CHAPTER XXVII

Summary

The kingdom of Calecut, like all the rest of the Malabar country, is inhabited by two sorts of people, foreigners and natives. The foreigners are those properly called Mahometan Malabars, who long ago came from elsewhere to inhabit this country, but only the sea-coasts. The natives are Gentiles and pagans, of the same religion as those of the greater part of Southern India.

They are divided into three ranks of life, Bramenis, Nairs, and the common people. Among the Malabar Nairs, as among the Canarins of Goa, there are some Bramenis, but all are fundamentally of but one and the same faith,–that is, they are idolaters.

The Bramenis are of the most noble race, honoured and respected of all others; they have their peculiar habits of life, and practise a more religious and austere observance of their faith; for besides living scrupulously according to their religion, they have this peculiarity, that they never eat flesh or fish, or anything that has had life, or drink aught but water, and they preserve this austerity from father to son for all generations, never mingling or allying themselves with other people. They preserve an inviolable rule that the daughters of Bramenis never marry but with Bramenis, and the same with the men, who also may never marry a second time. Their habit is a frock of cotton cloth, with a white turban on the head, and red slippers on the feet.