One of the most comprehensive reports on our caste customs came from Francis Buchanan, a surgeon and botanist, who was sent in 1800 as a kind of expert consultant/surveyor to the new southern territories conquered from Tipu Sultan.

In 1800, the EIC had been directly governing only the Bihar/Bengal region for ~25 years and didn't yet have any influence on the South's social customs. His main mission was to understand agriculture and trade practices in the south. Understanding local customs was a secondary directive. He was told to report everything as accurately as possible. Also, Buchanan was neither a soldier nor administrator but a botanist and surgeon. So allegations of purposeful social engineering or disinformation against the EIC or Buchanan don't sound logical during this era.

He wrote his travels in the 3-volume A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar for the express purpose of investigating the state of AGRICULTURE, ARTS AND COMMERCE; THE RELIGION. MANNERS. AND CUSTOMS; THE HISTORY NATURAL AND CIVIL AND ANTIQUITIES available here.

Here are some of the customs he observed.

Evidence of 4-fold castes, impurity, untouchability, graded inferiority/inequality, caste consciousness, caste violence, and caste discrimination

keywords: cast, brahman, sudra, kshatri, vaisya, vaishya

p.32 They are kept by live classes of people, who are all of low cast, for the higher ranks disdain the use of an animal so impure.

p.44 The Panchum Bundum are by far the most hardy and laborious impure tribes people of the country, but the greater part of them are slaves. So sensible of their value was Hyder, that in his incursions it was these, chiefly, whom he endeavoured to carry away. He settled them in many districts as farmers, and would not suffer them to be called by their proper name, which is considered opprobrious; but ordered, that they should be called cultivators. The Panchum Bundum consist of four tribes ; the Parriar (now Paraiyar), the Baluan, the Shecliar (probably Saliyar), and the Toti (now Thoti). The Shecliars dress hides; and from among the Toti is chosen a par ticular class of village officers. There are a few Mussulman farmers, who possess slaves; but the most numerous class is composed of the different tribes of the Sudra cast. Some of these possess slaves, but many of them cultivate their farms with their own hands.

p.45 A procession, that took place today at Paligonda, gave me an opportunity of learning, that only the three pure casts of Brahmans, Vaishyas, and Sudra, are allowed to attend on such occa- sions. The fourth pure cast (the second in rank), the Kshatriyas, are considered by all the Brahmans here, as having been for many centuries quite extinct. The Parriar, and other impure tribes, composing what are here called the Panchum Bundum, would be beaten, were they to attempt joining in a procession of any of the gods of the Brahmans, or entering any of their temples. The Brahmans indeed despise those poor people so much, that they will give them no religious advice; nor perform for them any religious ceremony.

p.47 On the approach of a Guru to any place, every inhabitant of pure birth must go to meet him ; the lower classes are not admitted to his presence. He then inquires into matters of contention, or transgressions against the rules of cast.

p.82-83 It must be observed, that throughout both Carnatics, except at Madras, and some other large towns under the government of infidels, the Brahmans appropriate to themselves a particular quarter of every town, and that generally the best fortified. A Sudra is not permitted to dwell in the same street with a Brahman; while he again exacts the same difference from the Whalliaru or Parriars, and other low casts. These people in general live in wretched huts about the suburbs. A Brahman is considered as polluted by merely walking through such a place.

p.110 The origin of the division of Hindus into the right and left hand side, is involved in fable....

...Frequent disputes arise concerning these important matters ; and on such occasions, not only mutual abuse is common, but also the heads of the divisions occasionally stir up the lowest and most ignorant of their followers to have recourse to violence, and encourage them by holding out the houses and shops of their adversaries as proper objects for plunder. A very serious dispute took place at Seringapatam since it fell into the hands of the English. Thirty families of the weavers, belonging to the left hand side, joined themselves to the Teliga Banijigaru, and were encouraged by them to use all the honorary distinctions claimed by the right hand side. This gave great offence to the Panchum Banijigaru, and the Whalliaru were let loose to plunder : nor could they be repressed without an exertion of military force, by which several people were killed.

