Hanikar~_ are also largely engaged
TIGALA 23 1
with cattle, and the breed of their name is the best in the Amrit MahaL
The Ulagon<;la, principally confined to Bangalore District, are not only
farmers, but hirers-out of builocks, gardeners, builders of mud walls and
traders in straw, etc. The Vell:ilas are the most numerous class of
Wokkaligas in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore.
There do not appear to be any peculiarities deserving of notice in
regard to the numerous other classes of Wokkaligas. who are only
distinguishable by name. And as in each successive census a good
many designations returned in the previous one do not recur, it is
evident that some classes are known by more than one name, and
probably use different ones on different occasions.
Tigala.-These are skilful kitchen and market gardeners, mostly of
Tamil origin, though they have long lost the use of that language. In
addition to those called simply by the tribe-name, the following
principal divisions are noted :-Uni, Vatltle, Pan~ RegQi, Arava, and
Tota, as well as the subdivisions Agra Vannia, Agni, Brahmarishi,
Dharmanijukapu, Ennen, Gauga, Hale Tiga}a, Ha}li, Kandapa}li,
Kanna<;la, Pan<;lya, Raja, Samba, Vannikulf\, and Yamldi. Nearly a
half are in the Bangalore District, most of the remainder being in
Tumkur and Kolar.
The next agricultural group ,is Forest and other Hill tribes, number-
ing altogether 67,040. The following are the classes included under
this head, with their distribution : -
Ii
. . ...~ .; ..
Caste. r
I
I
~.a
l%I
.:
i5
loo!:
S
...
:::I
!il
~
>.
C
:I
a
:t:
~
.5
..c:
III
.:::s
~
2
~
0
:E
,---r-- - - - - ' -i - -- -~
Lambani ... I 3,3 15 751 2,977 1,084 2,846 1 4 ,12 7 1 8 ,794 5,243
Koracha )
Korama f ... 5,246 3,414 2,470 4,169 1,437 4,39 8 2,059 1,301
Kad Kuruba
lru!iga '"
...
.. ,
219
1,042
147
22
1,450
67
I-
400 45
I
-
-
8
-
-
-
:
The Lambatrl, or LambaQi, also called Sukali and Brinjari, have the
fonowing subdivisions :-Banj3.ri, Bhlitya, Dhlimavatpada, Khetavat,
Rimavatpada, and Sabavat. They ilre a gipsy tribe that wander about
in gangs, accompanied by large herds of bull~ks. especially in the
hilly and forest tracts where there are few good roads, engaged in t~e
transport of grain and other produce. They first prominently came to
notice towards the end of the last century, during the Mahratta and
Mysore wars, when immense numbers of them were employed by the
armies of both sides as foragers and transporters of supplies required
23 2 ETHNOGRAPHY
for the troops.1 ot late years many of them have been employed as
labourers on coffee-estates, and some have even partially abandoned
their vagrant life, Arid settled, at least. for a time, in villages of their
own. These, called TMngas, are composed of clusters of their. usual
rude wicker huts, pitched on waste ground in wild places. The women
bring in bundles of firewood from the jungles for sale in the towns.
The Lambanis speak a mixed dialect, called Kutni, largely composed
of Hindi and Mahratti corruptions. , III a police report regarding these
people, the late Dr. Shortt stated, "that their social system is unique,
and that they are guided exclusively by their 'own laws and customs j
that each community is governed by a priest, who exacts and receives
implicit obedience, and who exercises, under the cloak of religion and
supernatural agency, the undisputed power of life and death over them.
They maintain the closest secrecy regarding their customs, and would
sooner forfeit life than divulge them. Infanticide, human sacrifice,
witchcraft and sorcery prevail among the different communities, who
can recognize one another by masonic signs."
The women are distinguished by a curious and picturesque dress,
completely different from that worn by any other class. It consists of
a sort of tartan petticoat, with a stomacher over the bosom, and a
mantle, often elaborately embroidered, which covers the head and
upper part of the body. The hair is worn in ringlets or plaits, hanging
down each side of the face, decorated with small shells, and terminating
in tassels. The arms and ankles are profusely covered with trinkets
made of bone, brass, and other' rude materials. The men wear tight
cotton breeches, reaching a little below the knee, with a waist-band
ending in red silk tassels, and on the head a small red or white
turban. --
It appears~ that the Lambanis here have twenty-six clans, and claim
a descent from one CM<;la, who left five sons, Mula, M6ta, Nathac;1,
J6gQa, and BhlmQa. Chavan, one of the three sons of Mula, bad six
_sons, each of whom originated a clan. At some remote period a
Brahman from Ajmir married a girl of Chban's family, and gave rise
to the Va<;ltya clan, who still wear the sacred thread. A Mahratta from
Jotpur, in northern India, also allied himself with Rathol, Chavan's
brother, and founded the Khamdat clan. There are no descendants
of M6ta h€re, but those of NathaQ are called Mirasikat, Paradi or
Va.gn, and live by catching wild birds. The J6gdas are J6gis. The
1 A correspondent from the British camp at that time terms them II the worthy and
inoffensive Brinjaris."-Cal. Gaz. II, 318. But they are often credited with inborn
thieving and marauding propensities.
2 According to the last Census Report (1891).
KORACHA 233
Bhimdas are itinerant blacksmiths, known as Bail Kammar. There is
even a class of Lambani outcastes, called Dhalya, who are drummers
and live separately. They principally trade in bullocks. The
Lambanis acknowledge the Gosciyis as their gurus, and reverence
Krishna; also Basava, as representing the cattle that Krishna tended.
But their principal object of worship is Banashankari, the goddess of
forests.
The Koracha and Korama have already been referred to above
(p. 214). Although virtually the same people, the following sub-
divisions are separately noted. For Korachas: Aggada, Dabbe,
Gongadi, Kanna<;la, Telugu, Uppu, Uru. For Koramas :-Bettale,
Gantu, GuuIa, Kanna<;la, Setti, Satube<;la, Uppu, VaQQa, YaQava,
Yantumlile. For Koravas :-Maval, falchank6ti, Uppu. They
wander about with large dmves of cattle and asses, conveying salt and
grain from one market to another. They carry with them the frame-
work of a rude description of hut, and while one part of the tribe
proceeds with the baggage animals, the others settle for a time in some
convenient spot, where they erect their huts and employ themselves in
making mats and baskets, begging and stealing, tln~il their proximity
becomes a nuisance to the villagers and they are compelled to move
on. They are described as thieves and robbers from childhood, and
are frequently associated with Brinjaris and other vagrants in burglaries,
dacoities, and acts of violence, often escaping detection owing to their
complete arrangements for obtaining information. They speak Telugu
and Tamil, and are said to have a peculiar gipsy language of their
own, with a system of signals which enables them to converse with the
initiated unobserved. They' have no idols to which they pay particular
homage, and only invoke Tirupati Venkatramana when in distress,
vowing small offerings of money to the temple should they escape.
The men tie up their hair in a large bu,nch or chignon on one side
of the top of the head, in precisely the . same manner as we find the
men's hair arranged on most of the old sculptured stones of the
country. The women wear an immense number of strings of small
white and red beaas and shells round the neck and falling over the
bosom.
The Kadu Kuruba and Jenu Kumba have. already come under
notice (above, p. 213), also the lruliga, who are much like the latter;
and certain other forest and hill tribes have likewise been referred to.
We now pass to the Professional class (B), which, under the groups
of Priests, Devotees, and Temple-servants, includes 277,086 persons,
distribute<I as follows, 183,451 being Brahmana, 62,918 Lingayita,
19,981 Satan4 8,132 ]aina, and 2,508 various devotees.
234 ,ETHNOGRAPHY
-------~-------- -------
!! .: blI
Sect. ;i
=
~
1\1
~
J
i"
0
e:: ::;: a
::I: .c
In
~"
~
~.,
...
:s!
!!
is
~
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These seldom' intermarry, and though the tribes living here have
long been intermixed, they generally retain in their families the
language of the country from whence they originally came.
The Brahmans are farther subdivided into a number of go/ras, the
original progenitors of which were seven principal f'ishis or sages,
namely, Bhrigu, Angiras, Atri, Vis'vamitra, Kasyapa, Vas'ishtha, and
Agastya. In ·the unlimited ramifications of g6tras which have branched
out from the parent stems, the line .of descent is exhibited in the
jravara or pedigree, and a man ,aI}d woman of the same g6tra and
pravara never marry together. The connection of the g6tra is entirely
in the male line, a woman on marriage being affiliated to the husband's
g6tra. The following arc the strongest gofras Mysore, or those con·m
taining over t,ooo in each;-
BMradvaja '... 25,950 Kaus'ika '" VadhUla ..• 2,788
Kasyapa 24,151 Kaun4inya 9,074 S'angilya... 2,495
Vis'vamitra... 11,771 Rarita 8,471 Maudgalya 2,252
Vas'ish!hli Il,592 Gautama .. . 5,897 Maunabhargava 1,920
S'rivatsa 10,480 Jamadagni .. . 3,294 Gargyayana 1,162
A'treya 10,307 A'ngirasa ... 2,9 2 9 S'a~hamarshana },OSO
BRA.H.JIA.J..'~ 235-
Altogether sixty-nine g6tras are represented here, the remamder, in
alphabetical order, being :-Achyub, Agastya, Ambaiisha, As'nlayana,
IUdarayana, BarhaSpatya. Ch6pagayana, Devaraja, Dhananjaya, G:ilaya,
GauQa S:Uasvata, Ghritasams'a, Havikarma, Kalakaus'ika, K.a.malciyana,
Ka1)va, Kapi, Katyayana, KOsala, KunQali, Kutsa, L6hita, Maitn!ya,
~IanQavya, Maunjyayana, Mitra\,asu, M6hana, Nistudhana, Par:is'ara,
Parthiva, Paulastya, Paurakut;;a. PUtamanasa, Rajendra, Rathita~
S'alanlciyana, S'3.layatsa, Sankalika, Sankarshana, sankhyayana,
Sankri~ Santasa, S'alIDaka, Svatantrakapi. Upamanyu, V:idhryas'ya,
Yaikh:inasa, Vais'ampayana, Vamana, Vishnuyardhana, Vyasa.
Kshatriyas, and others who are not Brahmans, may properly assume
the g6tra of their pI/rolli/a, or family priest and domestic chaplain, who
is of course a Brahman. But certain ~c1asses who are ambitious of
being reckobed ~ Brahmans, have invented g6tras for themselves of
apocryphal origin.
