g a
present of three bracelets from the bridegroom to the bride is held
to be indispensable. The Madpotwa are a small subcaste living near
the hills, who in former times distilled liquor; they keep pigs and
poultry, and rank below the others. Other groups are the Kosarias,
who are called after Kosala, the old name of Chhattisgarh, and the
Chhote or Little Telis, who are of illegitimate descent. Children
born out of wedlock are relegated to this group.

In the Nagpur country the principal subdivisions are the Ekbaile and
Dobaile, so called because they yoke one and two bullocks respectively
to the oil-press; the distinction is still maintained, the Dobaile
being also known as Tarane. This seems a trivial reason for barring
intermarriage, but it must be remembered that the yoking of the
bullock to the oil-press, coupled as it is with the necessity of
blindfolding the animal, is considered a great sin on the Teli's part
and a degrading incident of his profession; the Teli's worst fear is
that after death his soul will pass into one of his own bullocks. The
Yerande Telis are so called because they formerly pressed only the
_erandi_ or castor-oil seed, but the rule is no longer maintained. The
Yerande women leave off wearing the _choli_ or breast-cloth after they
have had one child, and have nothing under the _sari_ or body-cloth,
but they wear this folded double. The Ruthia group are said to be so
called from the noise _rut, rut_ made by the oil-mill in turning. They
say they are descended from the Nag or cobra. They salute the snake
when they see it and refrain from killing it, and they will not make
any drawing or sign having the semblance of a snake or use any article
which may be supposed to be like it. The Sao Telis are the highest
group in Wardha, and have eschewed the pressing of oil. The word Sao or
Sahu is the title of a moneylender, but they are usually cultivators
or village proprietors. A Brahman will enter a Sao Teli's house, but
not the houses of any other subcaste. Their women wear silver bangles
on the right hand and glass ones on the left. The Batri subcaste are
said to be so called from their growing the _batar_, a kind of pea,
and the Hardia from raising the _haldi_ or turmeric. The Teli-Kalars
appear to be a mixed group of Kalars who have taken to the oilman's
profession, and the Teli-Banias are Telis who have become shopkeepers,
and may be expected in the course of time to develop either into a
plebeia