Pride is the occasion of another violent dispute for precedency between two casts, the Pauchum Banijigaru, and the Camatigaru, although they are both of the same side. The former allege, that they are the hereditary chiefs of the division; and the Camatigaru declare, that they are of a higher east, as being Vaisya, while the others are only Sudras. The dispute at present runs very high, and has occasioned some trouble to government.

p.110 In every part of India with which I am acquainted, wherever there is a considerable number of any one cast or tribe, it is usual to have a head man, whose office is generally hereditary. His powers are various in different sects and places; but he is commonly intrusted with the authority of punishing all transgressions against the rules of the cast. The punishments that he can inflict are fines and stripes, and above all excommunication, or loss of cast; which to a Hindu is the most terrible of all punishments.

p.180 The ceremonies bestowed by the Sri Vaishnavam Gurus on their followers are chiefly Upadesa and Chakrantikam. Neither of these ceremonies are ever bestowed on a person of an impure birth ; so that the Whalliaru and Madigaru must content themselves with praying to God for his blessing to avert evil, or bestow good.

p.181-182 In their judicial capacity the Gurus possess great authority. They take cognizance of all omissions of ceremonies, and actions that are contrary to the rules of cast. Small delinquencies they punish by pouring cow-dung and water on the head of the guilty person, by fine, and by whipping. For great offences they excommunicate the culprit ; which is done by shaving his head. This excludes a man from all society, even from that of his nearest connections ; for his very wife would incur a similar punishment by giving him any assistance. The excommunication may be removed by the Guru in which case he purifies the repentant sinner by a copious draught of cow's urine. Though the deputies have no proper authority to punish delinquents, yet they frequently make people voluntarily submit to their correction. They threaten any person to send a complaint to his Guru of some crime laid to his charge, and an order to proceed to the residence of the Guru to answer the complaint. Most persons, however, choose to submit to whatever the deputy dictates, rather than undertake the trouble of a long journey.

p.278 In Bengal, Brahmans who have lost cast act as Purohitas for the low or impure casts; but both here, and in the lower Carnatic, such an office would be considered as too degrading for even the most reprobate of the sacred order.

p.279 The Panchum Banijigaru are by the Mussulmans called Lingait... ...The Brahmans allege, that they are Sudras; but this, in general, they earnestly deny. The manner in which the Brahmans reason with them is this: You are, say they, neither Brahman, Kshatri, nor Vaisha. Itf therefore you are not sudra, you must belong to one of the low, or impure casts. Many of the Lingait, rather than endure such a terrible degradation, are induced to acknowledge theniselves of the Sudra cast.

p.286 Another inferior kind of Teliga Banijigas are the Goni makers. They will willingly eat in the houses of that cast ; but these will not return the compliment.

p.292 The Coramas (modern: Koramas), or Coramaru, are a set of people, considered by the Brahmans of an impure or mixed breed.

p.297 Like all the other tribes of this country, however, they do not willingly admit any person of a different race into the inner apartments of their houses; especially if he be of a cast that they consider as inferior to their own; persons of their own tribe, and those whom they consider as of higher rank, can go into every part of their house, except the kitchen.

p.301 The Ruddi are one of the tribes of Sudra cast, which being much employed in agriculture are called Woculigaru (modern: Vokkaligas). They acknowledge an inferiority to another class of Sudras who cultivate the land, and are called Sadru ; for they will eat in the house of a Sadru (modern: Sadara/Sadaru), but he will not return the compliment by eating in theirs ; which, among the Hindus, is a sure criterion of rank.

p.319 The potmakers and dyers form one cast, and are all properly Cumbharu; the cast is divided into two nations, the Teliga and Karnata, that do not intermarry. They can eat in the house of a Karnataca potter, but he will not return the compliment; as they are allowed to eat animal food, which he abhors.

p.351-353 A Smartal (modern: Smartha Brahman), reckoned a man of learning, but who seems to be very unwilling to open such stores as he possesses, denies all knowledge of the worshippers of Jain, Buddha, or the Linga, farther than that he has heard them mentioned. The doctrines of all other sects, but his own, he considers as contemptible, and not worthy of notice.

