Irulas of the North Arcot district are, in like manner,sometimes called Arava Yānādis. Arava also occurs as a division of Tigalas, said to be a section of the Tamil Pallis, who have settled in Mysore. An ingenious suggestion has been made that Arava is derived from ara, half, vayi, mouthed, in reference to the defective Tamil alphabet, or to the termination of the words being mostly in consonants.
Aravan.—Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nāyar.
Arayan.—See Vālan.
Archaka.—Archaka, or Umai Archaka, is a title of Ōcchans, who are priests at temples of Grǎma Dēvatas (village deities).
Ārē.—A synonym for Marāthi. The name occurs as a sub-division of Kunchigar and kudubi. In South Canara Ārya Kshatri occurs as the equivalent of Ārē, and, in the Telugu country, Ārē Kāpu refers to Marathi cultivators. Ārya Kūttādi is a Tamil synonym of Marāthi Dommaras. Concerning the Ārēs, Mr. H. G. Stuart writes as follows.*[1] " Of the total number of 6,809 Ārēs, 4,373 are found in South Canara, Bellary and Anantapur, and these are true Ārē"s. Of the rest I am not able to speak with certainty, as the term Ārya, which is a synonym of Ārē, is also used as an equivalent of Marāthi, and sometimes in a still wider sense. The true Ārēs are husbandmen of Marātha origin. They wear the sacred thread, have Brāhmans as their priests,and give allegiance to the head of the Sringeri Mutt. Marriage of girls takes place either before or after puberty, and the remarriage of widows is not allowed. A husband may divorce his wife for adultery, but a wife
- ↑ * Madras Census Report, 1891.