In addition to the g6tra, there is the s'dRAa, or particular branch or
school of the Veda which each Brahman professes to follow in the per-
formance of his sacrifices and rites. Classified on this basis 91,638 are
Rig-vedis, 77,972 Yajur-vedis, and 12,776 sarna-vedis. There are none
apparently who acknowledge adhesion to the Atharva veda. Some
classes that are not Brahmans boldly proclaim themselves followers of
a fifth veda. I
All the Brahmans here, morepver, belong to one of three main
sects :-Sm:irta, Madhva, and S'rlvaishnava. The following .is their
distribution, the totals being I 29.550, 32~o70, and 20, 764 respectively:-:
= I 20!
~
..
~
Ii
f f i
.
cI I ..
~
I ..e
0
3
- I' ~
:I ~
... =
:E: .-:
... ' il
lot: : ~
I'::
t-o "" <Il I t Q
------1---------,-- ---'--\-
SmUta i
•.. ... 18.939 14,802 12,430 29,911 1l,8.p 23, 267 15,060 j 3.299
Madhva •.• ••. 7,309 5,834' 3,210 6,336 1,057 4.983 1,104 12,237
S'rh"aishna,"ll ••• i 3.354 2,689\ 1,367 6.751 4. 161 I 1,124 862 1 456
I Somewhat on the same principle that the Press in England calls itself the F o~
Estate, supplementary to the three recognized governing estates of king. nobles and
commons.
,4THNOGRAPHY
distinction is merely an individual one, as different members of the
same family may be either Vaidikas or Laukikas according to inclina-
tion.
The Smarta derive their name from smritz~ the code of revealed or
traditional law. They worship the triad of Brahma, S'iva, and Vishnu
under the mystic syllable Om, and while admitting them to be equal,
exalt S'iva as their chief deity. They.hold the pantheistic Vedanta
doctrine Qf Advaita or non-dualism, qe1i~ying God and matter to be
identical, and everything but an atom of the divinity, they themselves
being parts of the Supreme Being. The founder of the Smarta sect
was S'ankara or S'ankaracMrya, the Hindu reformer of the eighth
century, and their guru is the S'ringeri Swami, designated the ]agad
Guru. The probably very ancient sect of the Bhagavata, or the
Bhagavata sampradaya, numbering 12,788, are reckoned as ~martas,
but they incline more to Vishnu worship, and follow the Tengale in
the time of observing the Ekadas'i fasts. The guru of the Bhagavatas
. The distinctive
is at Talkad. , marks of a Smarta Brahman are three
parallel horizontal lines of pounded sandalwood, or of the ashes of cow-
dung, on the forehead, with a round red spot in the centre, but the
Bhagavatas wear perpendicular Vaishnava marks.
The Madhva are so called from Madhva or Madhvacharya, the
founder of the sect, who arose in South Kanara io the thirteenth
century. They worship both Visnnu and S'h:a, but more particularly
the former. They profess the doctrine of Dvaita or dualism, cO,nsider-
ing the Creator and the created to be distinct, and their final absorption
to be in the future. It appears that they may be divided into the
Vyasakuta, and the Dasakuta. The former adhere strictly to. the
religious teachings of the founder, which are entirely in Sanskrit. The
latter base their faith 00 hymns and writings in the vernacular, which
they can understand, of persons of their sect distinguished as Dasas or
servants'of God, and they go about with musical instruments singing
these in honour of t~e Divine Being. A Madhva Brahman is known
by a black perpendiCUlar line from the junction of the eyebrows to the
top of the forehead, with a dot in the centre. A Smarta may become
a Madhva, and vice versa, but the former happens oftener than the
latter. In such cases intermarriag~s bet~een persons of the same
circle are not. prohibited, though they embrace different doctrines, but
the wife alwa.ys adopts the tenets of her husband.
The S'nvaishnava, also called Aiyangar, are worshippers of Vishnu,
as identified with his consort Lakshmi or S'n, whence their name.
The founder of their sect was Ramanuja or Ramanujachiirya, who lived
in the Chola" and Mysore countries at the beginning of the twelfth
BRAH.JfANS 237
century, and after him they are also called Ramanuja~ in some parts of
India. Their creed is the Vis'isht;advaita, which differs from the Dvaita
in attributing both form and qualities to the Deity. In Mysore their
guru is the Parakilaswami of Melukote. They are the most exclusive
of all the Brahmans in points of food and intermarriage, the
orthodox among them requiring curtains to screen their food from the
gaze of others, even their own relations and fellow-sectarians. They
form two principal divisions, the Tengale, or southern, numbering 7,161,
and the VaQagale, or northern, numbering 12,914. The distinction
between the two arises from dispute as to certain doctrinal points, said
to be eighteen in number,,: which were formulated some four centuries
back, in Sanskrit and Tamil verses, by Manaval Mahamuni on the side
of the Tengale, and by Vedanta Desikru:- on the side of the Vac:lagale,
and the dispute has placed a gulf between the parties ever since.
There are some differences also in social observances. The Tengale,
for instance, do not subject widows to the tonsure, which is usual
among other Brahman sects. They also give more prominence
to the vernacular ,-ersions of their Sanskrit sacred writings. The
S'rlvaishnava are known by the ntima or trident on the forehead,
the centre line being yellow or red, and the two outer ones white.
The Tengale distinguish themselves from the VaQagale by continuing
the central line of the trident in white for some distance down the
nose.
The three main sects above described contain nearly eighty recorded
subdivisio~s, distinguished by names which are mainly territorial or
numerical in origin. The derivation of many of the names appears to
be unknown even to those who bear them.
Those included under Smarta and Madhva, in alphabetical order,
are :-Adi S'aiva, Aruvattu-wokkalu, A'ruvelu, A'ruvelu Niy6gi, Ashta-
sahasra, BaQaganad, Bh:igavata-sampradaya. Bodhayana, Brihach·
charal).a, Chitp:ivan, Des'astha, Devalaka or Siv3.radhya, Dravida, Hale
Karl).atak,a or Hala KannaQiga, Havika or Haiga, Hoysaniga, Kambah1r,
Kamme (Babbur, KannaQa, Ulcha and Vijayapura), Kandavara,
Karage, KarI).ataka, KasalnaQ, Katyayana, Kavarga, KflnaQ, KonkaJ;l-
astha, K6ta (or Kaik6ta and Ippatnalkaravaru), Kotfs'vara, Kus'asthala
(or Senve), Madhva (Vaishnava and Pennattur), Mulikinac;l or Muri-
kinag, Namburi, Nandavaidika, Niyogi, Panchagrama, Prakna<;l,
Prathamas'akhe (Kanva, Madhyanjana or Yajnavalkya), Sahavcisi,
Sanketi, S'arvarya, S'frnac.f, S'is'uvarga, S'ivalJi (or Kurus'ivaIli), S'ukla
IYajus's'akhe, TelagMQYa, Totada Tigala, Tulava, Uttdji (or Uttradi),
Va<Jama, Vadhyama, Vangipuram, Vegina(l, Velna<:l.
1 The majority are detailed iIi the Census Report for 1891.
ETHNOGRAPHY
The strongest of these divisions numerically are,-those returned
simply as Smarta, 23,374; Badagami~, 23,019; Des'astha, 17,127;
Kamme (Babbur, Kannada and Ulcha), 14,265 i Mulikina~, II,ISS;
Hoysaniga, 8,328; Dravida, 7,856; Hale Karr;lata,ka, 7,526; Vaishnava
(Madhva), 7,280.
The Ba<:laganacJ had their origin in the northern (ba¢aga) districts
(nat/), and speak Kanna<Ja: they are both Smartas and Madhvas.
The Des'astha are immigrants from the Mahratta country, and mostly
retain the use of Mahratti: they are Smartas and Madhvas, the latter
preponderating; but the difference of faith is no bar among them to
intermarriage and free social intercourse. The Babbur Kamme are
all Smartas; the KannacJa Kamme and Ulcha Kamme are both
Smartas and Madhvas: nearly aU speak KannacJa, a few Telugu also.
The Kamme country seems to have been to the east of the Kolar
District. The Mulikinad or Murikimid are Smartas from the Kadapa
district, speaking Telugu. The present chief priest of S'rfngeri is
of this sect. The Hoysaniga, also called Vaishaniga, are chiefly
Smartas and speak Kanna~a. Their name may be derived from the
old Hoysala or Hoysana kingdom. The DravicJa, VacJama (1,454),
and Brihachcharama or Pericharana (1,293), may be taken together:
they are immigrants (rom the Tamil country, and are Smartas, speak-
ing Tamil, and it few Telugu. The Hale Kan;Hitaka or HaJa
KannacJiga are mostly confined to the Mysore District, where they
are generally village accountants. There are two branches-Mugur
and S6sile. They are nearly all Smartas, and their language is
KannacJa. Though their claim to be Brahmans was apparently not
denied, they were for some reason, till recently, under a sort of ~an,
and often called by a nickname i but about twenty-five years ago
they were publicly reuognized by both the S'ringeri and Parakala
mathas. Other Brahmans, however, have no intercourse with them,
social or religious.
Of the other sects, the A'ruvelu, or the Six Thousand (4,486), are
both Smartas and Madhva~, and speak both KannacJa and Telugu.
The A'ruvelu Niy6gi are a branch of them, who are laukikas, or
devoted to secular callings. The Aruva!!u-wokkalu or Sixty families
(4,997) originally formed a portion either of the A'ruvelu or the
. Kamme, but''Yere selected as his disciples by Vyasaniya Swami, of the
Madhva faith, two or three centuries ago. The small sect of Kambahir
or T6tada Tigala (II3), mostly in Shimoga District, are also connected
with the A'ruvelu. Moreover, the Uttar~ji or Uttaradi (425), appear
to have branched off from ,the A'ruvelu some three or four centuries -"
ago, when they became the disciples of S'ripada Raya of Venkatagiri.
.BRAHJl.fANS 239
The addition of these several offshoots would bring. the number of
the A'ruvelu up to 9,921.
