3.Caste, Custom and Community: The Social World of the Weaver The social structure of the weaving community of the Northern Coromandel region also like that of many other similar communities elsewhere, was many layered and complex. These weaving communities were traditionally associated with certain geographical regions, and this association with specific spaces appears to have continued well into the eighteenth century. Caste Ties And the Traditional Weaver: An exploration of social structures of the weaving world of the Northern Coromandel discloses the presence of a number of communities in the region engaged in or otherwise related to the weaving profession, although only a few dominant communities virtually monopolized the work. The traditional weaving communities predominated in the weaving world of the Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. In the Visakhapatnam district, for instance, the principal weaving communities were Devangas, Sales, Pattu Sales, Kaikalavallu, Dasarivallu and Goni Perikalu. 1 In the Godavari district the great majority of the weavers belonged to the Devanga caste, although Pattu Sales and Padma Sales determined the production process in certain important textile centres. There were also other weaving castes, like Karanabattulu, Perikalu, Bogams and Singamvallu in the Godavari district. 2 In contrast, in Masulipatnam and Guntur districts, the weavers did not necessarily belong to the traditional weaving castes. For instance, although there were Sale caste weavers, primarily Padma sales, there were also Paria weavers, Jandra 78
40
Embed
3.Caste, Custom and Community: The Social World of the ...shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/1606/11/11...cloths or super fine variety cloths, for instance Uppada Silk cloths
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
3.Caste, Custom and Community: The Social World of the Weaver
The social structure of the weaving community of the
Northern Coromandel region also like that of many other similar
communities elsewhere, was many layered and complex. These
weaving communities were traditionally associated with certain
geographical regions, and this association with specific spaces
appears to have continued well into the eighteenth century.
Caste Ties And the Traditional Weaver:
An exploration of social structures of the weaving world of
the Northern Coromandel discloses the presence of a number of
communities in the region engaged in or otherwise related to the
weaving profession, although only a few dominant communities
virtually monopolized the work. The traditional weaving
communities predominated in the weaving world of the Godavari and
Visakhapatnam districts. In the Visakhapatnam district, for
instance, the principal weaving communities were Devangas, Sales,
Pattu Sales, Kaikalavallu, Dasarivallu and Goni Perikalu.1 In
the Godavari district the great majority of the weavers belonged
to the Devanga caste, although Pattu Sales and Padma Sales
determined the production process in certain important textile
centres. There were also other weaving castes, like
Karanabattulu, Perikalu, Bogams and Singamvallu in the Godavari
district.2 In contrast, in Masulipatnam and Guntur districts, the
weavers did not necessarily belong to the traditional weaving
castes. For instance, although there were Sale caste weavers,
primarily Padma sales, there were also Paria weavers, Jandra
78
caste weavers, Togata weavers and even a few looms set up by
barbers.3
A significant correlation between the caste and the
production of specific varieties of cloth could be discerned in
this region. An important weaving community of this period was
the Sale community, classified into the Padma Sale and the Pattu
Sale sub-sects. The former specialized in coarse weaving, while
the latter, as the name indicates, confined their activities to
silk weaving and superfine cloth weaving. The Devanga weavers
specialized mostly in producing pure cotton cloths. The Togatas
mainly specialized in weaving the coarsest kind of cotton cloth
catering to the needs of lower classes.6 Traditionally, this
group specialized in the production of red cloth. The Jandra
caste weavers, as the name indicates, specialized in weaving long
cloths.8 The evidence from the Guntur and Masulipatnam districts
displays that the non-traditional weavers specialized in
producing ordinary cloth meant for local consumption.9 Even the
popular forms of expressions like proverbs of the region
indicate the specialization of the weaving carried on by the
paria weavers. If the cloth was not woven perfectly, a common
form of expression was vSagamu Sale Neta, Sagam Mala Neta',
meaning half the weaving was done by Sales, the other half by
Malas. Generally speaking, the finer varieties of cloth were
produced by the castes higher in the social hierarchy. It is
possible, however, that the economic status accruing from the
production of a particular variety of cloth was the determinant
of the social status of the caste. That is to say, rather than
79
the caste determining specialization, it could be argued that it
was a specialization that determined the caste status.
The geographical distribution of the specialized weaving
centres in affiliation to their caste specialization was an
essential factor that supported the social structure of the
weaving world in the region. For instance, during this period
the Devanga community was concentrated in the Godavari district
in major textile centres like Pitahpuram, Uppada, Rajahmundry,
Padma SalesBanj igaruCultivators of the sudraCaste, (Panchu & Teliga),
Jotiphana,RangirajuluLodaru (a kind ofMussalman traders)Komatigaru
JainaruShepherds, Balket
weavers & Cultivators;Cumbaru
89
How did these left hand and right hand factions structure
the social relations of the weaving world? What was the common
bond that cemented these left hand factions together? For
example, because of the left hand and right hand factions, the
predominant weaving communities maintained their social identity
very strictly within the village. For instance, Devangas and
Padma sales never lived in the same street, and did not draw
water from the same well. Like other left hand faction castes,
Devangas had their own dancing girls called jathi biddalu
(children of the castes), whose male off spring did Acchhupani,
(printing work on cloth), and occasionally went about begging
from Devangas.
One conjecture that can be made on the commonality of the
groups was that these groups were mostly saivite groups and they
were all considered to be inferior to them within the caste
structures of the respective communities.
