Castes and Tribes of Southern India/Kalti

by Edgar Thurston

Kalti (expunged). — A degraded Paraiyan is known as a Kalti. Amongst the Paraiyans of Madras, Chingleput and North Arcot, the rule is that a man who does not abide by the customs of the caste is formally excommunicated by a caste council. He then joins "those at Vinnamangalam " near Vellore, i.e., those who have, like himself, been driven out of the caste.