Castes and Tribes of Southern India/Kollan

by Edgar Thurston

Kollan.— The blacksmiths are iron-workers among the Malayālam Kammālans. "These Malabar Kollans," Mr. H. A. Stuart writes,*^[1] "are said to practice fraternal polyandry to a greater extent even than the rest of the Malabar artizan castes. Kollans are divided into (1) Tī (fire) Kollan, (2) Perum (big) Kollan, (3) Tīperum Kollan, (4) Irumbu (iron) Kollan. There are also Kadacchil Kollan (knife-grinders) and Tōl Kollan (leather- workers). These are of inferior status, on account of the nature of their professions."

1. • Madras Census Report, 1891.