VIZAGAPATAM.
We may now go on to refer shortly to the castes which are found in especial strength in Vizagapatam or are in other ways characteristic of the district. A beginning will be made with the castes of the low country, who, with a few exceptions expressly noted, all speak Telugu. It will save space if a few points common to most of the non-polluting non-Bráhman castes are first mentioned.
Caste organization is scarcely as systematic as in the southern districts, and the headman (kula-pedda) has more limited powers. Castes are generally split into the usual endogamous sections, but, what is less common, these are generally again divided into exogamous septs called inti pérulu or 'house names'(apparently ordinarily derived from traditional birthplaces or supposed ancestors), the members of which may not marry among themselves. Here and there, between these two, occur instances of the totemistic exogamous sections which are so common among the agency castes and are referred to below. Besides the restrictions on the choice of a bride effected by these subdivisions, there are others imposed by caste rules. Ordinarily a man must follow the Dravidian custom known as ménarikam, and marry his maternal uncle's daughter; and if no such daughter exists he may follow what (though it is the ordinary rule among many Tamil castes)is here called 'éduru ménarikam or ' reversed ménarikam,' and wed his paternal aunt's daughter, if such there be.
The ceremonies at marriages, though differing widely in different castes, are of one general type. The preliminary understanding (or betrothal) is ratified either by a dinner at which the bride's dower in the way of jewellery is announced, or, among castes which have a vóli, or bride-price, by the acceptance of half the sum fixed by custom therefor. A propitious day haing subsequently been chosen, the wedding takes place — in the bridegroom's house if vóli is paid and otherwise in the bride's. A pandal of Eugenia jambolana poles decorated with Erythrina, indica twigs is set up; beneath this the couple are seated and sprinkled with rice, saffron and kunkumam ; the bridegroom is shaved and has his nails trimmed; the pair are bathed and dressed in new cloths; and a caste dinner follows. The priest having arrived, the couple stand one on each side of a curtain hung between them and touch feet below it, their right wrists are tied together with a saffron-coloured string called the kankanam, rice is thrown over them again, the marriage-badge (táli in Tamil or pusti in Telugu) is tied round the bride's neck, the pair hook their little fingers and the priest knots their cloths together, they walk round the pandal
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