Interestingly, the groups associated with the left hand
factions were some what lower down in the social hierarchy, and
they always strove to achieve a higher position through
Sanskritization, and. the adoption of certain right hand
privileges. An example of this is the through some Devangas
joined the Padma sale group. "Once in twelve years, a Devanga
leaves his home, and joins the Padma sales. He begs from them,
saying that he is the son of their caste, and as such to be
supported by them. If alms are not forthcoming, he enters the
house and carries off whatever he may be able to pickup. Some
90
times,if he can get nothing else, he has been known to seize even
a lighted cigar in the mouth of a sale and run off with it. The
origin of this custom is not certain, but it has been suggested
that the Devangas and sales were originally one caste, and that
the former separated from the latter when they became
Lingayats .
Paradoxically, however, this traditional division of the
weaving communities into left hand and right hand castes was
itself a source of serious conflict because in reinforcing caste
identity, the prescriptive codes also heightened caste rivalry.
The coming of the new economy did not extinguish their conflicts.
On other the hand, it may have precipitated such conflicts.
Their recurrence disrupted textile production and alarmed Company
officials ever conscious of protecting their precious investment.
For example George Maidman, Commercial Resident of Ingeram
reported with alarm about an incident in which the refusal of the
Sale caste weavers to honour a custom of giving alms to the
Veeramushtivallu, led to a violent conflict between the Sale on
one side and the Devangalu, Karneelu, and Kaikalavallu on the
other, the latter taking upon themselves to champion the
Veeramushtivallu.47
The Sales argued that they were not required by custom to
give alms to this group. The Veeramushtivallu, on the other hand,
encouraged and supported by the Devangas, and other weaving
communities like Karneelu and Kaikoalavallu harassed the Sale
91
community and disrupted their work by disturbing the thread
markets, destroying their looms and otherwise creating tension by
aggregating in large, menace numbers. The Devangas, Karneelu and
Kaikolavallu also joined them, and attacked the Sales. The Deputy
Commercial Resident of Ingeram, worried about the affect of this
conflict on the textile production, instructed the Collector to
arrange for the suppression of the disturbance.48 The Company
was, at this juncture, caught in a dilemma, for perceiving the
conflict to be essentially a religious one, it was reluctant to
interfere, but at the same time, was compelled to restore peace
as quickly as possible.
There were clear grounds for believing that the conflict was
primarily a religious conflict. The Veeramushtivallu being
Saivites, were necessarily supported by the Devangas and others
who were also Saivite weaver communities, while the Sales were
predominantly Vaishnavite. Besides, the conflict was rooted also
in the deep ideological rift represented by the left hand- right
hand divide, the Sale falling into the Right Hand, while the
Devanga fell into the Left Hand category. At the same time, we
must note that this division, originating in or legitimized by
ideology, was also reinforced by or even derived from economic
rivalries which must have existed between weaving communities.
The Company's law and jurisdictional structures which were
created to maintain the production process and to tighten the
control over the groups, were not extended to cover those issues
that fell under the realm of religious and social customs. It
92
was this demarcation of the Company's jurisdiction that
ultimately may have kept intact the rigidity of the Hindu caste
structures during this period. In 1802, the collector of the
Rajahmundry district reported to the Board of Revenue that
with reference to the religious issues, there followeddifferent methods altogether. In all cases relating toreligion of the rights, privileges and immunities, of therespective caste, the higher orders of each one are eitherconsulted, or the most learned Brahmins whose wisdom andpiety may have raised them to public estimation ofconfidence, are resorted to who are supposed to possess athorough knowledge of their divine institutes and to decideaccordingly
In the context of idangai valangai schisms, the activities
of the viramushties against padma sales, and the same supported
by the Devangas, Karaneekulu and Kaikalavallu would perphaps be
regarded, a case where the elements of conflict was between
certain elements of the idangai and valangai categories. This
was an incident where social conflicts and the schisms that came
to the surface along with the consolidation of the colonial power
in the region. Did it mean, that being the dominant weaving
community in the Godavari district, the Devangas were able to
enlist the support from other weaving communities, and tried to
create conditions whereby their position was maintained socially?
The emergent new order, with its changes in production
relations and structural arrangements did not immediately produce
a stable economic and political systems. Towards the end of the
eighteenth century as the Company was consolidating its control
the Northern Coromandel was disturbed by various kinds of
disruptions. Many of these affected the economic life of the
weavers. One such disturbance occurred in 1798 in the
93
Godavari district, when the vMahanauttee people', disrupted the
markets at Nellapalli and Yanam, and sent orders to different
villages asking the people not to pay revenue to the Company.51
These Mahanautte people were obviously very powerful because
their orders were obeyed, the adversely affecting the Company's
textile investment in the region. 5 2 The Company officials
suspected that some "designing persons" were behind these
disturbances.The Zamindar of Cotah and Ramachandrapuram in fact
suggested that the merchants, Dubashees, and other rich men of
the region were supplying Mahanauttes with money. Besides, it was
believed that the conflict might also (obviously a right hand
caste group) and the Yanadees who belonged to left hand
faction.53
The occasional recurrence of the traditional Schisms during
the oeriod 1750 to 1850. did not mean that there were no
instances of co-operation among these categories in opposition to
other elements in the society. Indeed, the same weavers of the
Godavari district had expressed their co-operation, and organized
their revolt in 1796 mainly against those conditions related to
the tightening of control over the production processes of their
economy. And the Company's officials had to take the views of
the four major castes of the weaving community represented by
their Heads, in order to bring in some solution to their problems
and dissatisfactions. And other instances of co-operation among
them were seen when the disgusted weavers revolted against the
Company or the Zamindar or the copdar which are a part of the
broader contradiction within the society, subsequent to the
coming the new political hegemony in the region.
94
Colonial Strategies And Shifts in Social Structures :
How far did the changes wrought by the East India Company in
the production processes or those emanating from other pressures
affect the social structures that were based on caste? How did
the weavers react to these shifts ?
