Pūjāri.— Pūjāri is an occupational title, meaning priest, or performer of pūja (worship). It is described by Mr. H. A. Stuart *[1] as "a name applied to a class of priests, who mostly preside in the temples of the female deities — the Grāma Dēvatas or Ūr Ammas — and not in those of Vishnu or Siva. They do not wear the sacred thread, except on solemn occasions." Pūjāri has been recorded as a title of Billavas as they officiate as priests at bhūtasthānas (devil shrines), and of Halēpaiks, and Pūjāli as a title of some Irulas. Some families of Kusavans (potters), who manufacture clay idols, are also known as pūjāri. Pūja occurs as a sub-division of the Gollas. Some criminal Koravas travel in the guise of Pūjāris, and style themselves Korava Pūjāris.
Pula.— A sub-division of Cheruman.
Pūla (flowers). — An exogamous sept of Bōya, Padma Sālē and Yerukala.
Pūlān.— Barbers of Tamil origin, who have settled in Travancore.
Pulavar.— A title of Ōcchan and Panisavan.
Pulayan.— See Cheruman and Thanda Pulayan.
Puli (tiger). — Recorded as an exogamous sept or gōtra of Balija, Golla, Kamma, and Mēdara. The equivalent Puliattanāya occurs as an exogamous sept of Bant.
Puliakōdan. — A class of carpenters in Malabar, whose traditional occupation is to construct oil mills.
Pūliāsāri. — A division of Malabar Kammālans, the members of which do mason's work (pūli, earth). Paravas who are engaged in a similar calling are, in like manner, called Pūli Kollan.
Pulikkal. — Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nāyar.
- ↑ * Manual of the North Arcot district.
