Holayas - B. LewisRice, C.I.E., M.R.A.S.

Holayas

Their greatness and regalia as is enumerated

By

B. LewisRice, C.I.E., M.R.A.S.

In the Mysore Gazetteer

The Holayas, whose name may be derived from hola, a field occupying a quarter of their own, called the Hola-geri, outside every village boundary hedge. They are the Chandala of Sanskrit writers: and are the representatives of the Bala-gai or right-hand faction, of which an account will be found further on. “As a body they are the servants of the ryots, and are mainly engaged in tending the plough and watching the herds. But one of these despised orders is generally the priest of the village goddess, and as such, on that annual day when all hasten to pay their offerings at her shrine, takes precedence of the twice-born Brahman.” (This and following particulars are taken from a paper by Captain Mackenzie on “Kulavadi of Hassan Distict.” – Indian Antiquary Vol. II page 65.)

          The Toti or Kulavadi (he who directs the ryots), always a Holaya, is a recognized and indispensable member of every village corporation. In his official position he the village policeman, the beadle of the village community, the headman’s henchman: but in the rights and privileges which yet cling to him we get glimpses of his former estate, and find proofs that the Hoilayar were first to establish villages. All the castes unhesitatingly admit that the Kulavadi is (de jure) the owner of the village. If there is a dispute as to the village boundaries, the Kulavadi is the only one competent to take the oath as to how the boundary ought to run and to this day a village boundary dispute is often decided by this one fact- if the Kulavadis agree, the other inhabitants of the village can say no more. Formerly when village was first established, a large stone, called Karukallu*, was set up within it. To such stones the Patel** once a year makes an offering, but the Kulavadi, after the ceremony is over, is entitled to carry off the rice, &c., offered, and in cases where there is no Patel, the Kulavadi performs the ceremony.

But what seems to prove strongly that the Holaya was the first to take possession of the soil is, that the Kulavadi receives, and is entitled to receive, from the friends of any person who dies in the village ascertain burial fee, or as it is forcibly put, “they buy from him the ground for the dead.”  This fee is still called in Canarese nela haga (From nela, the ground, and haga, a small coin; worth one Anna two pie). In Manjarabad (Sakaleshpura), the ancient Balam, the Kulavadi does not receive this fee from those ryots who are related to the headman. Here the Kulavadi occupies a higher position; he has in fact been adopted into the Patel’s family, for on a death occurring in such family the Kulavadi goes into mourning by shaving his head. He always receives from the friends the cloths the deceased wore, and a brass basin.

The system of establishment of Patel is considerably recent; after the defeat of the Tipu Sultan the Diwan Poornaiah established hereditary Patels as village policemen and tax collectors in the places of Holeya Kulavadis. This is the reason why the old custom of respecting the true owner of the villages and the true priestly class of the villages is still continued in the rural parts of Karunadu-Karnataka in this form until now. Karu Kallu could have imparted its share in naming the Karunadu. This, singular fact highlights the importance of the Holayas in the history of India and Karnataka. – M.Nanjundaswami IPS

          There is no restriction in the Mysore State on the acquisition of land or property by Holeyas, and under the various blending influence of the times-educational, missionary, and others-members of this class are rising in importance and acquiring wealth., So much so that in the cities and large towns their social disabilities are, to a great extent, being overcome, and in public matters especially their complete ostracism can hardly be maintained.