To some extent, the system of registration of the weavers,
introduced by the Company to acquire greater control over the
production process may have contributed to the blurring of the
finer nuances of caste distinctions. That is, the caste based
specialization of production broke down, since the weavers were
required by the Company to produce specific types of cloth, and
not necessarily those which they wove traditionally. The
Company's demand for textiles revolved around the cotton goods;
still the weavers were required to produce specific varieties
meant for external markets. For instance, Sales, Devangas and
Pattu Sales from Rajam village of Visakhapatnam district were
specialized in manufacturing a fine variety of cloth called
Sanna Baju meant exclusively for the Hyderabad market and huge
quantities of sarees called locally Kokalu which were marketed at
the santas (weekly markets) of Vizianagaram, and then reexported
to Hyderabad. But when the Company's demand for Long Cloth
increased tremendously, these weavers were forced to give up
their earlier specialization and produce only long cloth.55
In a similar process the weavers of Godavari and
Visakhapatnam districts, who were essentially fabricating finer
95
varieties were forced by Company officials to adopt weaving of
coarser quality of cloth as early as in 1775 itself. ° Despite
retaining their hold on production of similar varieties,
nevertheless the insistence of the Company for a particular cloth
caused the weavers to give up their finer skills. The weavers
who registered for the Company's service in Godavari and
Visakhapatnam districts were, for instance, induced to provide
eventually two varieties only, namely, Salempores and Long-cloth
of different denominations. The Chay goods varieties were
essentially coming from the sale caste weavers looms in
Masulipatnam and Guntur districts. Under these specific
denominations the weavers were thus required to specialize only
in those varieties. Even though these varieties included the
super fine variety of 36 Punjam cloth earlier, from the
beginning of the nineteenth century, the Company mainly placed
orders for long cloth and salempores of ordinary varieties
only.5 The weavers of different communities were thus forced to
take up a specialization that had limited options for their
survival later on.
An important factor that appeared to have prompted the
weaver to give up his caste specialization and brought him out of
the limits of his village, was the attempt of the Company to
induce the weaver to register for their factories. Since the
beginning of their consolidation process in the region, the
Company provided allowances and privileges to attract them to
join the Company's service, some times by changing their place of
residence also. In 1797 when several weavers from the
96
neighbouring districts showed an inclination to become settlers
in the Peralah and its neighbourhood, an order was issued by the
Commercial Resident at Masulipatnam, requesting the renters and
Tanadars to provide all possible assistance for these weavers,
including necessary materials like jungle wood, palmyra trees and
leaves, for erecting their houses.
Moreover, the Company had many a time utilied the caste
hegemony for the maintenance of the newly created structures in
the region. And it was through these caste elites that the
Company met its commercial needs, and relegated to the background
the active primary weaver.59
The effect of the colonial economy on the socio-economic
life of Pattu Sale caste was hardly been perceived, perhaps,
because the Company's textile demands were confined essentially
to coarser ones. The Pattu Sale community, as may be
conjectured, did follow the traditions associated with their
cultural patterns. For instance, the tax which they paid was
same for all members of their caste in respective villages. 21
Pattu Sales of Seyedem village agreed to pay Annas per year a
Moturpha tax as per the Kattubadi Settlement, agreed by the
Koolah Karney or caste head. The verdict of the Koolah Karney
was final for deciding issues related to the socio-economic life
of the community. And in 'case of any complaint against any
intrusion into their economic life, the Pattu Sale community did
receive the support of other well off members of weaving caste,
like Senapaties.60
97
At the village level, the weaver castes maintained their
socio-economic identities by the acceptance of certain norms and
traditions related to the organization and control of village
resources. For instance, among six Cheruvu Kuntas one was
allotted to Sales exclusively in Yadavuru village of Guntur
zilla.61 Similarly, there existed separate water facilities in
other villages 6 2
These identity reinforcing mechanisms and institutions would
have strengthened the boundaries of each caste and subcaste among
the weavers, thus apparently making the world of the weaver
impermeable to outsiders. Yet, remakably in the Northen
Coromandel the caste specialization barriers appear to have been
flexible enough to allow the intrusion into the textile economy
of castes not usually associated with weaving.
Producers from the Periphery: The Pariah Weaver
Thus we have, the curious feature in the Northern Coromandel
region of the large scale participation in textile production of
low caste mala weavers. As noted earlier, in Masulipatnam and
Guntur districts, the weavers did not necessarily belong to the
traditional weaving castes. The two communities that
predominated here were Padma sales and Paria weavers. When did
the Paria weaver enter the weaving world of the region? What
were the factors that facilitated their entry into the weaving
profession? The existing studies on the weavers and the economy
of the region, suggest that this phenomenon was a nineteenth
98
century development. For instance,the Report of the Fact Finding
Committee (Handloom and Mills) held that the entrance of low
class non-weaving castes into the hand loom industry was a
nineteenth century phenomenon. Again Joseph J. Brennig has
suggested that (as demand for export quality textiles increased,
caste weavers ceased to produce coarser domestic fabrics to
produce for export, opening opportunities at the bottom of the
weaving industry for non-weaver castes'.
But the evidence clearly indicates that the participation of
the Pariahs in the weaving industry was a very long standing one.
