The six most numerous communities (taking them in the order of their strength) are the Kápus, the landowning class; the Málas, outcaste agricultural labourers; the Ídigas, who draw toddy; the Mádigas, outcaste workers in leather; the Kammas, who are closely connected with the Kápus and resemble them in their social customs; and the Telugu speaking Bráhmans.
All these are shortly referred to below, and, in addition, some notes are given regarding a few communities which occur in greater strength in this district than in any other; namely, the Rázus, who claim to be Kshatriyas; the Kómatis, traders and money-lenders; the Perikes, who are cultivators; the Gamallas, an offshoot from the Idigas; the Karnabattu, weavers; the Sánis, many of whose women are dancing-girls; and the two hill tribes of the Kóyas and the hill Reddis.
Of all of these castes the Bráhmans take the highest social position, and they may be first referred to.
Telugu-speaking Bráhmans are unusually numerous in Gódávari. Some of them, though their home-speech is Teiugu, appear to have a Tamil or Canarese origin. Among the former are the Kónasíma Bráhmans of Amalápuram taluk, who have a tradition (see p. 204) that they came from near Kumbakónam in Tanjore district; the Aramas, who are few and scattered; and the Divilis, who are to be found chiefly in Pithápuram taluk. The Teiugu Bráhmans proper, also called Andhras, are a linguistic division of the Drávidas, one of the two great classes (Drávida and Cauda) into which all Bráhmans in this Presidency are divided. They are popularly subdivided into the following sectarian, territorial and occupational groups: — f Tengalais. ' Vaishnavites. -| Nambis. [ Golconda Vyaparis. Velinadu ... Andhra Brahmans. Veginadu Telaganya Kasileya. Smartas ...1 Murikinadu. Kakumanu. Kalinga. Tambala Piijari. Karnakamma. Prathamasakha. Vaidiki. Niyogi or Aru- vela Niyogi, -{ Pujari. Vaidiki. Niyogi. {Vyapari. Vaidiki.
