INHABITANTS OF THE NE I LGHERRY HILLS.
THE Neilgherry Hills, or Blue Mountains of Cohnbatoor, are the retreat of the British invalid whose health the heat and insalubrity of the Madras station have impaired or destroyed. The freshness of their breezes, the evenness of their temperature, and the beauty of their scenery, quickly restore the patient to his former strength. With the view of rendering these advantages more available, a sort of sanatory establishment has been fixed among them by the Government of Madras, which promises to be attended with the most beneficial results. Captain HARKNESS appears to have re- sorted to these picturesque mountains in the hope of restoring shattered health; and while he ultimately succeeded in gaining this his first object, attained a second one of considerable interest. He became intimately acquainted with the peculiar race of people who inhabit these mountains, and who, in language, manners, religion, and customs, differ from all the other natives of India. They appear a vestige of some aboriginal race, who have pro- bably retreated from before the inroads of invading hosts, and whose descendants still retain the traces and marks of a peculiar descent.
The Tudas are a pastoral race; use no arms; are amiable and hospitable ; they eat but little animal food, and live almost en- tirely on milk, butter, and grain. In appearance, they are hand- some and well-made ; and in fact, both from dress and figure, strongly remind the spectator of the classical forms of antiquity, —an idea constantly kept alive by the rites wit li which they sacrifice calves and goats, and other similar customs. Their religion is some- what mysterious ; but it is not properly idolatrous,—which in itself forms a wide distinction between the Tudas and their neighbours. Though ignorant of war, and never indulging in acts of hostility, the Tudas are not deficient in spirit and possess no little influence over the surrounding tribes, by the superiority of their character. It is a remarkable point, that they not only receive a voluntary tribute from their agricultural neighbours, but are looked up to with a sort of reverence, apparently justified by the nobility of their appearance and their upright and inoffensive lives. The with a sort of reverence, apparently justified by the nobility of their appearance and their upright and inoffensive lives. The dairy is their chief support; and their temples seem to be fashioned after its model, as if they deified the sources of their subsistence,—as the Greeks made a goddess of Ceres and a god of Bacchus. On this subject, Captain HARR:isms found the Tudas reserved, and had a difficulty in procuring information. Each little village has, however, a holy dairy. Their herds consist of buffa- loes : they despise the cow, so valued in the plains below. The treaties of marriage are chiefly completed after the manner of other pastoral countries, by an interchange of garments and buffaloes: they have, however, one great peculiarity—the wo-
men are permitted to take as many husbands as they please, -with the permission of the lady's father, who receives a present on
each occasion. In consequence of a dispute which occurred in a family between the husband and the father-in-law, Captain HARKNESS and his party came to a full knowledge of the do- mestic arrangements of the Tudas as respects marriage. Persons are betrothed in infancy, and until of a marriageable age, keep up a constant interchange of presents, on particular days. In the case
in question, the lady, when she arrived at the proper period of life, was betrothed to three youths,—Pinpurz, Khakhood, and Tumbut • the name of the female was Pilluvani. A part of the statement of Pinpurz will make all the details of this curious ar- rangement apparent— Now, according to our customs, Pilluvani was to pass the first month with me, the second with Khakhood, and the third with 'I ambat ; and the two lat- ter, waiting in succession on the father-in-law, were to ask his blessing, and claim their privilege in right. I was to give her raiment the first year, Khak- hood the second, and Tambat the third. I had the option of claiming- the three first children, Khakhood the second three, and Tambfit the third three; when the option again revolved to me. It was my place to go to her father two or three months prior to the birth of a child, and delivering to him a small piece of wood, which we call a billu' to claim the forthcoming infant, whether male or female and acknowledge before him and his relations that I would pro- tect and nourish it; and that, whatever might happen, I allowed this to be in satisfaction of one of my claims. On this occasion also, I was to present him either five or ten rupees, and in return he was to allow me to select, if I pre- sented him five rupees, three ; if ten rupees, six of the best kine of his herd. If the child proved a boy, he would have to present me with a heifer, and another one also on the birth of each son but not on the birth of a daughter, as it is
sup that she will soon be betrothed, and that a fortune will accrue to her in mat way. After the third birth, the same observance and privilege would have fallen to Khakhood and Tambitt successively ; or if I chose to give up any of my rights, the two latter would successively have had choice of adoption, &c. &c. We all three should have been equally /pound to protect the whole of the children, to marry, and to give them in marriage ; but the superior authority would always have rested with me.
The ease of Pilluvini and myself, however, was at variance with this custom. We were very fond of one another, and determined not to separate. I offered to pay the usual fines, but the other party would not accept of them. I had been unfortunate. A murrain had attacked my herd ; the greater part of Korrorr, and which belonged to my fathers, had been forsaken by the hfarys and Cites, from the oppression of some of their rulers; and from being a leading man among my own people, I was now reduced, but principally by the oppres- sions of my wife's relations, to comparative poverty.
Another remarkable circumstance is, that the lady is also pri- vileged to retain as many cicisbeos as suit her pleasure. The ob- jection made by Pinpurz, at the end of the first month, to part with his wife, was a grievous violation of the custom of the country, and the origin of numerous evils and misfortunes, which afflicted all parties, and led even to violence and persecution—most unusual passions among this primitive and happy people.
The scenery of the Neilgherries is splendidly beautiful; posses- sing all the varieties of mountain, valley; rock, torrent, lake, and forest. The sides of the hills spread into illimitable downs, and are adorned by a great profusion of flowers and brilliant and luxurious herbage. This work is illustrated by several lithographs, drawn by Captain MCURDY, representing some of the more strik- ing points of the scenery.
Previous page