An eleventh Century inscription of the Chola king Raja Raju for
instance, refers to the Pariyan caste by its own name, and its
two sub-divisions, the nesavu or weavers, and ulavu or plough
men.64
Substantial evidence on the presence of the Paria weavers in
the Telugu country is also available in the inscriptional and
literary sources pertaining to the 16th century A.D. For
instance, in 1522 A.D. in Addankiseema of Dharmavaram Taluk,
there were four important communities associated with the weaving
industry namely, sales, jandras, malas and those who specialized
in weaving borders or making designs of the cloth. A separate
Pettah called "Akala Sabhanapuram" was constructed, where places
were allotted to these four groups of weaving communities
separately on the basis of Kaul.65
99
What were the forces that induced such a significant change
in the social fabric and led to the elevation of low caste groups
with an economically higher position? The presence of the Mala
weavers in the social structures of the weaving world can perhaps
be related to the new socio-economic changes that crept into the
society owing to the new religious movements of the twelfth and
the thirteenth centuries, the Bhakti movements, like the Vira
Saivism and Sri Vaishnavism..
The vira Saiva movement originated in the Kanarese country,
at Kalyani under the leadership of Basava in the 12th century.
Although in the origin the vira Saiva Movement began as a protest
against brahmanism, it soon developed social exclusiveness based
on the privilege of birth and cleanliness of caste system.
Even though The spread of Veerasaivisam in Andhra was
limited compared to Karnataka, it had left a deep impression on
Andhra society. It started an egalitarian trend which was played
down later by the Brahmanical creed. In course of time in these
areas, it compromised with the Brahmanical creed and perfected
the caste systems.
Though Srivaishnavism developed simultaneously with vira
saivism in Andhra it was specially limited to Palnadu area of the
Guntur district, and got state patronage under dynasties like
Velama cholas of vengi and Haihayar of Palnad. Brahmanaidu of
Palnadu belonged to the Racherla families of the Velama caste and
100
was a follower of Sree Vaishnavism. He introduced certain social
reforms like the practice of interdining among people belonging
to different castes called chapakudu.
In the weaving world of the region, these movements had left
deep impressions, as most of the Devangas came under the
influence of Saivism or vira saivism, while Tengalai Vaishnavism
or Sree Vaishnavism had a large following among the Padma sale
community. This ideological regulation of the religious and
social forces gradually created certain spaces for their
existence, thus leading to the geographical and spatial
limitation of these forces in the region. For instance, while
saivism was most popular among the weavers of the Godavari
district, Vaishnavism had a large following in Visakhapatnam and
Krishna districts. And the Lingayat movement was almost entirely
concentrated among weavers of the Krishna district. .
The popular movement of Vaishnavism together with the state
sanction probably gave a chance for the entry of non traditional
groups into the weaving world of Guntur and Masulipatnam where,
for instance, the malas and madigas in fact were considered
essential groups for the sustenance of the entire textile
industry. The absence of these groups in the social structure of
the weaving world of Visakhapatnam and Godavari, could,
therefore, be related to the strict adherence of the weavers here
to saivite philosophy which was more rigid, less egalitarian and
less open than Vaishnavism.
101
The crystallization of these ideologies can perhaps be
traced to the fifteenth century, when it was possibly reinforced
by the Vijayanagara rulers, under whose patronage the emergent
egalitarian ideology of Srivaishnavism spread over a large space,
incorporating into the fold many new artisanal groups.70
Moreover, the ideological reflection of the clash of the
interests between saivites and vaishnavites on the weaving world
of the region could be discerned with clarity, when the Devanga
and Padma sale communities attempted to give a tangible form to
their mythological origins in popular languages. Around 1532
A.D. the Ten Thousand Devangas requested Bhadra Lingakavi to
write their Kulapurana, called Devanga Purana. Bhadra Lingakavi,
accordingly, wrote the Devanga Purana in Telugu poetry through
the medium of native prosody (desimatra) in dwipada.71 Bhadra
Lingakavi was also the author of another dwipada kavya pertaining
to the Devangas, called Sananda Charitra. Influenced by the
attempts of Devangas, even the Padma sales requested Ellara
Narasimha Kavi to translate their Kula purana, Markandeya Purana
into Telugu dwipada form, as it was impossible for them to go
through this in Sanskrit.
While the Vaishnavite religious ideology perhaps had given a
chance for elevation of the malas to take up an higher economic
profession, the perpetuation of these ideologies were later
carried on by individuals in the 17th and 18th centuries. In
Palnadu and Rayalaseema region, Vemana and Pothulur Veerabrahmam
with their individual philosophies attacked the social
institution of caste, and uncivilized practices like
102
untouchability and pollution. The discussion of these
religious ideologies was not to indicate that religion alone had
caused the entry of the malas into the weaving world. More
importantly while these socio-religious forces helped the
crystallization of their castes into tangible forms, the new
economic forces with the entry of Europeans perhaps gave a chance
for the stronger integration of the malas into the weaving world
of the Krishna and Guntur districts. The creation of new demands
by the arrival of the European companies may have led to the
large scale participation of low caste mala weavers a feature
substantially illustrated from the evidence of 18th century
records.
Despite the presence of the malas in the^existing structural
arrangements of the weaving caste, nevertheless, the maintenance
of strict specialization in the profession reflects the social
and cultural practices associated with the castes. For instance,
in the later half of the eighteenth century, the weavers of the
Guntur district were categorized essentially into three groups,
depending on the variety in which they specialized. They were
xweavers weaving for the Company', the weavers weaving for the
natives and the Paria weavers weaving for the Natives. While the
traditional weavers were concentrated specially in Repalli,
Rauchoor, Chilakalurpadu and Sattanapally taluks, the non
traditional weavers of Paria caste centered around Chintapally,
Gundarow, Venkatapati Gundurao, and Colloor Parganahs, and they
had in their possession nearly 50 per cent of the looms of the
entire Guntur district. In the district records, the term used
103
to refer to them was 'Maula Maggalavalluoo' that is, Mala
weavers. The Malas constituted the major weaving community in
the village economy of the Guntur district and they contributed a
considerable revenue towards Moturpha taxes in villages like
Amrithaluru and Modukuru. Even in the districts of the Guntur
Circar, the Mala Maggalauvalu played an egually prominent part in
the weaving economy, especially in Kondapalli Haveli, Vallur
Samut, Inngoodroo Parganahs. While they almost monopolised the
work in Vullur sumut, no Paria weaver existed in Gundoor Pargana,
Acclamanud Purganah, and in Nizampatnam circar.75 It was
specially mentioned that they were not employed by the Company.
