choultry (lock-up) for a time not exceeding twelve hours; or, if the offending parties are of the lower castes of the people, on whom it may not be improper to inflict so degrading a punishment, to order them to be put in the stocks for a time not exceeding six hours. In a case which came before the High Court it was ruled that by "lower castes" were probably intended those castes which, prior to the introduction of British rule, were regarded as servile. In a case which came up on appeal before the High Court in 1903, it was ruled that the Shānārs belong to the lower classes, who may be punished by confinement in the stocks.
With the physique of the Shānāns, whom I examined at Nazareth and Sawyerpūram in Tinnevelly, and their skill in physical exercises I was very much impressed. The programme of sports, which were organised in my honour, included the following events: —
- Fencing and figure exercises with long sticks of iron-wood (Mesua ferrea).
- Figure exercises with sticks bearing flaming rags at each end.
- Various acrobatic tricks.
- Feats with heavy weights, rice-pounders, and pounding stones.
- Long jump.
- Breaking cocoanuts with the thrust of a knife or the closed fist.
- Crunching whiskey-bottle glass with the teeth.
- Running up, and butting against the chest, back,and shoulders.
- Swallowing a long silver chain.
- Cutting a cucumber balanced on a man's neck in two with a sword.
- Falconry.