The faults that occasion a loss of cast, and for which no pardon can be given, are, ... II. Sexual intercourse with any prohibited cast....VI. Eating in company with persons of another cast, or of food dressed by their impure hands.

For smaller offences, the Guru or his deputies punish in various ways; by commanding pilgrimages, or fasts ; by fines , by holding burning straw to the body of the delinquent, which is sometimes done with such severity as to occasion death ; by shaving the head, so as to occasion a temporary separation from the cast

Ordeals are also in use ; and a most barbarous one is applied to those who, having had sexual intercourse with a person of another cast, allege that it was by mistake. If the criminal be a woman, melted lead is poured into her private parts; if it be a man, a red hot iron is thrust up. Should they be innocent, it, is supposed that they will not be injured.

They seem to have no wish to constrain other casts to any particular dogmas, or mode of worship : the only thing, they think, in which a Sudra ought to be instructed to believe, is, that the Brahmans are infinitely his superiors ; and that the only means of gaining the favour of the gods is by giving them charity. With regard to all sects that refuse to acknowledge these grand doctrines, and even among themselves concerning points of faith, no men can be more intolerant, nor violent.

p.360-361 The Whallias, or Whalliaru, (modern: possibly Chalavadi/Holia/Adi dravida) ...are nearly the same with the Parriar of the people who speak the Tamul language, and with the Maliwanlu of those who use the Telinga dialect. The Whallias of all nations can eat together; but two persons of different countries never intermarry. Although this cast be looked upon as the very lowest of all others, they are desirous of keeping up the purity of the breed; and never marry but with the daughters of families, with whose descent, from long vicinity, they are well acquainted. Like the Sudra, they are divided into several ranks that do not intermarry. The highest are here called Morasu Whalliaru, and are cultivators of the ground, weavers, and smelters of iron ore. Inferior to these are Maligara Whalliaru, or musicians; Naindaru Whalliaru, or barbers; and Asaga Whalliaru, or washermen. These again are quite distinct from the musicians, barbers, and washermen of the pure tribes, who, though lower than the cultivators, are all of Sudra cast. The Whalliaru are not permitted to build their huts within the walls of towns or villages; In very large places their huts form streets, and into these a Brahman will not deign to put his foot; nor in a place so impure will a Sudra build his house; in like manner as a Brahman is very unwilling to occupy a house in a street which the Sudra inhabit. A Brahman, if he be touched by a Whallia, must wash his head, and get a new thread; and a Sudra, who has been similarly defiled, is obliged to wash his head. A Brahman of this country will not give any thing out of his hand to persons of lower birth, of whom he is not afraid ; but throws it down on the ground for them to take up. He will receive any thing from the hand of a person of a pure descent; but when a Whallia delivers any thing to the Brahman, he must lay it on the ground, and retire to a proper distance, before the Brahman will deign to approach. Europeans, from their eating beef, are looked upon by the natives here as a kind of Whalliaru ; and nothing but the fear of correction prevents them from being treated with the same insolence.

p.368 the tribe called Bheri, or Nagaratra, is divided into two sects; of which one worships Vishnu, and the other Siva. Those who worship Siva are subdivided again into two parties ; of which the one wears the Linga, and the other does not. they say, that they are of the Vaisya, or third pure cast ; but this is denied by the Comalies and Brahmans. They despise the oil-makers, who call themselves Nagaratra, as being greatly their inferiors.

p.386 The Wully Tigulas (modern: Ulli Tigalas)...They are admitted into all temples, so that they are not considered of an impure descent.