The Chitpavan (2,345) are Mahrattas and Smams. The Havika
or Haiga (3,246). are immigrants from Haiga, the ancient name of
North Kanara, and they are almost entirely confined to the west of the
Shimoga District. They are Smartas, and are now principally engaged
in the cultivation of areca-nut gardens. According to tradition they
are of northern origin, and were introduced by one of the Kadamba
kings, in the third or fourth century, from Ahichchhatra. This would
bring them from Rohilkand, but Ahichchhatra may be only a learned
synonym for Haiga (see note above, p. 216). The name Havika is
said to be a c.Jrruption of Havyaka, or conductor of sacrifices, and
perhaps it was for such purposes that they were imported at a time
when there were no Brahmans in those parts. The small communities
of Kandavara (213), Kavarga (7), K6t:a and K6tis'vara (25), Kus'as-
thala, S'is'uvarga, properly S'ishyavarga (139), witll the S'ivalli (2,397),
are all Tulu Brahmans, immigrants from South Kanam, the ancient
Tuluva, and mostly located in the western Districts. They engage in
agriculture and trade, and speak Tulu add KannaQa. The Karcide or
Karh:ide (253) are Mahrattas from Karhad. Some of them are
employed in the Revenue Survey. The Konkanastha (296) are also
Mahrattas from the Konkan, and are Sinartas. The above two sects do
not intermarry, but mix freely in other respects. The Nandavaidika'
(1,257) are from the Teluga country: both Smartas and Madhvas:
language Telugu and Kanna9a. The Prathamas'akhe (5,027) and
Suklayajus's':ikhe or Madyandina are both Smartas and Madhvas: they
speak Telugu and Kannaq.a. The Sahavasi are immigrants, like the
Chitpava~, (rom the Mahratta country.
The Sanketi (2,522) are Smams from Madura, and speak a corrupt
mixture of Tamil and KannaQa. There are two branches, the Kaus'ika
and the Bettadpur, so named from the places in which they first settled,
which are in the Hassan and Mysore I'>is~cts. They eat together, but:
do not intermarry as a rule. The Kaus'ika, however, who were the first
comers, are said occasionally to get wives from the Bettadpur, but' in
such cases the girl's connection with the latter altogether ceases. The
Sanketi reverence a prophetess named N acharamma or N angiramma,
who seems to have been instrumental in causing their migration from
their ,original seats. The story about her is given in the first edition.
The SIrana(.l (3,490) have two divisions, the Hale SiramlQ, who are
Smartas, and the Hosa Siranaq. who are chiefly Madhvas. Both speak
Kanra<Ja and derive their name probably from Sira in the Tumkur
District. The Vengipuram (193)" are all Smartas, speaking Telugu.
ETHNOGRAPHY
The VelnacJ (3, 181) are also Telugu Smartas, and resemble the
Murikinac:l. TheY,are mostly in the south an~ east. The Vegin:ic:l are
Smartas, and speak Kanna<;la. There is only one member returned of
this sect, a man in Kolar District.
The subdivisions of the S'rlvaishnavas, in alphabetical order, are :-
BhattaracMrya, Embar, Hebbar (Me1mitar), Hemmigeyar, Ka<;lambiyar,
Ka~dac:le, Kilmitar, Manc,tyattar, Maraddrar, Metukunteyar, Morasana<!,
Munch61i or 'Ch6li, Nalhinchakravarti, Prativadi-bhayankaratt:ir,
Somes'anc:lal or Attan-kdtattar, Tirumaleyar. No less than 16,817 have
returned themselves simply as S'rlvaishnavas.
The Bhattaracharya are Tengales, and generally Vaidikas: they
speak Telugu and Tamil. The Embar ar~?Tengales from S'rlrangam,
and speak Tamil. The.Hebbar (1,724) are descendants of immigrants
from the Tamil country, who settled in five different villages, al!,d were
hence also known aq the Panchagrama. (358). These places were
Grama (Hassan District), Kac,taba (Tumkur District), Moldr (Bangalore
District), Hangala (Mysore District), and Belur (Hassan District).
Hebbar was the old Brahman designation of the'headman of a village,
as Heggac:le was of the }ains, 4nd these names still linger in the west.
It is said to be a corruption of neb-luJ.rava, or the head Brahman. The
settlers in Grima, it appears, had acquired this title, which owing to their
connection was extended to all the Panchagrama. They -all eat
together and intermarry: are both Tengale and Va<;lagale, and speak
Tamil. The H emmigeyar are, all Vaidikas and Vac:lagale, settled. at
Hemmige near Talkad, which is said to have been granted by the
king of the day to one of their ancestors as a reward for distinguishing
himself in a literary .discussion. Their language is Tamil. The
Manc,tyattar (566) are immigrants from a village called Man<;lyam
near Tirupati. They are l()ca~ed in Meluk6te and Mandya, the
latter being named after dieir native place. They are all Tengale and
speak Tamil. The Maraddrar are similar settlers at the neighbouring
village of M~lddur, which is a corruption of Maradur. The Metukun-
teyar are VacJagale and disciples of the Parakalaswami. They speak
Telugu and Tamil. The Munch6li and Ch6li, so called because they
retain the lock of hair in front of the head, are Tengale, and their
language is Tamil. The NalIa.nchakravarti are Vac:laga1e from Con-
jeveram, apfl are aU, Vaidikas, speaking Tamil. The Prativadi-
bhayankarattar, meaning the terrifiers of ,opponent disputants, are
Tengale a.nd Vaidikas from S'rlangam: language Tamil. There are
only two men of this sect put down, both in Kolar District. The
Somes'lindal a~e Vi!.c:lagale, and chiefly Vaidikas, from the same part:_
language Tamil. The Tirumaleyar (262) are descendants of' Koti~
SATANI
kaI:lyidana Tatacharya, whose name implies that he had given away a
million virgins in marriage, a son of the guru to Raminuj.khirya.
They are all Yaqagales and Vaidikas, and seem to have come from
Conjeveram. They speak Tamil.
The Temple sen"ants or Brahmans who act as plI/ans are all Vaidikas,
but are considered to have degraded themselves by undertaking such
senice, and the other Brahmans will have no connection with them.
The S'ivadvija or Siv~T)ambi (605) and Tamba!!a (2) are of the
Smarta sect, and officiate in S'iva temples. The Vaikhanasa (407)
and Pincharatril (142) belong to the S'rlvaishnavas, and officiate in
Yishnu temples. The Tamma<;lis who officiate in certain Siva temples
are Lingiyits.
Lingayita.-The priestly orders among these are the A'd.dhya
(II,618), Gurusthala (12,129), Jangama (38,21 5) and VIra S'aiva (956).
The A'ridhya are a sect of Lingiyit Brahmans. They assume the
jani'lJdra. or sacred thread, but call it s'ivaddra. The Gurusthala are a
class of Jangama who take the place of gurus in performing certain
domestic ceremonies for which the gurus do not attend. The J angama
are priests chiefly of the Panchama Banajiga and Devanga. They are
divided into Charanti and Virakta, the former being under a vow of
celibacy. The Jangama derive their name especially from the portable
or jangama lioga worn on the person (which indeecl is characteristic of
all Lingayits) as distinguished from the slJuivira or fixed linga of the
temples, and also perhaps from their being itinerant. In addition to
the linga they wear a necklace of beads called rudrdkslza, and smear
their whole bodies with the ashes of cow-dung. A Jangam will not
permit himself to be touched by any person who does not wear the
linga. They wander about and subsist on charity, and their children
generally adopt the same profession.
Satani.-These are regarded as priests by the Holeya and other
inferior castes, while they themselves have the chiefs of the S'nvaishnava
Brahmans and Sannyasis as their gurus. Their subdivisions are
Khadri Vaishnava, N ataclui.rasltiti, Prathama Vaishnava, Sameraya or
Samagi, Sankara, Sattadhava, Sun, Telugu Sitcini, Venkatapurada and
Vaishnava. Some are employed in agriculture, but as a rule they are
engaged in the service of Vishnu temples, and are flower-gatherers, torch-
bearers and strolling minstrels. Buchanan supposed them to be the
remains of an extensive priesthood who formerly held the same relation
to the Holeya that the Brahmans now do to the SUdras. But as a sect
they appear to be of more modem origin. They call themselves
Vaishnavas and correspond with the Baisnabs in Bengal They are
followers of Chaitanya, from whose name, or that of Satanana, one of his
R
ETHNOGRAPHY
disciples, their designation may be derived. Properly speaking, they
are not a caste,. put a religious sect of votaries of Vishnu, more
especially in the form of Krishna, who have ceased to regard caste
distinctions. In the north of India admission to the sect is obtained
by payment to a Gosayi and partaking of food with other members of
the sect.
Jaina.-The priests of this religion have been returned as
Tlrthankara (2,564) and Pltambam (s). The Jaina yatis or clergy
here belong to the sect of Digambara, properly, clad with space, that
is nude, but they cover themselves with a yellow robe, and hence
the name Pitambara. An account of the Jaina will be found under
Religion.
The Devotees and religious mendicants are,-among Hindus, Doisari
(1,178), Sannyasi (684), Gosayi (424), and BaiTligi (222): among
Lingayits, Ayya, Ganadhisvara, Shatsthala and Va~er (956): among
lains, Digaml>ara (5.477), Svetambara (85), and Bavaji (I).
Dasari are mendicants b~longing to different castes of Sl1dras.
They become Dasas, or servants, dedicated to the god at Tirupati. by
virtue of a particular vow, made either by themselves or relatives at
some anxious or dangerpus moment, and live by begging in his name.
Dasaris are strictly Vishnuvites, as the vow is taken only by castes who
are worshippers of that deity. Dasaris are always invited by Sl1dras
on ceremonial days and feasted. The subdivisions are Dharma, Gl1~ama,
S'anku, and Tlrunama Dasaris. .
