MADRAS JOURNAL

OF

LITERATURE AND SCIENCE.

No. 3.-April, 1834.

I-A Sketch of the History of the Ramoossies residing in the Sattarah Territory and in the Poona and Ahmednuggur districts-By Captain Alexander Mackintosh of the 27th Regt. M. N. I. Commanding Ahmednuggur Local Corps.

CHAPTER I.

Introductory observations.-The origin and migration of tribes.-That of the Ramoossies involved in obscurity.-The limits of the country over which they are dispersed.- The origin of the tribe and that of their name variously explained.-The tribe divided into two main branches or clans.→ Two minor families have sprung up since they crossed the Neera.-The number of the tribe.-The remnants of their language.-Their employment as Rukwalldars or village guardians.-The nature of the duties they have to perform. The lands and emoluments they enjoy.

We are frequently induced, either by motives of interest or curiosity, to inquire into the character and language, the manners and customs of the inhabitants of a new, or foreign country, whose history is imperfectly known to us, although the result of our researches may prove neither entertaining nor satisfactory. The nature of the appointment I have held for many years past, having necessarily brought me frequently in contact, I might say, in hostile collision, with that portion of the population of the Dekhan commonly distinguished as the predatory tribes, viz. the Bheels, Kolies, and the Ramoossies, and having been recently occupied in suppressing a disturbance in the country around Poona, caused by the latter tribe, I am induced to attempt to give an account of them, in the hope that it may not be unacceptable to those who take an interest in such matters.

It is generally remarked, that the history of the origin and migrations of almost every tribe and nation, is more or less involved in

obscurity and contradiction, and this is the case with that of the Ramoossies.

The race of people known by the name of Ramoossies, reside chiefly in the outskirts of the towns and villages, in the vallies of the Maun, Neera, Bheema, and Pera rivers, and in the adjoining plains and highlands-within the dominions of His Highness the Rajah of Satara, and the Poona and Ahmednuggur collectorates.

The tract of country over which they are dispersed, is nearly two hundred miles in length; and throughout the Satara territory, and the southern portion of the Poona district, it varies from eighty to about one hundred and twenty miles in breadth-becoming much narrower as we approach the northern limits in the vicinity of Nassik, on the banks of the Godavery-so that the part of the country in which they reside, lies within the 17° and 20o of N. latitude, and 73° 40" and 75 40" E. longitude.

It may be observed, that although in several of the Poorans, (the Pudma, Bhruma, Wywurt, Skund, &c.) and the Bhruhud and Lughoo Jatveeweks, a slight genealogical notice is taken of the mixed tribes of Hindoos, the term Ramoossy is not mentioned in either of them. Bharoor is the Sanscrit word applied to the Ramoossies in the Jatveewek, a work principally compiled from extracts from the Poorans.

A short extract from each of the before mentioned Poorans, which are supposed to allude to the origin of these people, might be given here, but as different learned Brahmins, well versed in the shastres, agreed that the account in the Jatveewek is the true one, I shall only insert it.

"The children of a Shoodur (4th class) father, and a Brahminy mother, are designated chandall, (the lowest of the low,) and those of a chandall father and a Eckshuttry (2d class) mother, are termed Dombh again, the offspring of a Shoodur father and Vyse (3d class) mother, is termed Neeshaad-then the children of a Neeshaad father and a Shoodur mother are known by the name of Poolkussy; and lastly, the children of a Dombh father and Poolkussy mother are called Bharroor, whose profession it is to guard villages, and to warn the inhabitants of any approaching danger."

It is conjectured that the Ramoossies, from having originally lived at a distance from villages, must have been termed Raan-vussy, the resident of waste, or desolate lands, from raan, a waste, a desert, a wood, and vussy, residing; and the harsh appellative of Raan-vussy, was converted, in the course of time, into the more

euphonical one of Ramoossy. Again some of them maintain, that the name of Ramoossy is derived from Ramvounssy the descendants of Rama; that he created them when he was passing through the Dekhan to Lunka, (Ceylon) in search of Seetah.