Evidence of different religious cultures, assimilation of indigenous beliefs by brahminism

p.285 In case of danger, they offer bloody sacrifices to several destructive spirits ; such as Marima (modern: Maramma), Putalima, Mutialima (modern: Muthyalamma), and Gungoma (modern: Gangamma), which is a lump of mud made into a sort of temporary image. The Brahmans of this country abhor this kind of worship, and call all these gods of the vulgar evil spirits, Saktis, or ministers of Siva. They never offer sacrifices at the temples of these deities, and much less ever act as their Pujaris. Influenced, however, by superstition, although they condemn the practice, they in sickness occasionally send a small offering of fruit or money to these deities ; but, being ashamed to do it publicly, the present is generally conveyed by some child, who may be supposed to have made the offering by mistake. The small temples of these deities are very numerous, and the Pujaris are in general of the impure casts. I am inclined indeed to believe, that they are the original gods of the country ; and that these impure casts are the remains of the rude tribes that occupied the country before the origin of the Brahmans, or other sects, that introduced forms of worship more complicated, and more favourable to the priesthood.

p.292-293 The Coramas do not follow nor employ the Brahmans; nor have they any priests, or sacred order. When in distress, they chiefly invoke Vencaty Rdmana, the Tripathi Vishnu and vow small offerings of money to his temple, should they escape. They frequently go into the woods, and sacrifice fowls, pigs, goats, and sheep, to Muni, who is a male deity, and is said by the brahmans to be a servant of Iswara; but of this circumstance the Coramas profess ignorance. They, as usual, eat the sacrifices. They have no images, nor do they worship any.

p.367 The Brahman, when they subjugated the different rude tribes in the south of India, seem to have made very little difficulty about religious opinions and customs. Every tribe seems to have retained their own ; and the Brahmans were contented with an acknowledgment of their authority, and with contributions given for the performance of certain ceremonies, much connected with astrology and magic; by pretensions to which their power was probably extended. They themselves have perhaps been influenced by the superstitions of their converts, whose gods, being malignant spirits, they adopted as servants of Iswara, the power of destruction. The Brahmans, when in sickness and distress, invoke with fear and trembling the power of Bhairava, and of the female Saktis; who were formerly, perhaps, considered by the natives as the malignant spirits of the woods, mountains, and rivers; and worshipped by sacrifices, like the gods of the rude tribes which now inhabit the hilly region east from Bengal, and whose poverty has hitherto prevented the incursions of the sacred orders of their more learned western neighbours. ...believe transmigration as a state of reward and punishment, and of course believe in the immortality of the soul ; which, so far as I can learn, is not in this country an universal belief among the lower casts, nor among the rude tribes who inhabit the hills.

p.396-397 The Gollaru (modern:Gollas) ...They call the proper god of the cast Krishna Swami, who is one of the incarnations of Vishnu ; and they allege, that he was born of their cast both by father's and mother's side. The Brahmans allege, that the mother of this great warrior was of the Goula, or cow-keeper cast ; in which, perhaps, they are well founded ; and they pretend, that a Brahman condescended to impregnate her.

Evidence of endogamy

Keywords: intermarry, inter-marry

p.46 The Brahmans are considered as the priests of the Hindus ; yet there are none, even of the lowest among the Lokika, who would intermarry with the families of the Brahmans that officiate in the temples of Vishnu and Siva : and in this country no Brahman officiates in any of the temples of the inferior gods, whose altars are stained with blood.

p.279 The Pancham Banijigaru are by the Mussulmans called Lingait (modern: Linga Balijas), as being the chief persons of the sect, who wear, round their necks, silver box containing an image of Siva in shape of the Linga, under which form only he is ever worshipped. From this circumstance they are also called Sivabhactaru, and Lingabactaru but in this country there are, many other lower casts, who wear the same badge of religion.

