Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 2.djvu/12

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CHAKKILIYAN
4

The correlation of the most important measurements of the Mādigas of the Telugu country, and so-called Chakkiliyans of the city of Madras, is clearly brought out by the following figures:—

  Thirty
Madigas.
cm.
Fifty
Chakkiliyans.
cm.
Stature 163.1 162.2
Cephalic length  18.6  18.6
Cephalic breadth  13.9  13.9
Cephalic index  75.   75. 
Nasal height   4.5   4.6
Nasal breadth   3.7   3.6
Nasal index  80.8  78.9

The Chakkiliyan men in Madras are tattooed not only on the forehead, but also with their name, conventional devices, dancing-girls, etc., on the chest and upper extremities.

It has been noticed as a curious fact that, in the Madura district, "while the men belong to the right-hand faction, the women belong to and are most energetic supporters of the left. It is even said that, during the entire period of a faction riot, the Chakkili women keep aloof from their husbands and deny them their marital rights."[1]

In a very interesting note on the leather industry of the Madras Presidency, Mr. A. Chatterton writes as follows.[2] "The position of the Chakkiliyan in the south differs greatly from that of the Mādiga of the north, and many of his privileges are enjoyed by a 'sub-sect' of the Pariahs called Vettiyans. These people possess the right of removing dead cattle from villages, and in return


  1. Manual of the Madura district.
  2. Monograph of Tanning and Working in Leather, 1904.