The Ramoossy ranks very low among the Wurunu Shunkur, or mixed classes, and far beneath the Poolkush, or Dongry Kolcy, but before the Holar, Mhar, Mang Dhour, &c. These last the Ramoossy scrupulously keeps at a respectful distance. There appears to be no record in existence, from which any information respecting the habits and customs of this tribe is to be obtained :— :-such information as is attempted to be given here concerning them, was gained entirely by long direct personal intercourse with the tribe, and especially with the most intelligent of the aged men. They have considerable reluctance, in communicating an account of their habits and customs to persons they are unacquainted with, although they appear to have nothing very peculiar to them, that is not common to the other predatory tribes. Their backwardness in this respect, may possibly be partly owing to prejudice, and either selfpride or self-interest, originating in their being generally more civilized, and therefore unwilling they should be supposed capable of committing the atrocities for which they are notorious, and partly from the apprehension that they themselves might become too generally known, and consequently attract the attention of the ruling authorities, which might lead to their being placed more closely under the surveillance of the Police, and that, ultimately, the principal although unlawful source from which the majority of them had been in the habit of drawing a subsistence from time immemorial, would be shut up against them.

By some of the inhabitants, the Ramoossies and Berrurs, or Berdurs, are looked upon as one and the same tribe; but it may be presumed, that their considering the two terms synonimous, arises from the great similarity of pursuits and habits that exists between these two classes. Admitting even that they were originally one and the same tribe, they are at present, and have been for ages, a distinct people.

The Berdurs who inhabit the district of Soorapoor, and are spread over the country east and south of Bejapoor, and the banks of the Toomboodra river, hold no intercourse whatever with the Ramoos-. sies who reside in Maundesh, the district east of Satara, nor do the oldest men among the Ramoossies recollect having ever heard, that their fathers considered the Berdurs, and the Ramoossies, as being

of the same descent or stock, or that they ever formed matrimonial connections with each other; and as far as my information goes, the opinion of the Berdurs themselves corresponds with that of the Ramoossies on this point.

The tribe of Ramoossies appears to be divided into two main branches, or families, the one being denominated the Chowan, and the other the Jadoo. From these two intermarrying, numerous families have sprung up, but all of them are reckoned to belong to, and to be the offspring of, the two main branches respectively, although they have adopted various other surnames. They are equally scrupulous and tenacious, in adhering to the prescriptive rules of their tribe in this respect, as the higher and more pure orders, never to marry a person of the same kool, or gottur, (family,) as themselves, consequently, the different families of the Chowan stock, considering themselves the descendants of the same parents according to Hindoo usage, never form matrimonial connections with each other; and the same rule stands good with regard to the Jadoo, and the families constituting that branch.

Enumerating their different surnames, I find there are now about one hundred and twenty-five; but as these surnames were adopted, evidently from assuming the name of the village they were born in after they had quitted it, to reside in some other, the original surname was abandoned, and the new cognomen became familiar, and the only one used-or some other name was applied, suggested by some peculiarity in the appearance of a man, such as Assgurry, the large man; Neekary, the man without a beard; and again Shelky, from a man having turned a goatherd.

The following are the surnames of a few of the families of both branches. First: The Chowan; from whom has sprung the Bhanddollkur, Goregul, Shellky, the Keersagur, Assgurry, Koolooch Kurrally Goorkool, Waghmary and Sulkkry, &c. &c. Secondly: The Jadoo, with its descendants the Khomney, Mundly, Goury alias Makur, Yellmur, Jhuppurdy, Langgu, Sheretore, Bhorrdah, Tuttlay,

&c. &c.

Since the Ramoossies, however, have crossed to the north bank of the Neera river, two minor and distinct families have sprung up among them. The first is the Rorray Ramoossies of Sonouray, near the Devy Ghaut; and the other, the Goorgool.

The Rorray is said to be an adopted son of the Bhandolkurs, and he, consequently, forms no marriage connection with the Bhandollkur, the Shellky and Koolooch of the Chowan family stock;