The Pancaum Banijigaru are also the heads of the right hand side. They admit of no distinction of cast among themselves, except that arising from a dedication to the service of God; but they do not admit any proselytes from other Hindu races; nor do they intermarry with any of the lower casts that wear the Linga.

p.284 The true Telinga Banijigas are merchants and traders of all kinds, farmers, and farmers servants, and porters for the transportation of goods or baggage; but never artists, nor mechanics. They are divided into a number of tribes, all of which can eat together ; but one tribe never marries with another.

p.280 The Pancham Banijigaru are divided into a number of tribes, which seem to derive their names from certain places where they were formerly settled. Two persons of different tribes never intermarry.

p.286 Many of the people who burn lime are a kind of low Teliga Banijigaru, as they can eat in the houses of that class; but their native language is the Karnataka, or Canarese; and the two tribes do not intermarry. They are divided into several families, and no man marries out of his own ; but they can all eat together. ... They never eat with the sect of Siva; and use animal-food, and Bang; but are not allowed to drink spirituous liquors. They are allowed a plurality of wives, who are not confined. They are never divorced, except for adultery

p.287 The Karnata or Canara Devangas in this country all wear the Linga, but are a distinct cast from the Pancham Banijigas, with whom they neither eat nor intermarry. The same is the case between them and the Teliga Devangas.

p.294 The Madigas, or Madigaru, are looked upon as a very low cast. They dress hides, make shoes, and some of them cultivate the ground, acting as servants to the farmers. They are divided into small tribes of ten or twelve houses, and intermarry with the daughters of these houses only, in order to be certain of the purity of their race; of which they seem to be as fond, as those casts that are esteemed infinitely superior in rank.

p.297 The Shalay (modern:Saliya) are a cast of weavers, divided into two distinct tribes, that never intermarry.

p.301 The Ruddi are one of the tribes of Sudra cast, which being much employed in agriculture are called Woculigaru (modern: Vokkaligas). They can all eat together, but they never intermarry, except with particular families, the purity of whose descent they consider as well known.

p.301 The Bheri...They are divided by religion into two sects, that do not eat together, nor intermarry

p.303 The Nagaratra, who worship Vishnu, are here the most numerous sect. They burn their dead, and the rules of cast require the widow to burn herself with her husband's body ; but this custom has fallen into disuse. They do not intermarry with such of their sect as, being originally of the lower Carnatic, speak the Tamul language as their native tongue.

p.318 In the language of Karnata they are called Teliga Beslas, but in their own dialect they are called Bui. Though they all can eat together, they never intermarry, but with certain families, which are well known to each other, so as to avoid an danger of an impure race.

p.318-319 The potmakers and dyers form one cast, and are all properly Cumbharu; but those who dye are, on account of their trade called Nilgaru. the cast is divided into two nations, the Teliga and Karnata, that do not intermarry.

p.350 In this place are settled a kind of shoe-makers called Muchaveru; they are Rajputs, and in their families retain the Hindustani language, as having originally come from the country which the Mus sulmans call Agimere (modern: Ajmer). Like all the persons of an unmixed breed from that country, they pretend to be of the Kshalriya cast; but this high rank is denied by the Brahmans to even the highest of the Rajputs, those whose profession is agriculture and arms, and who, the Brahmans say, are merely the highest class of the Sudras, like the Nairs of Malabar, or Kayastas of Bengal. These shoemakers are not allowed to eat nor to intermarry with the Chitrakaru, nor with the weavers, who come from the same country ; and much less with the Rajputs properly so called, who are by cast the cultivators and defenders of the soil.

p355 Although all the southern Brahmans can eat together, yet they are divided into nations, that never intermarry

The Sri Vaishnavam or A'ayngar (modern: Iyengar) will not marry, nor eat with a Madual (modern: Madhwa), although they both worship Vishnu ; and still less will they have any communication with a Smartal (modern: Smartha); which arises, however, not from any difference in cast, but from a hatred to the doctrines entertained by these sects.

