Kayerthannāya (Strychnos Nux-vomica sept). — An exogamous sept of the Bants and Shivalli Brāhmans in South Canara.
Kayila (unripe fruit). — An exogamous sept of Orugunta Kāpu.
Keimal (kei, hand, as an emblem of power). — A sub-division of Nāyar.
Kēla.— A small class of Oriya jugglers and mounte-banks, whose women, like the Dommara females, are often prostitutes. The name is derived from kēli, dancing, or khēl to play.
Kēlasi.— For the following account of the Kelasi or barber caste of South Canara, I am indebted to a note on the barbers of Tuluva by Mr. M. Bapu Rao.*[1] The caste name is derived from kelasa, work. In like manner, the Canarese barbers of Bellary and Dharwar call themselves Kashta Mādōvaru, or those who perform the difficult task.
The barbers of South Canara are of different castes or sub-castes according to the language they speak, or the people for whom they operate. Thus there are (1) the Tulu Kelsi (Kutchidāye, man of the hair) or Bhandāri; (2) the Konkani Kelsi or Mhāllo, who must have migrated from the north; (3) the Hindustani Kelsi or Hajāms; (4) the Lingāyat Kelsi or Hadapavada (man of the wallet); (5) the Māppilla (Moplah) barber Vasa; (6) the Malayāli barber Kāvudiyan; and even Telugu and Tamil barbers imported by the sepoy regiments until recently stationed at Mangalore. Naturally the Tulus form the bulk of the class in Tuluva. There is among them a section known as Maddele, employed by palm-tappers, and hence considered socially inferior to
- ↑ * Madras Christ. Coll. Mag., 1894.