A Sannya.si is properly a man who has forsaken all. He has
renounced the world, and leads a life of celibacy and abstemiousness,
devoting himself to religious meditation and abstraction, and to study
~f the holy books. He is considered to have attained to a state of
exalted piety that places him above most of the .restrictions of caste
and ceremony. It is the fourth ds'rama or final stage of life for the
three higher orders. The number of Brahman Sannyasis is very small,
and chiefly confined to those who are gurus or bishops of the different
sects. These are as a rule men of learning and the heads of
monasteries, where they have a number of disciples under instruction
who are trained for religious discussion. They are supported entirely
by endowments and the contributions of their disciples. Periodical
tours are 'umiertaken for the purpose of receiving the offerings of
their followers. They travel in great state, witli elephants, horses, and
a retinue of disciples. On the approach of a guru to any place all
the inhabitants of pure birth go out to meet him: the lower classes are
not admitted to his presence. On being conducted to the principal
temple, he bestows upadesa or dlakranliknm on 'such ns have not
GOSAYI 243
received these ceremonies (which may be considered analogous to
confimlation by prelates in the English Church), and distributes holy
water. He inquires into their matters of contention or transgressions
against the rules of caste; and having disposed of these, hears his
disciples and other learned men dispute on theological subjects. This
is the grand field for acquiring reputation among the Brahmans. 1 The
gurus are bound to spend all they get in what is reckoned as charitable
distribution, that is in the support of men and buildings dedicated to
the service of the .gods. But the majority of the Sannyasis (of whom
no less than 412 are in the Kolar .District, and I7 5 in Tumkur) are a
class of Sudra devotees who live by begging and pretend to powers of
divination. They wear the clerical dress of red ochre and allow the
hair to grow unshorn. They are married and often ha\"e settled
abodes, but itinerate, and their descendants keep up the sect and follow
the same calling.
The Gosayi are followers of Chaitanya, the Vishnuvite reformer
of the sixteenth century, whose original disciples, six in number, were
so called. They never marry, but the order is recruited from all the
four principal castes, especially the two highest, and those who join are
cut off for ever from their own tribes. Such as lead a .strictly ascetic
life are called Avadhuta, while those who engage in commerce and
trade are called Dan<Ji. Most of those in Mysore belong to the latter
subdivision, and are wealthy merchants from northern and western
India, s~ttled in Mysore, Bangalore and other chief towns, dealing
largely in jewels and valuable embroidered cloths. The profits of their
traffic go to their Mahant or teacher. The property of either Avadhuta
or Dan<.1i devolves on his chela or adopted disciple.
The Bairagi are followers of Ramanand, the Vishnuvite reformer,
who early forsook the cares of the world and gave himself up to
Vairagya, or the renunciation of all worldly desires, becoming the first
Vairagi or Bairagi. From his four disciples arose four sects, each of
which is composed of Nihangs, those who are purely ascetics and lead
secluded lh"es, and Samay6gis, who marry and live with their families .:
but both orders can eat together. Many profess to be physicians and
herbalists, while others pretend to be alchemists. All are beggars, and
as pilgrims resort to holy places, especially to Tirupati. Their usual
route in the south is from Rimes'vara to Totadri, which is in that
neighbourhood, S'rirangam, Gopalswamibetta, Meluk6te and Tirupati.
They are also called Sidhu and are all worshippers of Vishnu and
1 These disputations are said to be very similar to those which were common
among the doctors of the Romish Church seven or eight hundred years ago.-
Buchallall. -
R 2
244 ETEINOGRAPHY
adherents of S'rivaishnava Brahmans. They are mostly taken from
the Sddra castes; I but many of them wear the triple cord and
profess themselves to be Gauda Brahmans from the north. Half
the number at the census time were in Bangalore District and a
considerable number in Kadur. There were none in Hassart and
Shimoga, and only three in Chitaldroog.
The Ya~er~ a corruption of· O<,ieyar or Va<,ieyar, meaning lord or
master, are Lingayits like the Jangama. They are held in great veneration
in their sect and are feasted by laymen on all important occasions,
especially at S'ivanitri, when their attendance is said to be in such great
demand that they have to hurry from house to house, jusr tasting a
morsel in each. Mostly in Kadur, Mysore and Shimoga Districts;
none in Kolar and Hassan.
The Digambara and Sdtainbara are the two great sects of the
Jains. The derivation of the former name has already been given
above. The Svetambara are those who are clad in white. This
section is found more in the north of India, and is represented by but
a small number in Mysore. The Digambara are said to live absolutely
separated from society and from all worldly ties. Most numerous in
Mysore, Tumkur and Kadur Districts.
Quitting the religious groups we come to that of the professional
Writers, of whom there are 108 Kanakkan and 6 K:iyastha, all in the
Civil and Military Station of Bangalore. The former may be allied to
the Karl)ams and Kanakka-pillai (commonly called Conocopoly) of the
Madras country, who are village and other accountants. The Kanakkan
include the subdivisions of Karl}ikar, S!rkanakkan, and Sfrkarl).ikar.
The Kayastha are from northern India and have a subdivision called
Maddr.
Next are Musicians and Ballad-reciters, the well-known BMts or
Bhatraju, numbering J ,388, and found chiefly in the eastern and
southern Districts. They speak Telugu and are supposed to have
come from the Northern Sarkars. They were originally attendants on
Hindu princes as professional bards, singing their praises and reciting
ballads on the wondrous deeds of their ancestors. 1 Now, from want of
1 The name is a curiolls approximation to that of the western bard, and their
offices are nearly similar. No Hindu Raja is without his Mdts. Haidar, although
not a Hindu)' delighted to be constantly preceded by them, and they are an appendage
to the state of many other Mlisalman chiefs. They have a wonderful facility in
speaking improvisatore, on any subject proposed to them, a declamation in measures,
which may be considered as a sort of medium between blank verse and modulated
prose; but their proper profession is that of chaunting the exploits of former days in
the front of the troops while marshalling for battle, and inciting them to emulate the
glory of their ancestors.-Wilks, in 1810.
COAfAfERCIAL CLASS 245
their ordinary employment, they have descended info the mendicant
class. They are principally worshippers of Vishnu.
The Dancers and Singers follow, composed of Natuva (1,804) and
Kaikola (5,672). The subdivisions are Binkali Kaikola, B6gavaru,
Devadasi, Gayaka, L6kabalike, Nayaksani.· The women dance and
sing; the men are musicians and accompany them on various instru-
ments. Nearly all the Kaikola are in Mysore District: those that
speak KannaeJa are of Lingayit connection and called Basavi. The
Natuva are most numerous in Kolar and Mysore Districts: those who
speak Telugu are of the Telugu Banajiga caste. The females are
generally prostitutes and attached as dancing girls to Hindu temples.
The class is recruited either from those.~born in it or those adopted
from any of the Hindu castes. Sometimes the parents of a girl have
dedicated l;ter to a temple even before her birth; in other cases good-
looking girls are purchased from parents who are too poor to maintain
them.
The last professional group is the Chitari, who are classed as
Rachevar, ,and composed of Chitragara,. also called BaJ;lJ;lagara (912),
mostly in Mysore, Tumkur and Chitaldroog Districts, and Jfnagara
(3,728), nearly all in Shimoga District They are painters, decorators
and gilders, and make trunks, palanquins, lacquer toys and wooden
images for temples, cars, etc.
The Commercial class (C) consists entirely of Merchants and Tr~ders.
The following are the principal divisions according to strength, with
their distribution. There are also 161 Baniya, 2 M.dltani, and 1 lat,
all in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore; 83 MarvaeJi, and 7I
Gujarati•
Caste.
~16li
til .".~ ~
Sl ~
ci ~c'l~.;
E §
"0
~ ~ li >. ~ :.sC / J ' ~ '3
_______ _~_ _ _ _ _ __ r..:a:I: __I ____:.su_
Lingayita ... 19,700 6,139 21,289 91,257 39,006 49,333121,052 44,297
~8;Mji~... .., 28,437 36,296 I2,40~' 17,811 3,735 6,709 5,lI5 4,224
KomaH... . .. 4,766 8,890 5,304 3,210 1,766 1,175 I,33~ 2,605
Nagaria... . .. 5, 289 3,004 315 439 77 7,966 5,223 65 1
Mudali ..• ... 1, 625 714 380 1,305 167 229 225 492
~na and S'ravaka I~ 18 305 230 65 2,974 43 200'
Jar ... . .. 53 18 134 1,185 91 ' II I 338 216
1 The name is a curious approll:imation to that of the western bard, anJ their
offices are nearly similar. No Hindu R~ja is without his Mats. Haidar, althougll
not a Hindu.• delighted to be constantly preceded by them, and they are an appendage
to the state' of many other M\lsalman chiefs. They have a wonderful facility in
speaking improvisatore, on any subject proposed to them, a declamation in measures,
which may be considered as a sort of medium between blank verse and modulated
prose; hut their proper profession is that of chaunting the exploits of former days in
the front of the troops while marshalling for battle, and inciting them to emulate the
glory of their ancestors.- Wil.{·s, in 1810.
CO.<~f.AIERCIAL CLASS 245
their ordinary employment, they have descended into the mendicant
class. They are principally worshippers of Vishnu.
The Dancers and Singers follow, composed of Natuva (1,804) and
Kaikola (5,672). The subdivisions are Binkali Kaikola, Bogavaru,
DevacIasi, Gayaka, L6kab:ilike, Nayaksani. The women dance and
sing j the men are musicians and accompany them on various instru-
ments. Nearly all the Kaikola are in Mysore District: those that
speak Kanna<Ja are of Lingayit connection and called Basavi. The
Natuva are most numerous in Kolar and Mysore Districts: those who
speak Telugu are of the Telugu Banajiga caste. The females are
generally prostitutes and attached as dancing girls to Hindu temples.
The class is recruited either from those born in it or those adopted
from any of the Hindu castes. Sometime~ the parents of a girl have
dedicated her to a temple even before her birth; in other cases good-
looking girls are purchased from parents who are too poor to maintain
them.
The last professional group is the Chimri, who are classed as
Rachevar, ,and composed of Chitragara,- also called BaI,lI,lagara (9 I 2),
mostly in Mysore, Tumkur and Chitaldroog Districts, and Jinagara
(3,728), nearly all in Shimoga District. They are painters, decorators
and gilders, and make trunks, palanquins, lacquer toys and wooden
images for temples, cars, etc.
The Commercial class (C) consists entirely of Merchants and Traders.
The following are the principal divisions according to strength, ~ith
their distribution. There are also 161 Baniya, 2 l\~ultani, and I Jat,
all in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore; 83 Marvaqi, and 7I
Gujarati.
Caste. ... I ..
Ii0
OJ)
c
.:
'0
~
..:
1"
iI
~
Sl
>-
C
~
..
c<
b.O
0
:aen=
I
I
.:
""""
""
0
E
."
'3
I'C c:: :;; :z: ~'
:a
- - - - - - -- - ~u_
~ - .:
I f
Caste.
"
~."
c
:.4, E-<=
~
'0
..ea !!
