The Waddars
The Waddars, also known as Katheras, Dasaris, Gudu Dasaris, or Mucherikalas inhabit all districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Besides, they live in Maharashtra and Karnataka also.
The term Waddara is a corrupt form of the Sanskrit word ‘Odhra’, the name of the country now known as Odisha from where these people are supposed to have migrated. The members of the Waddars were nomadic, but the majority of them have settled in Kurnool, Guntur, Krishna, Banaganpally, Chittoor, Cuddapah, and Nellore districts, and in Chandragiri mandal of Chittor district. They live in detached settlements, conical huts similar to those of the Dommaras with a low entrance. Their huts are far away from any village. They have the tag of ‘criminal’ tribes activities though they pursued different occupations during the colonial period. Thurston (1909) in his Castes and Tribes ofDOI: 10.4324/9781003516415-3
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Southern India writes that these people have two sub-divisions according to their occupations.
1. Kallu or Rathi Waddars (stone workers)
2. Mannu Waddars (earth workers)
M Kennedy (1985) further subdivides these people as Bhandi Waddars or Gadi Waddars (cart men), Pathrat, Janti or Dagdi Waddars (stone dressers), Ghatti Waddars also known as Donga (thief) or Takku (cheat) Waddars. All Waddars are not ‘criminals’. The Waddars of the ceded districts form as a separate section living by means of criminal propensities. The ordinary Waddars wander about the country living temporarily where they get work.
But the Waddars hold that they had number of sub-castes of which eleven are known today along with their occupation. They are as follows:
(i) Mannu Waddars - earth workers
(ii) Kallu Waddars - stone workers
(iii) Uppu Waddars - salt traders
(iv) Bandi Waddars - cart users
(v) Girini Waddars - grind stone workers
(vi) Raja Waddars - lac sellers
(vii) Aragu Waddars - lac sellers
(viii) Tudugu Waddars - thieves
(ix) Uru Waddars - town dwellers
(x) Takku Waddars - robbers and house breakers
(xi) Ghatti Waddars - forest dwellers
Mannu Waddars are largely found in the districts of Gulbarga, Mandya, and Mysore.
Since the colonial period, they are employed in earth work such as well digging, construction of railway tracks, irrigation canals, tanks, dams, bridges and their repairs (Hassan 1989:19).Kinship plays a very important role in the life of the Waddars. They like to live close to their relatives. They also prefer to establish marriage ties within their group members. They maintain their social ties with their kith and kin in different parts of the states. Being exclusively a Telugu sect, their language is a corrupt form of Telugu, but those settled in the southern districts are conversant with Tamil. They also speak Marathi or Canarese according to the district they live in.
The Waddars believe that they originally formed a single endogamous group, but in due course were split into a number of smaller endogamous groups. Each sub-caste (group) is named and the name indicates the occupation. They eat all types of animal food, such as rats, fish, pigs, black faced moneys, jackals, antelope, fowls, cats, deer, goats, and all sorts of birds, such as crows and sparrows, and squirrels. They beg and hunt. They smoke ganja and tobacco. They are addicted to drinking. They do not hesitate to mix with Dommaras, Madigas, Malas, and Yerukulas. Mannu, Kallu, and Bandi Waddars interdine with each other. The religious belief among the Waddars prevented them from wearing shoes of any kind on their feet, though sandals were worn. Their women were not allowed to wear cholis or jackets. Their legend tells that in the past rats stole all their shoes and cholis and as their forefathers were deprived of them, they did not use them. That is why they are inveterate enemies of the rats and dig them up and eat them whenever they can.
1.1.1 Social and Religious Life
The Waddars consist of two types of families, namely nuclear and extended families. There may be some single member families also. They are generally divided under five main age groups viz. one (1) to 15, 15 to 30, 31 to 45, 46 to 50, and 51 and above.
Altogether there are more than 30,000 families living in Andhra Pradesh. We have interviewed only some inmates of Siddhapuram Colony in the Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh and gathered the information about the present state of affairs. The three thousand families comprise more than two lakh souls. Most of the Waddars are leading a nomadic life. Some of the converted Christians among the Waddars families came from Kapparallatippa settlement. The population of Hindus is larger. A total of 200 families of Hindus were converted to Christianity. This is because they are transferred from other settlements and managed by Christian missionaries. They are always cross with the Muslims who are still treating these Waddars as ‘criminals’.1.1.2 Marriage Ceremony among the Waddars
The Waddars follow their traditions while performing their marriage ceremonies. They propitiate different gods and goddesses while performing the marriages. The general marriage ceremony among the Waddars is performed in two stages: okkaku bettedi (tambulam bettedi) i.e. betrothal, and 2. pendli (marriage). This takes place in the presence of elders. Ganga Raju (the village head) plays an important role in conducting marriage ceremonies. When the parents of the boy or a girl find a suitable match for their son or daughter, the boy’s family sends betel leaves, betel nuts, turmeric, and fruits to the girl’s house accompanied by Ganga Raju and a few elder members. The family members of the boy and girl sit in two separate rows facing each other and bargain their demands. After receiving the betel nuts in the presence of village headman, the Brahmin fixes the auspicious day for marriage. Citing F. S. Mullaly, Rao (1901:121-122) informs that Brahmans exercise spiritual jurisdiction over these people and are consulted in matters associated with marriage and other ceremonies. The marriage ceremony is not a tedious one. It consists of the bride and the bridegroom walking three times round a stake placed for the purpose on the ground.
