Tāmoli.— A few members of this North India caste of betel-leaf sellers have been returned at times of census. I am unable to discover in what district they occur. Tambuli or Tamuli is recorded as a caste of betel-leaf sellers in Bengal, and Tāmboli as a caste carrying on a similar occupation in the Bombay Presidency.
Tānamanādu.— A sub-division of Valaiyan.
Tanda.— The word literally refers to a settlement or encampment of the Lambadis, by some of whom it is, at times of census, returned as a tribal synonym.
Tandan.— It is recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1891, that "in Walluvanad and Palghat (in Malabar) Tandan is a distinct caste. The ceremonies observed by Tandans are, in general outline, the same as those of the southern Tiyyans, but the two do not intermarry, each claiming superiority over the other. There is a custom which prohibits the Tandan females of Walluvanad from crossing a channel which separates that taluk from Mankara on the Palghat side." The Tandans of Malabar are described by Mr. F. Fawcett as a people allied to the Izhuvans, who observe the custom of fraternal polyandry, which the Izhuvans abhor.
For the following note on the Tandans of Travancore, I am indebted to Mr. N. Subramani Aiyar.
The castemen are known as Urālis to the south of Varkailay, and Tandans to the north of it. In some places to the east of Kottarakaray, they were popularly termed Mutalpattukar, or those who receive the first perquisite for assistance rendered to carpenters. In the days when there were no saws, the rough instruments of the Tandan served their purpose. Hence some members of the caste were called Tacchan (carpenter). Tandan