~
>-
:;g
1
I
! .r
11: .c:
til
.:
=
1
:.4
-=
'3
:.cU
-- - - - -
I):l
--1_-
-- - -
Panchala .. 14,105 9,688 9, 68 5 37,448 13,588 12,107 8,745 8,36~
Nayinda .. , 7,97 1 8,559 3,80, if4,OI 2,979 . 2,828 9 23 1,82
Darji ... ... 3,668 574 908 1,457 5 11 2,090 734 722
Neyigara ... 24,49 2 8,696 8,109 10,224 12,808 6,674 10,236 7,174
Agasa ... ... 11,447 10,327 10,323 '19,435 10,456 13, 103 4,186 6,394
Golla ... ... 20,430 20,022 38 •237 5,445 5,212 3,995 4,149 15,892
Kuruba .. , ,.. 4 1,40 7 35,304 38,186 II5, 805 40,730 23, 68 3 26,255 25,398
Ganiga ... ... 5,909 5,790 3,3°5 15,634 2,259 547 1,092 1,27 2
Kumbara ... 4,3 06 3,962 3, 183 16,136 3,3 13 3,281 4,018 2,610
Uppara ... ... 1,5 16 3,127 II,568 34,7 17 8,566 10,956 10,000 8,673
Sarige ... ... 10 5 - - - - - -
Besta , .. ... 8,357 3,910 4,201 59,550 7,628 7,290 4,102 4,859
I'<;liga .. ". 2,569 '1,708 5,348 8,450 2,757 10,944 3,882 4,279
Holeya , .. ". 81,369 57,665 23 ,616 173,003 87,055 38 ,000 5 1,29 1 8,491
Madiga ... ". 4 6 ,3 29 39,661 48,324 24,179 II,190 23,043 10,453 37,142
1
There are also Telugu Devanga, who ate of two sects, one of whom
worship Vishnu and the other S'iva, but the latter do not wear the
linga. Thi~ difference of religion is no bar to intermarriage, and the
wife adopts the religion of her husband. The Togata" most numerous
in the eastern Districts, are of Telugu origin and. worshippers of S'iva
in the form of his consort ChauQ.es'vari. They manufacture the
coarse ~inds of cloth that are worn only by t~e poorer classes. The
Sale or S.Higa are also Telugu by o.;igin, and comprise the Padmasale
or PaHasale, who are worshippers of Vishnu, and the S'akunasale, who
are worshippers of S'iva and wear the linga. The two sects do not
intermarry. The Bilimagga, most numerous in Mysore District, call
themselves Kuruvina Banajiga, and regard the former designation as
a nickname. They are an indigenous caste and speak Kannac.la:
worshippers of S'iva. The Seniga, confined to Kolar and Bangalore
Districts, are a wealthy caste of weavers, immigrants froni the lower
Carnatic, and s'peak Kanna4a. They specially manufacture cloths for
female wear, of superior kind and high value. They are Lingayits by
religion, but are not friendly with the other Lingayits.
The Patvegar, of whom the majority are in Bangalore District, are
silk weavers and speak a language allied to Mahratti. They worship
all the Hindu deities, but 'especially the S'akti or female energy, to
which a goat is sacrificed on the night of the Dasara festival. a
Musalman officiating as slaughterer, (or which he receives certain fee~.
After the' sacrifice the family of the Patvegar partake of the flesh.
The caste have the reputation of not being over cleanly in their habits.
The Khatri, all but two being in the Bangalore District, are also silk
weavers, ~nd in manners, customs and language are akin to the
Patvegars, but do not intermarry with them, though the two castes eat
together. They claim to be Kshatriyas. The Saurashtraka, commonly
known as Patnuli or JamkMnvala, are, all but 7, in the Bangalore Dis-
trict. They manufacture superior kinds of cotton and woollen carpets,
and also shawls of cotton and silk mixture. They are worshippers of
Vishnu.
The Gfmiga (1,205), as already described above, are sack weavers.
More than a half are in the Bangalore District. Other divisions are
Janapa (32) and Sadhuvams"astha (189), the latter all in Tumkur
District. Some are agric1,llturists, and some gtain porters.
The AgfJsa. or Asaga are washermen. They are divided into
KannaeJa Agasa and Telugu Agasa, who neither eat together nor
intermarry. But t~ere are numerous subdivisions, named Belli,
Dhobi, Halemakkalu, Iraganti Maq.ivali, Kapusakalavac;lu, Ma<JivaIi,
Morasu, Murikinap, PaQata, SakalavaQu, Tamil and Vannan. The
ARTISANS
Agasa. IS a member of the viIb.ge corporation and his' office is
hereditary. Besides washing he bears the torch in p\ibJic processions
and at marriages. The class seldom follo~- any other profes-
sion than that of washing. Both men and women wash. Their
proper beasts of burthen are asses, :md these are sometimes employed
in carrying grain from one place to another. Their principal object
of worship is l:bbe, the steam which causes the garments to swell out
in the pot of boiling water in which dirty clothes are steeped.
Animals are sacrificed to the god with the view of preventing th~
clothes being bUl1)t in the Ubbe pot. Under the name of Bhume
Deva there are temples dedicated to this god in some large towns,
the services being conducted by puj3.ris of the Agasa caste. They
also worship Vishnu and other gods. Their gums are Sa.tinis.
The Golla are cowherds and dairymen.~ The Ka(~u or forest Golla
(21,820) are distinct from the U/m or town Golla (15,618) and other
Golla (82,351) who belong to ,"illages, arid the two neither eat together
nor intermarry. The subhisions of the caste are ,"ery numerous and
are returned as fqllows :-Alla, Arava, Bokkasada, Bigamudre,
Chapprada, Ch61iya, ~~li, EcJaiyar, Gauli or Kachche Gauli, Gaulbans,
Ga.yakavaQI, G6paIa, GddejangaIiga, Halu, Jambala, KanUr, KannacJa,
KaraQ.i, Karma, Karl).e, KavaQiga, Kempu, Kiliri, Kolalu, Konar,
Kuduchappara, Kuri, Mande, Nalla, Namadakula, Nayi, Polta, Pata-
yadavalu, Puja, Punagu, Puri, Rija, Salja, Sambara, SOI)I;lan, Sviri,
Tellaplisala, Telugu, Ya<.layar, Y3}tula, and Ycidavakula. They worship
Krishna, who is said to have been born in the caste. Formerly they,
or a section of them, were largely employed in transporting money,
both public and private, from one part of the country to another, and
are said to have been famed for their integrity in such matters. From
this circumstance they are also called Dhanapata or treasury guards.
The Ka~u Golla are mostly in TUmkur District, and a good many in
Chitaldroog District. They live in thatched huts outside villages and
are inclined to be nomadic. Some of their customs resemble those
of the Kadu Rumba.
The Kuruba are shepherds and weavers of blanket~ or camblets
,(~am!JII). The Kidu Kuruba have already been noticed under forest
and hill tribes. The remaining great body of the civilized are divided
into two tribes, the Hande Rumba and Kuruba proper, who have no
intercourse with one another. The latter worship Bire Devaro and
are Sivites. Their priests are Brahmans and J 6gis. The caste also
worship a bo~ w~h they believe contains the wearing apparel of
Krishna, under the name of Junjappa. The subdivisions of the caste
are Bane, Banige, Banni, BeDi, Birappana Wokkalu, By:ilada,
ETHNOGRAPHY
Gau<,lakula, Hale, HaW, H:Uu, Hegga~le, Hosa, Jadi, Ja~tedevara,
Kambali, Kanakaiyanajati, KannaQa, KencMla, Kottu, Kuri, Maji,
Majjana, Majjige, Pita, S'ale, Savanti, Suggala, and Toppaln. The lUlu
Kuruba (191,087), Hande Kuruba(7,944), and KambaliKuruba (7,792),
are mostly weavers of kamblis. Parts of Chitaldroog and the town of
Kolar are noted for the manufacture of a superior kind of a fine
texture like homespun. The women spin wooL
The Gdtliga are oilpressers and .,oilrnongers. They are known by
different names, according to the special customs of their trade, such
as Heggal).iga, those who yoke two oxen to the stone oil-mill j
Kirugal).iga (principally in Mysore District), "those who make oil in
wooden mills; Wontiyettu Gal),iga, those who use only one bullock ill
the mill. They are also known collectively as J otipal)3. or J otinagara,
the light-giving tribe. The other subdivisions are Kannac;la, Telugu and
Setti. There is a small section called Sajjana, who wear the linga and
have no intercourse with the others. But the caste generally includes
worshippers both of Vishnu and Siva.
The Kumbdra are potters and tile-makers,. and members of the
viUage corporation. Of the two main divisions of Kanna<)a and
Telugu, the former claim to be superior. The subdivisions are
GauQakula, Gun<;likula, Kos'ava, Kulala, Navige, S'alivahana, Tamil
and Va<;lama.
The UpPdra or saltmakers are so called chiefly in the eastern
Districts; in the southern they are called Uppaliga and in the western
Melusakkare. There are two classes, the Kanna<;la and the Telugu.
The former are principally engaged in making earth-salt, and the latter
as bricklayers and builders. The well· to-do or Sreshtha also undertake
public works on contract and the erection of ordinary Hindu houses.
They are both Vishnuites and S'{vites.
The small body of Sarige or gold-lace makers are Rachevar by caste.
They are all in the Bangalore and Kolar Districts.
The Besla are fishermen, boatmen and palanquin-bearers. This is
their designation principally in the east; in the south they are called
Toreya, Ambiga and Parivara; in the west Kabyara and Gange-
makkalu. Those who speak Telugu call themselves Bhoyi. There
are some other smaller sections. of inferior' rank, named Belli,
Bhoja, ChammaQi, Kabbalig~ Palaki, Palyapat, Rayaravuta and
Sunnakallu... The latter are lime-burners. :Many of the females are
cotton-spinners and some o( the men are weavers of cloth. There are
also some in the employment of Government as peons and in other
capacities: Most of the caste are wo~shippers of Siva.
r
The tjiga are toddy-drawers, their hereditary occupatioq being to
OUTCASTES
extract the juice of palm-trees and to distil spirits from it. In the
Malnad they are known as Halepaika (15,000), and. were formerly
employed as soldiers nnder the local rulers. Many of them are now in
household service. Most of them also hold land, and are agriculturists.
The other subdivisions are Bilva, Devar, Sigroyidalu, Telugu Samir,
TenginaMle. They worship all the Hindu deities, as well as S'aktis,
and especially the pots containing toddy.
