The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-03-16

expected that there would be general
prosperity and peace In Malabar.
Prosperity IN fairly well distributed, y
but the motley Of religions makes
peace more difficult; and every now o
and then II brings about such turbul Q
lence AS In known these days In other
parts OF India. The fierce fanaticisn
OF the Mohammedan Moplahs and the
stories OF their bloody and furious out.
breaks which reach the outside world
may lead to the belief that this Ia as
much Mohammednn land as Arabia
or Persia. The truth IL that barely 80
per cent OF the population are follow.
ers Of the prophet, while about e6 per
cent are votarles OF Hinduism aud
some per cent are Christians. AN'
In prestige the Hlndus are much tiia
most important. The NAmbudif Brnh.
mans. at the very top Of the caste
scale. number only 10000 In the total
population Of 100000 OF the Malabar
district. but are looked up 20 with the
greatest reverence. Nearly all 81 them
are landholders, many Of very large es,
tates. They hold aloof from public
affairs and scorn modern education. !,
holding more tenaciously, probably.
than their fellow rellgIonists In any
other part OF India, TO the ancient Gus. ,
toms OF their faith. The old concep,..
ton OF ceremonial pollution Is living
thing In Malabar and In strictly ad,
hered TO except In the cities. There
are varying distances within which the +.
mere presence Of member OF a lower /,
cnste Is supposed to defile the Brnh.
man. A high-caste man returning from
his cleansing bath shouts out that he \
Is approaching, and the low-cnsts
members humbly retire to the roadside \
or into the fields until he has passed.
Even many Mohammedans follow this
custom lest economic pressure be
brought to bear through boycotts or
other means TO destroy their livell.
hood.
The Mohammedans Of Maiabar--tha,
Moplahs-dlfer greatly from other In-.s
dian Moslems. Many OF them are de-.
scendants OF Arab traders who cana
to the west coast In very early times.
and they have retained all the fanafi-
cism Of the fercest Mchammedans of
the Arabian deserts. To them have
been been added converts from lower
caste Hlndus yel
Mepiahs In Periodic Outbreaks. ~
For considerable periods the Moplaha,
accept their somewhat submerged con,
dltions and live In peace beside the
/ Hindus. But their lust for turbulence.
and blood 10 only slumbering. and sud-
denly Il breaks out with the assassina-
ton Of a Hindu landowner. the denllna
OF Hindu temple OF the footing OF a
house. The little group engaged IN
these episodes runs riot over the are.o
gion, their numbers gsowlng until o.
fanatical mob Ia formed A band us
ually Is formed whose members de.
hnltely decide to make martyrs Of
themselves. are cOnSecrated. refuse to
surrender and sell their lives as dearly
as possible when opposed. In the past
battles with bands Of Moplnhs have
smacked OF fights OF the Paris police
with the notorious "apaches.' In some
instances Il has been necessary 70
dynamite buildings In which the Mo-
plahs had made their stand and from
which they shot down all who APP
preached them. ''hHo
One Of the pecullarities OF the Maia-
bar region Is it's system OF inheritance
through the mother. A mans property
does not 20 to his children. but his
sisters children are his nearest heirs.
The Malabar district Ia under direct
British control, but in Trayancore, TO
the south, which Is native state. the
succession 10 the throne Is through
the sister, aud a rulers sons are OF no
political or family consequence WON
en-, especially those u the upper
classes. have a marked degree OF In
dependence, and may divorce their hua-
bands at villa privilege. however.
which Is usually exercised with dlscre-
tlOn.
When the Portuguese first arrived
at Calicut the natives we're weaving
cloth OF excellent quality and II became
an article OF commerce with the west
The town, in fact, gave It's name 10
calico. But the weaving Of that fabric
has almost died ont and this original
home OF calico now actually imports
the cloth