p.360 The Whallias, or Whalliaru, ...are nearly the same with the Parriar of the people who speak the Tamul language, and with the Maliwanlu of those who use the Telinga dialect. The Whallias of all nations can eat together; but two persons of different countries never intermarry. Although this cast be looked upon as the very lowest of all others, they are desirous of keeping up the purity of the breed; and never marry but with the daughters of families, with whose descent, from long vicinity, they are well acquainted. Like the Sudra, they are divided into several ranks that do not intermarry. The highest are here called Morasu Whalliaru, and are cultivators of the ground, weavers, and smelters of iron ore. Inferior to these are Maligara Whalliaru, or musicians; Naindaru Whalliaru, or barbers; and Asaga Whalliaru, or washermen. These again are quite distinct from the musicians, barbers, and washermen of the pure tribes, who, though lower than the cultivators, are all of Sudra cast.

p.362 The Togotas, or Togotaru, are a class of weavers of Teliuga origin...They all eat together, but intermarry only with such families, as by long acquaintance know the purity of each other's descent.

p.365-366 The Morasu are an original tribe of Karnata, who are admitted properly so by all parties to be Sudra, and who, as being cultivators of the land, are called Woculigaru. (modern: vokkaligas) They form three tribes ; Morasu, properly so called, Morasu Moscu, and Teliga Morasu, which last would appear from the name to be a tribe of the Telingana nation. These tribes eat together, but do not intermarry; and even in each tribe persons confine their marriages to a few families, whose descent is known to be pure. My informants are of the Morasu, properly so called, and must be distinguished from the impure tribe called Morasu Whallias, who are not Sudra.

p.368 They neither eat, intermarry, nor have common hereditary chiefs with the Vishnu Nagaratra. In order to preserve the purity of the cast, they intermarry with such families only, as their forefathers have been accustomed to do.

p.370 The Satanana are divided into two sects besides the Valmika. Both contend for a priority of rank; and they neither intermarry, nor eat in common.

p.380 The Numbi are an inferior order of Brahmam, whose duty is to act as Pujaris in the temples. They are all Vaidika, and never follow any worldly occupation ; but are despised, on account of their receiving fixed wages for performing their duty. The other Brahmans originally, perhaps, all lived by begging, which is the proper occupation of the cast, and the most dignified manner of living, as being most agreeable to God ; and in consequence acquired an hereditary superiority over the Numbi; which is kept up even by the Lokika, who have betaken themselves to worldly business, and who for wages will serve even men. Whatever may be the cause, no Lokika, much less any Vaidika, will eat or intermarry with a Numbi. They are divided into two sects, that do not intermarry. Those of the one act in the temples of Vishnu, and follow as Gurus the heads of the Aayngar (modern: Iyengar) sect. The others are Pujaris in the temples of Iswara, and follow as Gurus the Smartal (modern: Smartha) Sannyasis. The Madual (modern: Madhwas) have no Numbis; and their Gurus are the only persons of the sect who perform the office of Pujari in any temple.

p.384 The Asagaru, Asagas, or washermen, in this country are of two kinds, Sudra, and Whalliaru. The washermen confine their marriages to a few families that they know to be of pure descent.

p.386 The Wully Tigulas (modern: Ulli Tigalas), like the Vana Pallis, are a cast of Tamul, or Tigula origin and their only employment is the cultivation of kitchen gardens....With the Vana Pallis they eat, but cannot intermarry.

p.396 The Gollaru (modern: Gollas), or, as they are called in their own language, the Gollawanlu, are a tribe of Telingana descent, and must be distinguished from the Cadu, or Carridy Goalaru, who keep cattle ; with whom they neither eat in common, nor intermarry.

p.399 The Lali-Gundaru deny their being Sudras, and say that they are Linga Banijigas; but that race will neither eat in their houses, nor give them their girls in marriage.

p.400 (The Nagaratras, or Bheri, who wear the Linga) They will neither eat nor intermarry with either of the other two sects.

p.443 The Idigas, or Idigaru, are a cast of Telinga origin. Like the Shanar of Madras, their proper business is to extract the juice of palm trees, to make it into Jagory, and to distil it into spirituous liquors; but some few of them have become farmers. They wish to be called Sudras; but their claim to be of a pure descent is not acknowledged by the Brahmans. They can all eat in common, but keep up the purity of the breed by marrying only in certain families whose descent is known. Adultresses and widows cannot marry again; they may, however, become concubines, or Cutigas. All the descendants of these form an inferior kind of breed, called also Cutigas, with whom those who are descended from chaste mothers will not intermarry.