The Hole,;'a and .Jfddiga form the great body of outcastes. The
former have already been described above (p. 215). These, in addi-
tion to their duties as village watchmen, scouts and scavengers, are
employed as field-hands, and in all kinds of manual labour. They also
make various kinds of coarse cotton or woollen cloths in hand-looms,
~hile the Aleman furnish recruits for the Barr sepoy regiments. There
are two tribes, Kannaga and TeIugu Holeya, who eat together but do
not intermarry. Their subdivisions are very numerous, but the follow-
ing are said to be the principal ones :-Kannaga, Gangac;likara,
Maggada, Morasu, Telugu, Tigula and Tamil Holeya or Pareya. The
minor sections are Agani, Aleman, Balagai, Bellikula, Bhumi, Chakra,
Chalavad~ Chambula, Chavana, Chillaravar, Dasari, Gollate, Jh3.c;lmali,
Jintra, J6t~ Kalu, KarI}ataka, Kapu, Konga, Kurupatte, L6k6ttara-
pareya, Madya, MaIa, Masalu, Mattige, Nagaru, Nallar, Pale, PaHi,
Panne, Pasali, Rampada, Roppada, Sambu, Sangu, Sara, S'ic;llukula,
S6mes'a, Tanga, Tangala, Tirukula, Tuge, T6!i, Uggranada, Vac;laga,
Valange, Vanne, Varka, Velagi, VellaIa, VaHuvar, Veluva, Vanniyar,
Virabhagna and Vlrasambu.
They are regarded as unclean by the fo!)r principal castes, and
particularly by the Brahmans. In the rural parts, especially, when a
Holeya has to deliver anything to a Brahman, he places it on the
ground and retires to a distance, and when meeting one in a street or
road he endeavours to get away as far as possible. Brahmans and
Holeyas mutually avoid passing through the quarters they ~espectively
occupy in the villages, and a wilful transgression in this respect, if it
did not create a riot, would make purification necessary, and .that not
only on the part of the higher caste but even on the part of the lower.
With all this, there is no restriction in the Mysore State on the acquisi-
tion of land or property by Holeyas, and nnder the various blending
influences of the times-educational, missionary, and others-members
of this class are rising in importance and acquiring wealth. So much
so that in the cities and large towns their social disabilities are, to a
great extent, being overcome, and in public matters especially their
complete ostracism can hardly be maintained.
In the Maidan parts of the country. t~e Holeya, as the Ru/avadl: had
ETHNOGRAPHY
a recognized posItIOn in the village, and has always been regarded as
an ultimate referee in cases of boundary disputes. In the Malnad he
was merely a slave. of which there were two classes,-the huttJ(, or
slave born in the house, the hereditary serf of the family; and the
l1la~I~1ti(, or slave of the soil, who was bought and sold with the land.
These are, of course, nmv emancipated, and are benefiting by the free
labour and higher wages connected with coffee plantations, often to the
detriment of the areca-nut gardens, which were formerly kept up by
their forced labour.
The Madiga are similar to the Holeya, but are looked down upon
by the latter as inferior. They are tOti, or village scavengers, and
Idrgan(i, or wateimen, in charge of the sluices of tanks and channels,
regulating the supply of water for irrigation. They are principally dis-
tinguished from the Holeya in being workers in leather. The carcases
of dead cattle are removed by them, and the hides dressed to provide
the thongs by which bullocks are strapped to the yoke, the leather
buckets used for raising water in kapile wells, and other articles
required by the villagers. They are also cobblers, tanners and shoe-
makers, and the increasing demand for hides is putting money into
their purses.
Their subdivisions are Arava, Chakkili, Chammar, Gampa, Gampa-
sale, Goppasale, He<;ligebuvva, Kanchala, Kanna~la, Marabd.vva,
MoraSH, Matangi, Tirukula, Sing:i~1i, TanigebUvva, Telugu, U'ru and
VainiQ.u. They are worshippers of Vishnu, S'iva and S'aktis, and have
five different gurus or ma!hs in the Mysore country, namely, at KacJave,
K6<;lihaUi, Kongarli, N elamangala and Konkallu. They also call
themselves Jambava and Matanga. There is, moreover, a general
division of the caste into Des'abhaga, who do not intermarry with the
others. Though subordinate to the ma!hs above mentiond, they
acknowledge S'rlvaishnava Brahmans as their gurus. The Des'abhaga
are composed of six classes, namely, Bill6ru, Ma1l6ru, Amaravatiyavaru,
Munigalu, Yanamal6ru and Morabuvvadavaru.
Certain privileges enjoyed by the Holeya and Madiga in regard to
temple worship will be found described in connection with Melukote
and Behtr.
The Afoclzi (746) are not to be classed with the Madiga, except in
the matter of working in leather. They are immigrants, who, it is said,
came into ~i:rsore with Khasim Khan, the general of Aurangzeb, and
settled originally in Sira and Kolar. They claim to be Kshatriyas and
Rajputs, pretensions which are not generally admitted. They are shoe-
makers and saddlers by trade, and all S'aivas by faith. They have sub-
divisions called Gujarat, Kanna.c}a, Kempala and Mara~a.
TVODDAS
The next class (E) is styled Vagrant Minor Artisans and Performers,
and is composed of the following groups : -
Earth-workers and' Stone-dressers W09~a I07,203
Mat and Basket-makers .. Meda 4,261
Hunters and Fowlers Be~ 21 7,128
Miscellaneous, and Disreputable Livers '" J6gi, &c 10,884
Tumblers and Acrobats Domba, Jegi ... 3,70 3
Jugglers, Snake· charmers, &c Gara~iga 876
The large and useful class of TVO(ftjas is composed of Kallu WoQQ3. and
Margm Wo<J<Ja, between whom there is no social intercourse, nor any
intermarriage. Both worship all the Hindu deities and S'aktis, but a
goddess named Yellama seems to be a special object of reverence_
The Kallu Woo.<Ja are stonemasons, quarrying, transporting, and build-
ing with stone, and very dexterous in moving large masses of it by
simple mechanical means. They consider themselves superior to the
Mal).l).u Wo<;1<}a. The latter are chiefly tank-diggers, well-sinkers, and
generally skilful navvies for all kinds of earthwork, the men digging
and the women, removing the earth. Though a hard-working class,
they have the reputation of assisting professional thieves in committing
dacoities and robberies, principally, however, by giving information as
to ~here and how plunder may be easily obtained. The young and
robust of the Mal).l).u Wo<J<Ja of both sexes travel about in caravans in
search of employment, taking with them their infants and huts, which
consist of a few sticks and mats. Wherever they obtain any large
earthwork, they form an encampment in the neighbourhood. 'rhe
older members settle in the outskirts of towns, where many of both
sexes now find employment in ,various capacities in connection with
sanitary conservancy. The Wo<J<}a, as their name indicates, were
originally immigrants from Orissa and the Telugu country, and they
generally speak Telugu. They eat meat and drink spirits, and are
given to polygamy. The men and women of the caste eat together.
The subdivisions are Bailu, Bh6ja, B6yi, Hale, Jarupa, Jangalpa!!e-
burusu, Telugu, Tigala, Uppu and U'ru. 'They are most numerous
in the eastern and northern Districts.
The Aleda or Gauriga are mat and basket-makers, and workers in
bamboo and bne. One-fourth are in Shimoga District, and a good
number in Mysore and Kadur Districts.
The Beda or Nayaka consist of two divisions, Telugu and Kanna<;1a,
who neither eat together nor intermarry. One-third of the number are
in Chitaldroog District, and the greater proportion of the rest in Kolar
and Tumkur Districts. They were formerly hunters and soldiers by
profession. Most of the Mysore PaUegars belong to this caste, and
ETHNOGRAPHY
the famous infantry of Haidar and Tipu was largely composed o.~
BeQas. Now their principq.1 occupation is agriculture, labour an"~
Government sen'ice as revenue peons and village police. They ciail41
descent from Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, and are chiefly
Vaishnavas, but worship all the Hindu deities. In some parts they
erect a circular hut for a temple, with a stake in the middle, which is
the god. In common with the Golla, Kuruba, Madiga and other
classes, they often dedicate the eldest daughter in a family in which no
son is born, as a Basavi or prostitute; and a girl falling ill is similarly
vowed to be left unmarried, which means the same thing. The malll
divisions are Halu (3,929), ·Nayaka (15,453), PiHegar (48), Barika.,
Kannaiyanajati, Kiritaka, and Machi or Myisa (9,175). The minor
subdivisions are Arava, Bilaj6gi, Gujjiri, HaW, Kanaka, Mo(}ayavaru,
Muchchalamire, MugIa, Nagi, Telugu and Yanamala. The Machi, r
Myasa, also called Chunchu, <:all for special notice. Many of them lh e
in hills and in temporary huts outside inhabited places. The remarkab:e
point about them is that they practise the rite of circumcision, which is
performed on the boys of ten.or twelve years of age. They also eschew
all strong drink, and that so scrupulously that they will not use materials
from the date-palm in their buildings, nor even touch them. On the
other hand they eat beef, but of birds only partridge ?nd quail. Possibly
these peculiarities may have arisen from forced conversion to Islam in
the days of Tipu. With the Musalman rite they also combine Hindu
usages at the initiation of boys, and in' the segregation of women in child-
birth follow the customs of other quasi jungle tribes. The dead are cre-
mated, and their ashes scattered on tangaQi bushes (cassia Qun"cu/ala).
In the Miscellaneous group theJogi (9,692) are the most numerour;.
They are mendicant devotees recruited from all castes. Their division'i
are Gantij6gi, Gorava, Helava, Jangaliga, Monda, P.ikan.iti, Pichcha-
kunte, Sillekyata and U ddinakorava. They mostly pretend to be
fortune·tellers, while the Jangaliga and Pakanati deal in drugs, and
wander about calling out the particular diseases they profess to cure by
means of their wares.
The Burjuburjike (1,092) are gypsy beggars and fortune-tellers from
the Mahratta country, one section being"called Busare: They pretend
to. consult birds and reptiles, and through them to predict future events.
They use.a small double-headed drum, which is sounded by whisking it
about so !i$ to be struck by the knotted ends pC a string attached to
each side. The others of this group of beggars are SuQuga<tusidda.