In annual report of Fusly 1204 and 1205, it was mentioned
the principle on which tax was levied. In the Moturpha tax
collection structure, a separate rate was fixed on Paria weavers
looms in the region. 7 6 Further, the Malamaggalavallu were
placed along with four major communities within tax collection
structure of the society. And they paid an amount equal to that
paid by the traditional weaving and Bania caste people. From the
Moturpha collection lists it appeared that Mala Maggalavalloo was
one among five main groups in the society, the other four being
Salavallu,and Jandravallu, Komativallu, Govaravallu, and
Gollavallu. 7 7
weavers Salavauloo casteJanravallu caste
104
It is custom of thesepeople to pay from 1/16to 2 pagodas per loom perannum according to themamool established ofwhich there are norecords.
Banias
Arrackseller
Cowkeepers
MaullamuggalavalooParia weavers
Komativallu
Govaravallu
Gollavallu
It is custom of thesepeople to pay from 1/16to 2 pagadas per loom perannum according to mamoolestablished of whichthere are no records.
It is custom of thesepeople to pay from 1/16to 2 pagodas per shopbelonging to them in thebazar or elsewhere
To pay from 1 to 4pagodas per annum foreach 100 palmera or toddytrees.
To pay from 1/16 to 1/4pagoda for house perannum.
Besides the loom tax which all the weavers paid the mala
weavers had to pay additional taxes, levied on them because of
their social position. One such was the tax called Boota
paraster, referred to as Pallaputtada in Southern districts.
This tax was paid by the various low caste groups of the village,
including Pariah weavers.78 The nature of this tax was that the
groups included in this tax had to pay a certain amount per house
to the government."79 It is also the custom to receive from the
people by way of fine when any of them be found guilty of working
contrary to the custom of the caste." The groups were
Yaraculvallu (Basket makers); and includes 5 trades - Iron
smithes, carpenters, gold smiths, Brass smiths and stone
cutters.80
The presence of the large scale participation of the mala
weavers in the weaving world of the Masulipatnam and Guntur
districts, therefore, was not a sudden phenomenon of the early
nineteenth century. The place accorded to them along with other
weavers and other social groups in the taxation structures of the
society, and the maintenance of their group identity as a left
hand faction of the society recognized in the levy of Boota
Parashee, were thus clear indications to argue that Mala entered
the weaving world of the region much before the arrival of the
European powers in the region. Besides the English records, the
presence of the Malas during this period was supported by the
evidence available in the Mackenzie collections of the Cuddapah
district. In 1813, in the report submitted by Mutasiddi
Narayanana Rao to Colonel Maceknzie titled "Gandipeta Kaifaiyat"
a detailed description of the textiles produced in various
villages, and prices of them, was found. Here, a mention is made
of the coarser variety of cloth produced by Malas and Madigas
along with sales and Mangalivanllu (Barbers) were found.
Ideologies And Attitudes
The weaving community of the Northern Coromandel region was,
thus it would seem, very adaptable, accepting and assimilating
the new ideas and systems of thought that were coming up during
this period. Even the new religion, Christianity, was no
106
exception, managing to influence the weavers of the region at
least some of whom were attracted by the activities of the
Missionaries during this period.
In Northern Coromandel the influence of the missionary
activity took a new direction by 1800, when the London Missionary
Society began its activities in the region.Two branches were set
up by London Missionary Society, at Visakhapatnam in 1805 and at
Cuddapah in 1807. The activities of this society were
essentially related to the teaching and spread of new education
in these districts. A number of schools had come up subsequently
and the enrollment in these schools were opened to all castes.
The response of the weaving community to these new attitudes and
ideas was illustrated by the fact that weavers also sent their
children to these schools. By 1829, there were 12 Mission
Schools in the Visakhapatnam district. The enrollment list of
these schools would exhibit the caste wise composition of school
going children, in which the weaver caste children also figured.
There were Brahmins, artificers, weavers, shepherds, oil makers,
farmers, common labour, mohammehdans, country born Portuguese,
merchants and Painters attending these schools.82
The constraints associated with economic organization of the
production process, and the economic necessities of life appeared
to have dissuaded weavers from assimilating this new education,
even those who attended these schools had seen no necessity of
attending to a religion which was new, rather they were keen to
participate on Religious subjects that would help them to
107
understand or know about seasons.^ In 1828, out of 5 schools in
the Visakhapatnam district, two schools were meant exclusively
for girls - girls school in the fort and girls school at
Allapoorem. Regarding the attitude of the indigenous communities
towards this new education, was clearly demonstrated in the
following letter of James Dawson: 8 4
the inhabitants from this village" are weavers and labourersin the fields, in general very poor, but industrious. Theyare not greatly prejudicial against Christianity but see nonecessity of attending to a religion which their fore-fathers knew nothing of. They are disposal to converse oncertain subjects the religion, such as the works of gods andthe providence of god in regard to the seasons, particuarlythe falling of rains, at the times in the year when mostrequired. They approve of schools for their sons (and mostof the village received KS Instruction in the Mission Schoolwhich was long been established there) but they could noteasily be persuaded to send their daughters to be taught toread and write
In 1829, there were Eleven native schools at the
Visakhapatnam station, and the caste wise enrollment of the
students in these were brahmins 34, Mohammadens 37, weavers 16,
290, and General 14.85 The educational activities of the London
Missionary Society was however, restrained owing to the poor
economic conditions of the various communities. It was clearly
illustrated in the Census statement of 1829 as follows:
most of the scholars who have left the schools duringthe years was in consequence of the extreme poverty of theirparents not being able to support them longer were oblige,to earn their daily substance but few have left inconsequence of their parents objecting to outmode ofinstruction.
