CHAPTER III.
THE PEOPLE.
General Characteristics—Density of the population—Its growth —Emigration—Parent-tongue—Education—Occupations-Religions. The Jains. The Christians—The London Mission—Roman Catholic Mission—Schleswig-Holstein Lutheran Mission—Canadian Baptist Missions. The Musalmans. The Hindus—Villages and houses—Dress—Food—Amusements—Dancing—Chaitra feast—Superstitions. Religious Life—In the plains—The village deities—In the Agency. Principal Castes—In the plains—Kapu—Velama—Telaga— Nagaralu-Aiyarakulu—Bagata—Gavara—Konda Dora—Golla— \Kamsala—Sale— Salipu—Silavantulu—Yata—Mangala—Jaliri—Mila—Nagavasula—Relli—Godagula— Beggar castes—Principal castes in the Agency—Poroja— Domba—Paidi—Bottada—Kona—Bhumiya—Sondi—Korono—Mali—Omanaito—Mattiya— Pentiya—Dhakkada— Khond—Janapu—Muka Dora—Savara—Gadaba—Koya—Gond.
The density of the population in the Agency of Vizagapatam CHAP. III. General Characteristics. is less than in any other area in the Presidency except the Godavari Agency. The country as a whole contained in 1901 only 67 persons to the square mile, and Malkanagiri only 14—a smaller number than any other taluk in Madras.
The density of the people in the ordinary tracts is shown Density of the population. in the statistics of the 1901 census as 453 to the square mile, a number only exceeded in the rich districts of Tanjore and Malabar but there is little doubt that this figure is higher than the facts warrant, owing to the incorrectness of the official statistics of area from which it is calculated. The zamindaris, which make up over nine-tenths of the district, have never been surveyed by Government; the figures of their area are only approximations; and recent surveys in the Vizianagram zamindari have shown that there, at any rate, they have always been grossly understated. Taking the census figures as they stand, it appears that Pálkonda (645 persons to the square mile) is the most densely peopled taluk; that it is closely followed by Vizagapatam, Vizianagram, Bimlipatam and Anakápalle; and that the most sparsely populated taluk is Golgonda, which has only 235 persons to the square mile. A marked movement of the people into the larger towns is in progress. In the decade 1891-1901 the inhabitants of Parvatipur increased by as much as 72 per cent., and other notable advances occurred in Sálúr (25 per cent.), Vizianagram (21), Bobbili (20) and Vizagapatam (19).