(46), Gondaliga (29), Pandaram and Valluvar (IS), Karma (7), and
~'iniyar (3). The first are all in Shimoga District, and the last three
in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore.
ltfUSALiJfAiVS 257
The Tumblers and Acrobats include Domba (2,500) and JaHi (1,203).
fhe former are buffoons, tumblers, and snake-charmers. They are
'jupposed to be descendants of an aboriginal tribe from the north ofIndia
(Doms probably). The Jatti or JeHi, also called Mushtiga in the
western Districts, are professional athletes and wrestlers, or MalIa.
They are Rachevar by caste. Nearly a half are in the Mysore District.
A number are maintained in connection with the palace, and are
trained from infancy in daily exercises for the express purpose of
exhibition. An interesting account of this order, as it existed at the
'beginning of the century, extracted from Wilks, was given in the first
edition.
The group of G:iruqiga and MOQihiqiyuva consists of jugglers, snake-
charmers, and conjurers. ~
The last class (F) is styled Races and Nationalities, numbering
291,168, and includes the Musalmans and Europeans, with Eurasians
and Native Christians. The following are the figures :-
Class.,";
j
-a
~ i
[ ~
~ ~
~
-6 ..,
ol • ~ .: r
, ~ 1::0: " " •• .- :2 ]
____I~I ___ I--E-<--I----~--;I:--:--<l5--I--- _ a i
I
Shekh ... 38,923 j 8,831 14,247 28,6341 9,3 2 4
~,3~-
18,834 10,9 1 2 12,842'
Mughal "'j
Saiyid ... 1 1I,407! 6,541
Path~n...
1,999 1,264
1I,057! 4.1937
3,009,
1,032
4,462
1,70 5
1,413 1 481
7,586, 1,828
4,470
2, 61 5
3,753
1,943
376 i
2,271
237
2,1I7! 1,839
Hamfi ... 33 ( 6 127 433 : 139 343 14 I J
Daire ... ' 2,419 I - I 80 I I
Labbe... l,og8 199 92 1,973 67 119 161 , 8
Mapile ... 28 - - 18 71 20 41
Pinjari .•. 124 447 617 26 10 1 955
Pindari ... 180 808 1,027 33
----1----1---1---1--- ----:---1--- --
Total ... 167,268 22,225 24,395 48,49 1 1'13,641 130,197 15,565 \ 18,155
The four classes first above given are those of reputed pure descent.
Bllt although good families doubtless remain in variolls parts, the bulk
are of mixed descent, due to intermarriage and conversions, voluntary
or enforced. Shekh denotes properly a lineal descendant from
Muhammad. through his successors 'Abu Bakr and Umar; and Saiyid,
a descendant through his son-in-law Ali and Husain. But these titles
have probably been often assumed by converts promiscuously without
reference to their signification. Pathans are of Afghan origin, descen-
dants of Kutb-ud-Din, the founder of the Pathan dynasty, and his
followers; while Mughals are descended from Tartar chiefs who
followed Tamerlane into India. The Sharif, nearly all in Tumkur
District, claim to be descended from nobility.
The Hanifi are a sect of Sunnis who follow the teachings and tradi
tions of Abu Hanifa, one of the four great doctors of Islam. In
practice one of their principal distinctions is in multiplying ceremonial
ablutions. The Daire or Mahdavi are a sect peculiar to Mysorc,
principally settled at Channapatna in the Bangalore District, and at
Bannur and Kirigaval in the Mysore District. Their belief is that the
Mahdi has already appeared in the person of one Saiyid Ahmed, who
arose in GlJjarat about 400 years ago claiming to be such. He obtained
a number Qf followers and settled in Jivanpur in the Nizam's Domin·
ions. Eventually, being worsted in a great religious controversy, they
were driven out of the Haidarabad country and found an abode at
Channapatna. They have a separate mosque of their own, in whic:1
their priest, it is said, concludes prayers with the words "the ImaI?
EUROPEANS 259
Mahdi has come and gone," the people responding in assent, and
denouncing all who disbelieve it as infi~els: They do not intermarry
with the rest of the Musalmans. The Daire carryon an active
trade in silk with the western coast, and are generally a well-to-do
class.
The Arabs, Kandahiris and BalUchis are mostly in Bangalore, and
come here as horse-dealers and traaers in cloth.
The Labbe and Mapilel are by origin descendants of intermarriage
between foreign traders (Arabs and Persians), driven to India by
persecution in the eighth century, and WOll1en of the country, but the
latter designation was taken by the children of those forcibly converted
to Islam in Malabar in the persecutions of Tipu Sultan's time. The
Labbe belong to the Coromandel coast, tQ.eir princip?tI seat being at
Negapatam, while the Mapile belong to the Malabar coast. The
former speak Tamil and the latter Malay.Ham. The Labbe are an
~nterprisin~ class of traders, settled in nearly all the large towns. They
are vendors of hardware, collectors of hides, and large traders in coffee
produce, but take up any kind of lucrative business. They are also
established in considerable strength as agriculturists at Gargesvari in
the Mysore District
The Meman, all in the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore, are
immigrants from Cutch, come here for trade. By origin they appear to
have been Rajputs: The Pinjari, as their name indicates, are cleaners
of cotton. They do not intermarry with other Musalmans, who as a rule
have no intercourse with them. The Pindari were to a great extent
Afghans, Mahrattas and Jats in origin, disbanded from the service of
the Mughal empire, but became known as a tribe of freebooters who
ravaged India on a grand scale, with large armies, and gave rise to many
wars. They were finally suppressed in Central India in 1817 in the
time of the Marquess of Hastings. They are now settled down in the
pursuit of peaceful occupations in agriculture and Government service
df various -kinds.
The Parsis (35) are from Bombay. and engaged in trade, except a
few who are in Government service. One-half are in Mysore, and most
of the remainder are in Bangalore. Of the Jews (25), the majority are
in Hassan District, relatives of an official there. . The Armenians (8).
Chinese (7), Burmese (4), and Singalese (3). are all in Bangalore.
Of Eur~peans (6;231), the following is the distribution of the
nationalities that are strongest in numbers :-
1 Labbe is supposed to be derived from the Arabic labbar'k, "here I am," being
the response of slaves to the call of their masters. l\.Japile is apparently from.
Mapilla, Malayalam for" son-in-law."
S 2
ETHNOGRAPHY
Nation.
C.
Bangalore.
--:-.---
~ and M. District.
!I ~
.:
boil
I
l.li
""
~
I ..........
...
!! \
~
'"'
,-
c!
~
~
.§
il5
~ I
~ l]
t
~tatlon.
----- -----1-----'-- - - 1 - - - -
English
Scotch
3,933
30 3
287
I
216 27 215
3
128 31 191 I~~-
Irish 58 3 1 I I /)
French 62 2 6 2 1
German
Italian
44
2 ~ 85 ...- ! I 3
DISTRICT. LeAS than '00. 200 to 500 500 to >,000. 1,000 to 2,000. I 2,000 to 3,000. 3,000 to 5,~:
I
i5 000
to 10,000. ! 10,000 to '5,000. ~
------
~
I
I
I~ -~~
No. Pop. No. Pop. I Pop, No. Pop.
I
No.1 Pop.' No·1 Pop.' i No. Pop.
I No.
~
- - --- ---
Bangalore 1,474 154,602 ~60 I 23 2 ,4°7 ~I 114,807 37 49,005 3 7,026 - ; : 28,132 -51 36 ,6491-=-
~
~
Kolar .• 1,95 8 195,483 722 126 86,672 39,969 7,928 2 7, 024 18,871 2 22,771
~
212,312 29 3 3
T{\ulkUt 1,35 6 12 7, 02 5 745 228,437 194 120,122 4[ 54,354 5 11,449' 7' 28,3 13 - 11,086 ~
Mysore' 1',080 12 3,05 1 1,006 328,636 4 64 '3 15,269 154 212,687 21 5 1,.058 11 4 2,095 4 22,419 12,55 1 ~
lIassall [,424 15 2,99 2 73 2 225,094 II9 77,986 19 25,077 5 10,852 3 10,539 2 12,412
,
~
Shimoga 9 14 90,678 637 20~,727 204 134, 204 42 53,62 1 20,044 3 10,356 I 5,011 ~I 11;34°
Kadllr 675 55,702 760 118,953 IIS ! 79.775 34 42,223 :1 10,048 2 8,490 2 14,872 I - r
-~JI
i
Chitaldroog .. , 504 53,531 451 146,758 JIo,686 46 60,736 7 18,437 2 9,390 , 2 14,4461-
I
:I I
I , '
--- ----
I
Ga~akan!i
I ! Jangama
229 ' Ha~ 216, 237,239 Jarupa
24 1 " Koracha 233
255" Korama 233
Ga~ Lingayit 246, Hajam 249: Jat 227,245" Kumbara 252
Gaddigeyava 2461 Hale Kanna~iga i Ja!!edevara 252 "Kumba 252
Gaharvariya Thakur I 237-8 1 Jagi 257" Madiga 254
221 I "Karl)a~ka 237-8, Jenu Kumba 213" "Mochi 251
G:ijulabalji 246." Kuruba 252 233 R:iju 227
Gampa 254 Halemakkaju 25 0 ~ JeHi
i 255, 2571 "Tigala 23 1
Gampasale 254 I Halepaika 212, ; Jhadmati 253 I " Uppara 252
Gal)adhis',-ara 242 228-30,2531 Jmagara 245'" Wokkaliga 229
Gan~hU9ibalji 246 I HaJepaild 212 I Jintra 253 Kanna<;liga 246
Ganga 246: Hale ~rga!a 231, Jogda 232 KannruyanaJati256
Gangadikara 217, I Hale W<X.l<;la 255 Jogi 226,232,255-6 Kan!'ha Pava~e 246
228-9, 253 1 HaW Be~a 256, Joti 253 Kal)va 237
Gangemakkaju 252' " Kuruba 251: Jotibanajiga 246 Kanyakubja 224
GoiQiga 222, 226, I "Tigaja 231 Jotinagara 252 KapaIi 246
247, 252 HaHikara 229-30, J6tipaoa 25 2 Kapu 253
Gan!ij<Sgi 256 I Haju B~a - 256' Kapu ReMi 229
Gantu 233 ." Golla 251 : Kabhaliga 252 Kapus'akalava<;lu
Garn~iga 227, 255. "Kuruba 252' Kachche Gauli 251 250
257 "Wokkaliga : Kadambiyar 240 KaraM 237,239
Gaudamane 228 228-9 ' Ka~u Golla 251 Karadi 251
Gauda Brahman 234 Hange 251-2 ' " Kuruba 213, Karaie 229
" Tigala 231 Hanifi 258: 231, 233, 251 Karhii<;le 239
Gau<;lakula
Gau~u
Gaulbans
252 Hasular
I
2141 Kaiko!a
246 Havika 216,237,239 Kaiko!a
251 Hebbar 240 Kalayi
245-6 Kariga
237 Karma227,251,256
246 Karman
229
249
Gau!i 251 , He<;ligebuva 254 Kalku~aka 248 Karl)a!a 249
Gaulrga 228, Heggade 252' Ka.!jar 249 KaIl}.ll!aka (Brah-
Gaun~ 249 1 Heggal)iga 223,2521 Kallu W<X.l~a 255 man) 234,237
Gaurija 255 Hejava 250! Kruu 2 5 3 " Holeya 253
Gausal)ige
Gayaka
Gayakavadi
2451 Hemmigeyar
251 ! Hindustani
I
229: Hema Re<;l<;li 2281 Kama!i 223 Kame
240 Kama-wokkalu 229 Karl)ikir
227 Kambali 252 Karu
251
244
229
Gaya ThakUr 227 : Hirihasube 246 KambaIUr 237-8 ' Karukal 229
Gazula 233 I Holeya 215,223, Kammadi Re<;l~i229! Kru;alnac,l 237
Gejjegara 249 226,246-7,2531 Kammara 222, 226, I Katyayana 237
Gerha!!i 246 Honne Re~~i 228 248-91 Kava~iga 251
Ghaniya 229 Hosadevara 229 Kamme 237-8 i Kavan! 246
Golla 223, 226, 247, Hosa Kuruba 252\ " Banajga246 I Kavarga 237,239
251 ,HoysaQiga 237-8 "ReMi 228' Kausika 239
Golla!e 253! Huvva<;liga 246 Kamsi 2271 Kayasta 227,244
Gondaliga 227,256 Kanaka 227,2561 Kelasi 249
Gonga~i 233 LI'~ 226, 247, 252 Kanakaiyanajati252 Kempala 254
249-50
I
Goniga 226,247, IppatnaIkaravaru KaQakkan
237 Kanchala
244/ Kemp!i
254 KempuBaQajiga246
246
Gopala !
