The Vaishnavites are burnt, and the Saivites buried in a sitting posture. The usual chinna (little) and pedda rozu (big day) death ceremonies are performed.
Men wear a gold bangle on the left wrist, and another on the right arm. Women wear a silver bangle on the right wrist, and a bracelet of real or imitation coral, which is first worn at the time of marriage, on the left wrist. They throw the end of their body-cloth over the left shoulder. They do not, like women of other non-Brahman castes in the Vizagapatam district, smoke cigars.
The original occupation of the caste is said to have been trading, and this may account for the number of exogamous septs which are named after Settis (traders). At the present day, the Gavaras are agriculturists, and they have the reputation of being very hard-working, and among the best agriculturists in the Vizagapatam district. The women travel long distances in order to sell vegetables, milk, curds, and other produce.
The caste titles are Anna, Ayya, and occasionally Nayudu.
Gaya (cow).--An exogamous sept of Kondra.
Gayinta.--Recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a small caste of hill cultivators, speaking Oriya and Telugu. The name is said to be derived from gayinti, an iron digging implement. Gayinta is reported to be the same as Gaintia, a name of Enetis or Entamaras.
Gazula.--Gazula or Gazul (glass bangle) has been recorded as a sub-division of Balija, Kapu, and Toreya. The Gazula Balijas make glass bangles. The Toreyas have a tradition that they originated from the bangles of Machyagandhi, the daughter of a fisherman on the Jumna, who was married to king Shantanu of Hastinapur.
Gedala (buffaloes).--A sept of Bonthuk Savara.
Geddam (beard).--An exogamous sept of Boya and Padma Sale.
Gejjala (bells tied to the legs while dancing).--An exogamous sept of Balija and Korava.
Gejjegara.--A sub-caste of the Canarese Panchalas. They are described, in the Mysore Census Report, 1891, as makers of small round bells (gungru), which are used for decorating the head or neck of bullocks, and tied by dancing-girls round their ankles when dancing.
Genneru (sweet-scented oleander).--An exogamous sept of Boya.
Gentoo.--Gentoo or Jentu, as returned at times of census, is stated to be a general term applied to Balijas and Telugu speaking Sudras generally. The word is said by Yule and Burnell [142] to be "a corruption of the Portuguese Gentio, a gentile or heathen, which they applied to the Hindus in contradistinction to the Moros or Moors, i.e., Mahomedans. The reason why the term became specifically applied to the Telugu people is probably because, when the Portuguese arrived, the Telugu monarchy of Vijayanagar was dominant over a great part of the peninsula." In a letter written from prison to Sir Philip Francis, Rajah Nuncomar referred to the fact that "among the English gentry, Armenians, Moores and Gentoos, few there is who is not against me." Gentoo still survives as a caste name in the Madras Quarterly Civil List (1906).