The influence of the new education, and ideologies was more
pervasive after 1813, when the rule of non-entry of the
108
Missionaries into India was relaxed under the Charter Act of
1813. To carry forward the Proselytization campaign along with
the educational activities, a number of societies sprang up in
Northern Coromandel region. By 1840s, a number of branches of
various Missionaries spearheaded their activities in various
district. These were, the American Baptist Missionary union in
Nellore (1840); the Andhra Evangelical Luthern Chruch with its
branches at Guntur (1842), Rajahmundry (1842) and Eluru (1846);
the Church Missionary Society at Masulipatnam (1842) and Eluru
(1854).
Even though the weavers were adaptable in assimilating these
new ideologies, yet they remained largely outside the
proselytizing influence of these Missionary branches. Working
within the powerful ideologies of their traditional religions,
the weavers, perhaps, had limited the influence of the new
religion spatially in the weaving world of the region. By 1871,
as demonstrated in the census report, the per centage of weavers
converted to Christianity was only .002% from the Visakhapatnam
district, and .9% from the Krishna district. The powerful
devotional tradition associated with saivism might have opposed
the entrenchment of Christianity in the social life of the
weaving world of the Godavari district, where the Devangas were
predominant. Moreover, the higher percentage of conversions from
the weavers of the Krishna district could not mean that the
traditional weaver from these districts felt the influence of
Christianity. As the non-traditional weavers, mainly Parias were
grouped along with the traditional weavers, at conjectural level
109
it can be said that these Paria weavers responded to Christianity
quickly, through transforming their social and religious
affiliations.88
The differential impact of Christianity on the weavers of
Northern Coromandel serves to underline the complexity of their
social world. The various social and cultural mechanisms which
emerged in the region helped to maintain communal cohesion and
social order, although, on occasion, as in the instance of the
conflict over Veeramushtivallu, these did breakdown. The
anomalous intrusion of the Mala weaver into the textile economy
of the region indicated too that the seemingly impermeable,
inflexible social structures were not so impervious after all.
The adaptability of the weaving community demonstrated in, and
resting upon, its acceptance of mobile religious world views like
Vaishnavism helped it also to cope with the accelerated pace of
changes that came with the linking of the region to new world
markets. There was, of course more than culture to sustain the
weavers through the travails of change. There was the entire
system of production, developing through centuries which lay at
the base of the textile economy.
110
Notes
1. D.F. Carmichael, A Manual of the District of Vizagapatnam inthe Presidency of Madras, Madras, 1869, p.65.
2. F.R. Hemingway, MDGG Madras 1907, pp.102-04.
3. Collector Guntur to BOR, 24 May 1855, Guntur District Record(hereafter gudr) 5409, pp.233-54.
4. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes of Southern India. 4, 1909rept. New Delhi 1975, entry under Sale pp.265-278.
9. G.A. Ram Collector, Guntur to BOR, 13 January 1796,Proceedings of Board of Revenue 143, (hereafter PBR), p.473.
10. P.Narasimha Reddy Telugu Sametalu: Jana Jeevanamu. Tirupati,1983.
11. F.R. Hemingway, MDGG. Madras, 1907.
12. G.A. Ram, Collector Guntur to BOR, 13 January 1796, PBR143, p.43.
13. Ibid.,
14. Edgar Thurston.Castes and Tribes. 6, entry underSale p.265.
15. Bhadriraju Krishnamurti and PorankiDakshinamurti,(ed.).Mandaleeka Vrithi Padakosamu. 2.Handloom. Hyderabad, 1971.
16. Francis Buchanan, A Journey from Madras through thecountries of Mysore. Canara and Malabar. 3, London 1807,Vol.1, pp.217
17. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes 6. entry under Togatas
18. Ibid, entry under Perikas, pp. 191-194; F.R. Hemingway,MDGG. 1907, pp.102-04; Collector Guntur to BOR, 24 May 1845,GDR 5409, pp.233-237.
19. F. Buchanan, A Journey from Madras . 1, pp. 254-256
111
20. Louis Dumont in Homo Hierarchicus: The Caste System and Itsimplications. Chicago, 1970, discusses this concept. But heuses this as signifying the jajmani relationship betweendominant castes and others, we are using this term in adifferent sense, as referring to those castes which areentirely dependent for their livelihood on charity.
