ns impure. These
Odias have their tutelary deity in Rewah State, and at his shrine is a
flag which none but an Odia of genuine descent from Raja Sagar's sons
can touch without some injury befalling him. If any Beldaar therefore
claims to belong to their caste they call on him to touch the flag,
and if he does so with impunity they acknowledge him as a brother.

4. Other Chhattisgarhi Beldars.

The other group of Chattisgarhi Beldars are of lower status, and
clearly derived from the non-Aryan tribes. They eat pigs, and at
intervals of two or three years they celebrate the worship of Gosain
Deo with a sacrifice of pigs, the deity being apparently a deified
ascetic or mendicant. On this occasion the Dhimars, Gonds, and all
other castes which eat pig's flesh join in the sacrifice, and consume
the meat together after the fashion of the rice at Jagannath's temple,
which all castes may eat together without becoming impure. These
Beldars use asses for the transport of their bricks and stones, and
on the Diwali day they place a lamp before the ass and pay reverence
to it. They say that at their marriages a bride-price of Rs. 100
or Rs. 200 must always be paid, but they are allowed to give one or
two donkeys and value them at Rs. 50 apiece. They make grindstones
(_chakki_), combs for straightening the threads on the loom, and
frames for stretching the threads. These frames are called _dongi_,
and are made either wholly or partly from the horns of animals,
a fact which no doubt renders them impure.

5. Munurwar and Telenga.

In Chanda the principal castes of stone-workers are the Telengas
(Telugus), who are also known as Thapatkari (tapper or chiseller),
Telenga Kunbi and Munurwar. They occupy a higher position than the
ordinary Beldar, and Kunbis will take water from them and sometimes
food. They say that they came into Chanda from the Telugu country along
the Godavari and Pranhita rivers to build the great wall of Chanda
and the palaces and tombs of the Gond kings. There is no reason to
doubt that the Munurwars are a branch of the Kapu cultivating caste
of the Telugu country. Mr. A. K. Smith states that they refuse to eat
the flesh of an animal which has been skinned by a Mahar, a Chamar,
or a Gond; the Kunbis and Marathas also consider flesh touched by a
Mahar or Chamar to be impure, but do not object to a Gond. Like the
Berar Kunbis, the Telengas prefer that an animal should be killed by
the rite of _halal_ as