251 I'ragan!i Ma<JivliJi Kanchugira 222, " , Golla 251
Goppasale 254' 250 227,248 I Kencbala 25 2
Gorava 256 : lruliga 214. 226, Kanda~e 240 I Kbadri VaishQ3.va
Gosangi 229 i 231, 233 I Kandappal!i 231 I 241
G6sayi 227,242-3' Ja<:la 249' Kan~ Raju 237 Khamdat 23 2
ETHNOGRAPHY
Khatri 249' Kurupage 253 Maya 248 , Nayakasani 245
Kh6tavat 231 Kurus'ivalli 237 M6da 226, 255 ' Nayar 227-1I
Kll<iri 251 Kuruvina 249 Melpavag.e 246 Nayi 25 1
Kilmic;I 237 Kus'ast'haja 237 Melusakkare 252 Nayinda 22J, 226,
KHnatar 240 Mcman' 258-9 247, 249
Kine 228 Labbe 257,259 Metukunteyar 240 Neita He<.i91 229
lUra Gal]iga 252 Lada 222,226,245 Mirasikat 232 Nera~i" 228
Kirataka 2561' Laiagon~la 229,2J1 Mochi 227,247,254 Neyigara 226, 247,
Kog.aga 227 Lambag.l 231 Modayavaru 255 249
Kodati Reddi 228 [ Lambal]i 226, 231 Modihic;liyuva 257 .Nihang 243
Koialu .. 251 Lal1kekara 228 Mong.a 227. 256 Nirumelinava 246
Koiama 229 ~ingabalji, 246 Mopur Raju 227 Niyogi 237
KoHa 246: LingaBanajiga223, ~oJabuvvadavaru NOJ}aha217,228-Jo
Kolli Kuruba 213 245 I 254
Koiuva 229 Lingakagi VeHa!a 'Morasunad 240 Oja
Komarapatt a 227 229 Morasu(Holeya)253 Oswal
Koma~i 223, 226, Lingayit 226, 228, I .. (Madiga) 254
245-6 233. 241-2, 245' " Wokkaliga Padata 250
Konar 251 Lokabalike 245 228, 230 Pa~layachinayakan
Konda 249 Lokottarapareya253 I Muchchalamire 256 229
Kon9akage 229 ' Mudali 226,245.247 Padmamurikimi\i
Kon~lamangala 249 Machi 256 ' Mudali Wokkaliga 249
Kondi Rec;Ic;Ii 229 Madhva 235 229 Padmasale:z23,249-
Konga(Holeya) 253 "Penna,ttur 237 Mudusarebalji 246 50
Konga Wokkaliga "VaishJ}ava237 Mughal 258 Pagadala 246
229 Madhyanjana 239 Mugla 256 l:'akana~i 256
Konkal,last'ha Madi~a 223,226,! Muhkinag.u 237-8 hikanati Red,li 228
237, 239 247, 2S3-4\' Multani 227,245, Palaki· .. 252
Konkal,liga 229 Madiva~ 250 247 Pajayar 229
Koracha 214. 226, Madya. 252 I Muncholi 240 ])alchanko~i ZJ3
231, 233 Madyandina 239, I MunigaJu 254 Pale 253
Korama 214, 231, Maggada 253 ' Murik'inati 250 Palli 223. 231, 253
233 Maharashtra 234 Murusire 246 l:'aih~gar 256
Korava 214 Mahdvi 258 Musaku 229 I'alya 229
Koratakapu 229 Mahratta 228 Mushtiga 257 Palyagar Gau9a 231)
Kos'ava 252 Maji 252 Mutta 246 Pa!yaku 229
Kota 237, 239 Majjana 252 ' Muttarajll 246 Palyapa~ 252
Kotari 227 MajJige 252 I Muttu 229 ramar 229
K6tegara ,229 Mala 253 ' Myada 246 Panan 2~
Kotisvara 237,239 Malava 228 Myasa 256 Panasakapu 221)
Kotta Bal,lajiga 246 Malavaru 229 ! PancMchara Gauda
.. Kurul:>a. 252 Maleya 214! Nagarta 223, 226, 228, 249
KOHadevarakapu Malla 253 245 Pancha Gau<;la 234
229 Malloru 254' Nagaru 246 Pallchagrama 237.
KshatrabMnu 221:1 Mande 251 I Nagi 256 240,24 a
1
K!.hatriya 226, 229 Mandyatlar 240 Nallanchakravarti Pancha.Ja 222-3.
Kug.ike Wokkalu i Manga 228' 240 247-8
2291' Mangala 249 Nalla 257 l'anchamasale 246
Kllg.uchappara 251 MaJ}l,lu Wog.9a. 255 Nallar 253 Pancharatral 24 t
Kulala 25211 Manu 248 Namadakula. 251 Pandaram 227, 256
Kulibeg.aga 229 Mapile 257, 259 NamadMri 247 Pandya Tigala 231
Kumari 228 Marabuvva 254 NamMri 237 .: Vellala. 229
Kumbara 223,226, Maradlirar 240 Namdev 249 Panne ... 253
247. 252 Marasi 246 Nandavaidika 237, Panneri 229
Kumbi Marv~g.i 247 Marata 226. 228 239 Paradi . 232
II Wokkaliga 229 " M6chi 254 Nata 249 Pareya 253
~unch~!iga 2028- 9 MaTVlidi 227. 245. NatacMrasUrti 241 Pariv:u-a 25'z
Kung.ah . ' 249 1 247 Natamangala 249 Pusi 259
Kun~e 229 Masalu :l53 Natuva 226, 245 Pasali 253
Kuri Golla 251 Matanga. 254 Nava ThakUr 227 Pasaluvate 246
" :J(uruba 252 Matangi 254 Navige 252 Pata (Golla) 25 1
Kunlba,2I3, 223-6, Mattige 253 Nayadu ,246 u Kuruba 25 2
247. 25 1 Maval 233 I Nayaka 255-6 " Yadavalu 251
LIST OF CASTES
Pathan 258 Sajjana (iingayit) \ Smarta 235, 237 Tigala 223,226,228,
Pattar 248 245 Sole 229, 231
Pat tan 248 " (Gat;liga) 252 S6liga 213-4." (Wo<:!1a) 255
Pa!!asale 249-50 ,,(PaneMJa) 248 S6liyas'egi 246 Tirthankara 242
l'a!mili 250 Sakalava<:\u 250 Somesa 253 Tirukula 253-4
Pa!mihikar 249 ~kunasale -249-50 Someshandal 240-1 Tirumaleyar 240-1
l'a!vegar 249-50 I SaMr 227 S6najiband 248 Tirunama Dasari
Pelagun<;la
I
Pe<;lakan!iReMi228 S'~le
229 S'aliga
249, 25 1- 2 Sonar
249-50 Sot;lQan
248
251 Togaseni
242
246
Pe!emane 246 S'alivahana 252 S6shya 229 Toga!a 229, 249-50
PeHigesalina 229 SaIJa 251 S'ravaka 245, 247 Toppala 252
Pichehakunte 256 Samaji 241 Sreshfha 252 Toreya 223, 252
Pille 227-8 Samay6gi 243 Srivaisht;lava 235, T6ta 231
Pin<;lare 257,259 Samba 231 240 T6!ada Tiga!a 238
Pinjari 257,259 SamMra 251 Sthalada\'a 246 T6tagara 229
Pitambara 242 Sambu I
253 Suduga<;luSidda216, Toti 253
Prakna<,l 237' Sameraya 241 227. 256 Trikarma 246
Prathamas'akhe SaI)iyar 227, 256 Suggala 252 Tude 253
237.239 Sangu 253 Sukm 231: Tuluva VelIala 228
Prathama Vaish- Sankara 241 SUkhamanji 246, " Wokkaliga
I)ava
!
241 Sanke!i
Prativadi - bhayan - S'anku D3sari 242
karattar
237, 239 S'ukla Yajus s'akhe
240 ,sannyasi 227. 242 Sut;lI)akallu
237,239 \ Tuppada
252: TurukaIJe BaI)ajiga
229
246