The marriage involves a number of rituals and social ceremonies spread over a period of two days. The important rituals in a marriage are Nalugu, Gangapuja, Dare, Tali, Oli, and Muyee. The Nalugu ceremony is performed by five or seven elderly women of the community. The maternal uncle presents new clothes to the bride and the bridegroom. The bridegroom receives two white dhotis and a shawl; and the bride a white saree and a blouse. This ceremony is followed by a procession to the village temple where the bridegroom offers worship. After the visit to the temple, food is served at the bridegroom’s house. The tali tying (tying mangal sutra) ritual is performed accordingly as it is arranged earlier. This ritual is performed by the bride’s father who takes rice in both hands and drops it over the head of the bridegroom and the bride. This is followed by tying the tali or mangala sutra. The maternal uncle of the bride plays a prominent role in this function. He presents mettelu, a pair of copper or silver toe-rings. The oli (bride-price) and muyee (gift giving) ceremonies are generally performed after the feast. Ganga Raju begins the Oli ceremony. Its cost is Rs.8/-. The bridegroom gives Rs.20/- to Ganga Raju as a payment to the community God. It was observed that these Waddars are slowly bringing changes into the institution of marriage. This is due to operation of the Sanskritisation process. The impact of higher castes is felt on these people. On one hand, the Oli system continues; on the other, the educated Waddar bridegrooms demand a dowry. Some marriages take place in the churches due to the influence of Christianity. A pastor performs the ceremony. Widow marriage exists by mutual agreement between the two spouses to live as husband and wife with the approval of the kula panchayat. No ritual significance is attached to such a marriage. The bridegroom and his party visit the bride’s house with a saree, ornaments, and flowers. The headman performs the ritual. When these Waddars were first settled in Siddhapuram in Atmakur town, Kurnool District, they had no marriage ceremony. The practice of the tribe was that those members who happened to be out of jail would lock up in intimate relationships with women who are free. As some came out of jail and others went in, new alliances were formed between men and women. There was no such thing as a stable marriage relationship. This has changed largely through the influence of the Managers (controlling authority). The marriage ceremony and regular relationships are the order of the day with the Waddars at present. Divorce and remarriages were common among the Waddars. Thurston (1909) reports polygyny and divorce were freely allowed to men. Women who have seven husbands are highly respected and their blessings on the bridal pair are greatly praised. Divorce is possible at any time, but Rs.16/- has to be paid to the bride’s parents. The children by the marriage are divided between father and mother as decided by the Kulapanchayat. Divorces are infrequent. Infant marriages are allowed, but seldom practised. Their marriages are arranged by the Kulapanchayat. Though they are particular in observing their gotrams (clan/lineage) in their marriages, slowly more inter-caste marriages are taking place now-a-days. They are following the modern rites and rituals followed by upper caste people living in their vicinities.1.1.3 Festivals, Ceremonies, Beliefs, and Practices
The birth ceremony is a happy occasion among the Waddars. Though it is observed among all of the groups, the practice varies from one group to the other. It is customary for a Waddar woman to give birth to her first and second child at her natal home under the care of her mother. She is sent to her natal home during the fifth or seventh month of her pregnancy. The Waddars believe that the mother-daughter relationship is the most tender and affectionate one and a pregnant daughter always looks forward to her mother’s care during the last stages of her pregnancy.
The relationship of a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law is one of great respect. The Waddars feel that a daughter is unwelcome to the family. They prefer male children to perpetuate the family lineage. A girl after marriage becomes a member of the other family; that is the reason why she is considered to be a loss to the family. The birth of a child causes pollution to the mother, child, and all other members of her conjugal household. The mother and the child are given a bath on the third, fifth, and seventh day after the childbirth. On the ninth day, turmeric paste is applied on the mother before she is given a bath to remove her impurity. No sacred offerings are made. On the ninth day the house is cleaned and purified by sprinkling water mixed with cow dung. The members of the family light a wall-lamp to worship the household deities. They prepare sweet pongal and offer coconut to the household deities. Among Mannu Waddars, the naming ceremony of the child is performed on the 11th day. Tonsuring in the name of the deity is another important ceremony observed among them. The temples that the Waddars generally visit are Venkateswara of Tirupati, Penchala Narasimha Swami Temple of Panchalakona, Malakonda Swami Temple of Pamuru, Veera Brahma Matham of Cuddapah, Mallamkonda Swami Temple, Peddamma temple of Nellore, etc. When the death occurs, they keep the body with its head resting southward. Valuables are removed from the dead person. The eldest or the youngest son burns incense at the feet of the corpse. Rich people erect grave stones and monuments and the others put stones on the grave. The Waddars believe that the spirit of the dead visits the grave on the third day. Food is kept on a leaf and the people move to a distance so that a crow can come and touch it. The Waddars observe ritual pollution caused by death for ten days and participate in the purificatory rituals on the 11th day. If a death occurs on a Tuesday or Friday, they believe that the spirit of the dead normally remains malevolent for at least three months. The Waddars observe movement taboos considering omens. Some of their bad omens are:• sneezing by any member when they are about to start
• the meeting of two sudras on their way
• a cat crossing their path
• the howling of a dog
If any of the above happens, they put off their expedition. Some of their good omens are:
• the meeting of a sudra on their way
• the neighing of a horse
• the braying of an ass
• the flight of a swallow across their path
The Waddars of Siddhapuram perform their religious functions just like the Waddars of Anantapur and Cuddapah districts. But they are not in any way related to one another by blood. The Waddars are accustomed to celebrating Hindu festivals and attend the Hindu temples for worship and prayer. Among the Waddars, the families who have been converted to Christianity attend the churches regularly and celebrate Christmas and New Year like other Christians.
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