Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 6.djvu/280

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
PURATTU CHARNA
236

Purattu Charna. — A sub-division of Nāyar.

Purusha. — See Jōgi Purusha.

Pūsa (beads). — A sub-division of Balija. A sub-division of the Yerukalas is known as Pūsalavādu, or sellers of glass beads.

Pūsali.— A title of Occhans, or pūjāris (priests) at temples of Grāma Dēvatas (village deities).

Pūsapāti.— The family name of the Mahārājahs of Vizianagram. From the Kshatriyas in Rājputāna people of four gōtrams are said to have come to the Northern Circars several centuries ago, having the Pūsapāti family at their head.*[1] The name of the present Mahārāja is Mirza Rājah Sri Pūsapāti Viziarāma Gajapati Rāj Manya Sultān Bahādur Gāru.

Pūshpakan.——A class of Ambalavāsis in Malabar and Travancore. "As their name (pushpam, a flower) implies, they are employed in bringing flowers and garlands to the temples." †[2] See Unni.

Puthukka Nāttār (people of the new country). — A sub-division of Idaiyan.

Pūtiya Islām.— Pu Islām or Pūtiya Islām is the name returned mostly by Mukkuvans, in reference to their new conversion to the Muhammadan faith.

Putta (ant-hill). — An exogamous sept of Kamma, Kuruba, Māla, Mēdara, and Padma Sālē. 'White-ant' (Termites) hills are frequently worshipped as being the abode of snakes.

Puttiya.— A sub-division of Rōna.

Puttūr.— Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nāyar.

Puzhi Tacchan (sand carpenter). — The name of a small section of Malabar Kammālans.

  1. * Manual of the Vizagapatam district.
  2. † Manual of Malabar.