Evidence of polygyny / polygamy

keywords: marry, marry as many, wives, plurality of wives, polygamy, number of wives

p.280 The Pancham Banijigaru are chiefly traders. They may however follow any profession, except such as belong to the most disgraced casts; and this exception seems rather to arise from a wish to keep themselves respectable, than from any positive law. Like all other worshippers of Siva, they bury the dead, and never offer sacrifices. They do not purchase their wives, of whom they may marry as many as they please. The women are not confined, but cannot marry a second husband.

p.283 The Pancham Banijigaru worship only Siva, his wife, and his sons but they allege, that Brahma and Vishnu are the same with Siva. They suppose, that their sect has existed from the beginning of the world ; but that at the time of Bejala Raja (modern: Bijjala II), who reigned about 720 years ago at Kalyana Pattana (today: Kalyani/Basavakalyan), the kings and most of the people were Jainas. At this time Baswana (modern: Basavanna), the supposed son of a Brahman, became prime minister of the Raja, and restored the worship of Siva. Many of the Jainas were converted, and their descendants now form the Jaina banijigaru, who, although they have the same religion with the Pancham, are never admitted to fhe priesthood, nor to intermarry with the original sect.

p.286 Many of the people who burn lime are a kind of low Teliga Banijigaru, as they can eat in the houses of that class; but their native language is the Karnataka, or Canarese; and the two tribes do not intermarry. They are divided into several families, and no man marries out of his own ; but they can all eat together. ... They never eat with the sect of Siva; and use animal-food, and Bang; but are not allowed to drink spirituous liquors. They are allowed a plurality of wives, who are not confined. They are never divorced, except for adultery

p.292 The Coramas...The men are allowed a plurality of wives, and purchase them from their parents.

p.295-296 The Jotyphanada, or Jotynagarada Ganagaru,...Their wives can be divorced for adultery only, and are not shut up, although the men are allowed a plurality of women.

p.298-299 The Samay Shalay wear the Linga...The men are allowed a plurality of wives ; but, except for adultery, can neither confine nor divorce them. ...The Padma Shalay are allowed a plurality of wives

p.300 Polygamy is allowed to the men, and the women are not divorced for any cause, except adultery. In this country they are not confined ; but in the northern parts of Hindustan the Comatigas follow the example of their neighbours, and shut up their wives.

p.300-301 The Ruddi...The men are allowed polygamy; but do not shut up their women, who arc very industrious, and perform much of the country labour.

p.303 The Bheri..As for the girl, she is not at all consulted, and is indeed too young to have formed any attachments, as she must be married before any signs of puberty appear ; for afterwards she is considered as being deflowered, and incapable of marriage. Owing to the custom of polygamy, however, very few of the women in this country live in a state of celibacy, except young widows of the higher casts, who never can marry again, and who are very numerous ; for matches between old men and mere children are common.

