blown to announce their arrival, and the iron lamp (called Garudasthambha), which is kept burning, and is said to represent Venkatēsa, the presiding deity at Tirupati. As Dāsaris, little is expected of them, except offering fruits to the god, and assisting at funerals. Several proverbs, of which the following are examples, are current concerning this aspect of their life: —
- The mistake of a Dāsari is excused with an apology.
- The songs of a Dāsari are known only to the god, i.e., they are unintelligible and unreal.
- For the song of a Dāsari alms are the payment, i.e., that is all the song is worth.
- Sing again what you have sung, oh! Dāsari with dirty teeth.
- When a beggar was asked whether he was a Dāsari or a Jangam, he replied that it depends on
the next village. This in reference to his being a time-server.
A Gangeddu mendicant is, like his bulls, picturesquely attired. He is very punctilious about having his sectmark on the forehead, invariably wears a turban, and his body is clothed in a long white cloth robe. When going about with the performing bulls, the Gangeddulu generally travel in pairs, one carrying a drum, and the other a bell-metal gong. One of them holds in one hand the nose-rope of the bull, and in the other the whip. The bulls are dressed up in a patch work quilt with two eye-holes in it. Of names which are given to the animals, Rāma and Lakshmana are very popular. The tameness of the bulls is referred to in the proverb "As mild as a Gangeddu."
The Perumāl Mādukkārans, or Perumāl Erudukkārans, both of which names indicate those who lead bulls about, are found chiefly in the Chingleput, North and
