Two Tamil men of the Kaller caste. Gouache painting.

Date:
[1815?]
Reference:
728655i
Part of:
Indian practitioners of trades, crafts, and professions. Gouache paintings, 18--.
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Credit

Two Tamil men of the Kaller caste. Gouache painting. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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About this work

Description

"Kaller is the plural of Kallen, meaning thief: so, thief's caste. Organised incursions into a kingdom by opponents in which robberies were carried out to weaken it. Enemy soldiers performing this task were called "Thieves". Became a caste." (posting on tamil.net 30 November 1998). They wear loincloths of leaves, have flowers in their hair, and hold bow and arrows. Same as Chola people?

Publication/Creation

[1815?]

Physical description

1 painting : gouache, with indian ink and gold ; image approximately 23.5 x 26 cm

Lettering

Coller or the thief cast. Language Tamul, but a very low dialect. Worship Seva. Inhabitants of the Tanjore dominions.

Reference

Wellcome Collection 728655i

Creator/production credits

Attributed to a painter from Tanjore (Thanjavur)

Languages

Where to find it

  • volume I

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