Where polygamy prevails, love is little known ; or if it does possess a man, he is generally captivated by some artful dancing girl, and not by any of his wives; all of whom were married before they could either excite or feel that passion.

p304. The Palliwanlu (modern: possibly Palli/Vanniyar)...Their women continue to be marriageable after the age of puberty, and are very laborious. They cauuot be divorced for any cause, except adultery ; but the men are permitted to have a plurality of wives.

p.318-319 The potmakers and dyers form one cast, and are all properly Cumbharu; but those who dye are, on account of their trade called Nilgaru. the cast is divided into two nations, the Teliga and Karnata, that do not intermarry. They are allowed polygamy ; but do not confine their women, nor divorce them for any cause except adultery.

p.349 In this place are settled a kind of shoe-makers called Muchaveru; they are Rajputs, and in their families retain the Hindustani language, as having originally come from the country which the Mus sulmans call Agimere (modern: Ajmer). They are allowed to marry several wives, and confine them after the custom of their own country.

p.350-351 The Telega Uparu are a tribe of Telinga origin...They are allowed a plurality of wives

p.354 A male Brahman, however, even if married, may with impunity have connection with a dancing-girl, all of whom in this country are dedicated to the service of some temple.

p.357 The Woddas, or Woddaru, are a tribe of Telinga origin. They marry as many wives os they can get, and the women seem to be more numerous than the men, as no person is without one wife, and the generality have two ; several go so far as eight. A lazy woman is immediately divorced by her husband ; but, if she can find a man willing to take her, she is at liberty to marry again.

p.367-368 The Morasu...The men are allowed polygamy, but, except for adultery, cannot divorce their wives

p.368 The Siva Bheri...They are allowed many wives, but do not shut them up; nor can they divorce them for any cause except adultery.

p.386 The Wully Tigulas (modern: Ulli Tigalas), like the Vana Pallis, are a cast of Tamul, or Tigula origin and their only employment is the cultivation of kitchen gardens....The men are allowed a plurality of wives

p.398 The Cunsa Woculigaru (modern: possibly Kunchitigas / Kunchu Vokkaligas) are a tribe of Sudra of Karnata descent...the men are allowed to take several wives.

Evidence of child marriage

keywords: puberty

(Note: This list isn't complete. I skipped many previous mentions of this same practice and started recording it only later. Search for the keywords to find them.)

p.303 The Bheri..As for the girl, she is not at all consulted, and is indeed too young to have formed any attachments, as she must be married before any signs of puberty appear ; for afterwards she is considered as being deflowered, and incapable of marriage. Owing to the custom of polygamy, however, very few of the women in this country live in a state of celibacy, except young widows of the higher casts, who never can marry again, and who are very numerous ; for matches between old men and mere children are common.

p355. None of the southern Brahmans .... A woman can on no account take a second husband ; and, unless she is married before the signs of puberty appear, she is ever afterwards considered as impure.

p.358 The Woddas, or Woddaru, are a tribe of Telinga origin. ..The girls continue marriageable from seven years of age, until their death

p.443-444 The Idigas, or Idigaru ...The men are allowed a plurality of wives

Evidence of Sati

keywords: dead, deceased, buried, burned

p285. The Telinga Banijigaru are acknowledged to be true Sudras, and they allow this to be the case. A few of them learn to read and write accompts (accounts), but they never attempt any higher kind of learning. They eat sheep, goats, hogs, fowls, and fish, and may use Bang; but they ought not to drink spirituous liquors. They bury the dead, and the women formerly used to bury themselves alive with their deceased husbands; but this custom has fallen into disuse.

p.295-296 The Jotyphanada, or Jotynagarada Ganagaru,...There have been instances, in the memory of man, of some of their widows having burned themselves along with the bodies of their husbands; but it is a very rare occurrence.

p298. The Samay Shalay...They bury the dead, and the widow is sometimes buried alive at the same time, but not in the same grave with the deceased husband.

p300. They all burn the dead, and sometimes the widow accompanies on the pile her departed husband.

p355. None of the southern Brahnums .... All those who have been married are burned after their death, and their wives ought to accompany them on the pile ; but this custom has fallen yery much into disuse, and instances of it are extremely rare; whereas in Bengal it still continues to be common.

p359. The Woddas, or Woddaru, are a tribe of Telinga origin...although widows are not prevented from marrying again, yet it is said, that perhaps one widow in a hundred throws herself into a pit filled with fire, and burns herself near the grave of her husband.