21. For a discussion on Sadhana Surulu, see Edgar Thurston,Castes and Tribes.4. p.261; Also see Bhadriraju Krishnamurtiand Poranki Dhakshinamurti.Padakosamu. 2, p.371
22. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes. 6, entry underSamayamuvaru pp290-91
23. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes, 4, entry under Sale,pp.265-278
24. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes 6 entry underSimgamavaru, p. 389
25 Edgar Thurston Castes and Tribes. 2, entry under Devangas,pp. 154-166
26 See for details of the location of this group inVisakhapatnam in early nineteenth century in Statementshowing population including the persons who pay theMoturpha tax etc, in the Zilla of Vizagapatnam, Smith,Collector, Vizagapatam to BOR, 20 September 1814,PBR 656, pp. 12293-12308
27. Edgar Thurston Castes and Tribes, 2, pp. 154-166
28. Edgar Thurston Castes.and Tribes. 6, p.389
29. For an interesting discussion on the mythological sanctionsthat led to the creation of such a custom, see entry underViramushtis in Edgar Thurston, Caste and Tribes, 7, pp. 406-11
30. For a discussion of the Jangamas as a Saivite sect seeP.Narasimha Reddi,Telugu sametalu: Jana Jeevanamu, Tirupati,1983, pp.233-34. See also Edgar Thurston, Castes andTribes,2, 450-51
31 ibid., pp 233-34.
32. M.W. Carr.Andhra Lokokti Chandrika ; A Collection of TeluguProverbs , 1868, (Rept. Delhi,1988), no.943
34. Andrew Scott, Collector, Guntur to BOR, Census Statement1796 MDR 2995, pp.207-208
112
35 Collector, Guntur to BOR, 24 May 1845,gudr 5409, pp.237 .Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes. 3, entry under Jangamas
36. For a brief discussion on this practice See Edgar ThurstonCastes and Tribes. 2, pp 154-166
37. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes of India. 2,5,& 6 adetailed discussion of the groups, namely Pichhigunta,Panasa, Runza, Masthiga and a few other related to thesegroups 38. *Agiripalli Kaifiyat June 1815 A.D: MackenzieCollections', Andhra Pradesh State Archives, GramaKaifivatlu: Krishna Zillah. Hyderabad, 1990, pp. 1-12
39. Nellore Inscriptions Ongole, 85 A.D 1350 in InscriptionalGlossary of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad, 1967, Entry underVeeramushtivallu, pp.112
40. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes. 6, entry under Rangaripp.242-243
41. ibid., 4, entry under Niligaru
42. The Letters of Father Coeardoux, 1742 and 1747 inAppendix'A' in John Irwin and P.R.Schwartz, Studies in Indo-European Textile History. Ahmedabad, 1966,plO8 ; * Report onthe Mode of Coromandel Yarn Practised on the Coast ofCoromandel', Benjamin Heyne, Acting Botanist to Hobart,President in Council, Fort. St. George, 18 Janaury 1795,Public Department Sundries [hereafter PDS] 60, pp 1-65
43. For the origins and nature of the Right-Left divisions see,Burtein Stein, Peasant State and Society in Medieval SouthIndia, Delhi, 1980 ; Vijaya Ramaswamy, Textiles and Weaversin Medieval South India, Delhi, 1986 ;
44. Arjun Appadorai 'Right and Left hand Castes in South India'.IESHR. 11.2, (1974),pp. 216-259 ; E.K Brenda Beck , xTheRight- Left Division of South Indian Society', Journal ofAsian Studies. 29, (1970), pp.779-798
45. Francis Buchanan, A Journey from Madras. Vol.1, 1807, pp.77-80 provides details on the origin of Idangai and Velangaidivision of Society ; Recently Mattison Mines, The WarriorMerchants :Textiles Trade and Territory in South India. NewDelhi, 1984, Ch.3 traces the position of the Kaikkolars inthe idangai- Valangai schisms.
46. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes, 2, entry under Devangas,pp.154-166.
47. George Maidmen, Deputy Commercial Resident, Ingeram toCollector 1st Division, Masulipatnam, 26 March 1803, GDR946/B, pp.617-19.
113
48. George Maidman, Deputy Commercial Resident, Ingeram, toCollector 1st Division, Masulipatnam, 26 March 1803, GDR946/B, pp.617-19.
49. R. Fullerton, Commercial Resident Ingeram to Collector, 1stDivision, Masulipatam, 2 April 1803, GDR 946/B, pp.635-37.
50. G. Balmaid Collector, Rajahmundry to BOR, 21 December 1802,GDR 936/A, pp.73-86, e«pee.79.
51. John Snow to Benjamin Branfil, 9 May 1798, GDR 917, pp 102-103
52. John B. Travers, Deputy Secretary BOR or to BenjaminBranfil, 24 May 1798, GDR 919, pp 138-40; Benjamin BranfilCollector Rajahmundry, to BOR, 13 May 1798, GDR 917, pp.105-107 53 Benjamin Branfil Collector Rajahmundry, to BOR,13 May 1798, GDR 917, pp. 105-107; The Company tried to putdown these disturbances sternly by using force. See fordetails Benjamin Branfil to Heater Lean, Commanding Officer,Samulcotah, 29 May 1798, GDR 917, pp.141-142; BenjaminBranfil to Alexander Denton Superintendent of the Coconadafarm, 29 May 1798, GDR 917, p.142; Benjamin Branfil to JohnSnow, Commercial Resident Ingeram, 29 May 1798, GDR 917,p.144
54. Chapter 7 on Agitations clearly shows the way in which theweavers of the region organized their protests consistentlyand cohesively during this period.
55. *Rajam Village Kaifiyat: Mackenzie Collections', AndhraPradesh State Archives, Grama Kaifiyatlu: Srikakulam Zillah,Hyderabad, 1990, pp. 31-32
56. Testimony given by the Head Weavers of Peddapatnam,Amalapuram, Hasanally Badah, Arivattum, Dungairoo,Rustumbadah, x Proceedings Relating to enquiry into theconduct of Sadlier, while Resident at Ingeram', 28 November1775 to 30 March 1776, PDS 24 A, pp.12-115.
