Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/129

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
MYSORE DISTRICT.
117

centages calculated therefrom refer to Mysore District as constituted in February 1981, one month before the rendition of Mysore State to the Maharajá. In 1883, however, there was a reorganization of Districts, the former Districts of Chitaldrúg and Hassan being abolished, and their territories distributed among other Districts. The results of the change, so far as regards Mysore District, is to make up a population of 1,194,087 for the reconstituted District. In the absence of later figures, however, all statistics given in this article, except where otherwise stated, refer to the year of the last Census, 1880-81.


In respect of occupation, the Census of 1981 divided the male population into the following six main groups: – (1) Professional class, including State officials of every kind and members of the learned professions, 16,405; (2) domestic servants, inn and lodging-house keepers, 2178; (3) commercial class, including bankers, merchants, carriers, etc., 7388; (4) agricultural class, including shepherds, 197,966; (5) industrial class, including all manufacturers and artisans, 25,279; and (6) indefinite and unproductive class, comprising all male children, general labourers, and persons of unspecified occupation, 193,963.

The religious division of the people in 1981 showed—Hindus, 859,001, or 95*1 per cent.; Muhammadans, 40,916, or 4'5 per cent. ; Christians, 2603, or o 3 per cent.; Pársís, 36; and Sikhs, 10. The Hindus were further sub-divided, according to the two great sects, into worshippers of Vishnu and worshippers of Siva. In point of caste, Bráhmans numbered 33,008, chiefly belonging to the Smarta sect; the claimants to the rank of Kshattriyahood were returned at 5692 ; among the Vaisyas, the Komátis were 2268, and others' IS,275; Jains, 1519; Varáthás, 3723 Satánis (serving in Vishnuite temples), 2626; Ráchewárs (athletes and fighters), 1908. Of inferior castes, the most numerous is the Wokligas (159,097), who are agricultural labourers; 'others' of the agricultural class, 6777; Kurubas (shepherds), 89,131; Bestars (fishermen), $4,77S; Uppárs (salt - makers), 20,476; Gollárs (cowherds), 4216; Vaddárs (stone-masons, well-sinkers, tank-diggers), 8059; Kunchigárs (brass and copper smiths), 3166; Neyigas (weavers), 31,672; Idigars (toddy-drawers), 6363 ; Agasas (washermen), 14,312; Ganigárs (oilpressers), 11,515; Kumbárs (potters), 10,056; Nápits (barbers), 6304. The Lingayats, who have always been very influential in this part of the country, were returned at 144,523, of whom many are classified as agriculturists, though trade is the special occupation of the sect. Outcastes were returned at 154,696; wandering tribes, 1573; aboriginal non-Hindu tribes, 4355.

The Muhammadans muster strongest in Mysore táluk, and are almost all returned as Deccani (Dakshini) Muhammadans. They are distributed by the Census into 33,060 Sunnís, 1027 Shiás, 100 Wáhábís,