57. CDC 41, p.518, which indicates that the Company was willingto accept cloth of 12 punjam cloth where as earlier, thecoarsest variety accepted was of 13 punjums. Tables 1,2, 3&4 in Appendix 1 provide details on the composition ofvarious varieties of chay goods and piece goods fromNorthern Coromandel between 1787-1830. 58. V. Corbrett,Commercial Resident Masulipatnam to Charles Hynox, ActingCollector Masulipatnam, 19 July 1797, MDR 2947/B, p.664.
59. For details on this see Chapter.5.
60. x Yadavuru Village Kaifiyat; Mackenzie Collections', AndhraPradesh state Archives, Grama kaifivatlu: Guntur Zillah, 5,Hyderabad, 1990, pp. 144-146;
61. On the western side of the village the Sales of thepeddanandipadu village had their Cheruvu.*PeddanandipaduKaifiyat; Mackenzie Collections', Andhra Pradesh stateArchives, Grama kaifiyatlu; Guntur Zillah 3. Hyderabad,1988,pp.78-79
62. Vijaya Rama Swamy, Textiles and Weavers in Medieval SouthIndia, New Delhi 1986. .
63. J.J. Brennig, xTextile Producers and Production in late 17thcentury Coromandel', IESHR. 23, 4, (1986), pp.espec.347; G.N. Rao, ^Stagnation and Decay' (1978). pp.232-233.
64. Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes, entry under Paraiyanpp.77-139, where a mention was made to this inscription ofMr. Francis, pp.82-83.
65. South Indian Inscriptions. X 753, A.D. 1522, inInscriptional Glossary of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad, 1967,p.2.
66. For a recent discussion on the origins of Vira Saivisam andVaishnavism and its influence on the socio-economic world ofweavers in South India see. Vijaya Rama Swamy, Textiles andWeavers. 1986, pp.59; 60-63; 107.
67. For a brief discussion on Reform trends in Andhra that cameup along with rise of Bhakti movements, see V. Rama Krishna,Social Reform in Andhra (1848-1919). Delhi, 1983, Ch.2.pp.39-42.
68. For instance, Brahmanaidu of Palnadu was a Vaishnavite, andit was under him that Srivaishnavism extended its influenceover a large space in Andhra V. Rama krishna, Social Reform.1983, p.41.
69. This inference was based on the basis of Religiouscomposition of castes in Madras Presidency in Report on theCensus of the Madras Presidency 1871, pp.207-10; 217-19;240-41 & 242-243.
70. It appeared that a large scale incorporation of Sudraprofessionals into the Vaishnavite cult took place duringthe time of Vijayanagara ruler Saluva Narasimha, Vijaya RamaSwamy, Textile and Weavers 1986, pp.113-114.
74. See for details V. Ramakrishna, Social Reform. Ch.2
115
75. G.A. Ram, Collector Guntur to BOR, 13 January 1796, PBR 143,p.473; For details see John Read Collector to WilliamPatrie, BOR, 10 November 1800, MDR 2998, pp.5-101 and JohnRead Collector to William Patrie, BOR, 11 November 1800, MDR2998, pp.98-142.
76. Collector to BOR, 25 November 1796, gudr 978/B, p.481.
77. G.A.Ram Collector, Guntur to BOR 27 March 1796, PBR 151,pp.3345-3346.
78. G.A.Ram Collector, Guntur to BOR, 13 January 1796 PBR 143,pp.469-474.
79. Collector to BOR, 25 November 1796, gudr 978/B, p.482.
80. A Stokes Collector Guntur to E.C. Lovell, BOR, 25 May 1843,gudr 5402, pp.34-37; N. Venkata Ramanayya Studies in theHistory (1935) p.224, quoted in K. Satyanarayana, pp.370-37.
81. *Gandikota Kaifiyat' 30 April 1813, Mackenzie collections inN. Venkataramanayya (ed.) Cuddapah Sila Sasanamulu. Madras1971, p.1-39.
82. James Dawson to Director, London Missionary Society 1830,Vizagapatnam Station, Box. No.l. 1829-30, No.962, MissionaryArchives South India : Telugu [hereafter MASIT]; JamesDawson to Director, London Missionary Society 31 March 1831,p.43. Box.No.l 1830-31. No.963, MASIT; James Dowson toDirector, London Missionary Society. December 1832, BoxNo.l, No.965 MASIT; James Dawson to Director, LondonMissionary Society, 21 February 1835, Box.No.l, 1834-35No.967, MASIT; Census Statement of Eleven Schools, atVizgapatnam 9 December 1829, Box No.l, 1828-29, No.961, 4thLane 5 Slide, MASIT; Council for Wolrd Mission ArchivesMicrofiche, Nehru Memorial Museum Library, New Delhi. Fora brief description of Missionary activities in earlynineteenth century Andhra see V. Rama Krishna, SocialReform, Ch.2., Also see Guzzarlamudi Krupachary, TeluguSahityanikai Kristavula Seva, Guntur, 1988, pp.26-67.
83. James Dawson to Director, London Missionary Society, 29 July1828, pp.1-10, Box.l, 1828, No.960. MASIT.
84. Ibid. p.5.
85. Census statement of the Eleven Native schools at thisstation of Boys and Girls corresponding with the scheduleVizagapatnam, 9 December, 1929, Box.l, 1828-29, No.961, 4thLane, 5th Slide, MASIT.
86. Ibid.
116
88. Report on the Census of the Madras Presidency 1871, providesearly details on the religious composition of variouscastes. For details on Vizagapatnam district see pp.217-219; for Godavari district pp.240-241; and for Krishnapp.242-243.
89. For a discussion of Low Caste conversions to Christianitysee Dancan Forrester, Caste and Christianity. London, 1980,especially, pp.72-92.