Arasu or Rajpinde.--"This caste," Mr. Lewis Rice writes (1877):-- [67] "are relatives of or connected with the Rajahs of Mysore. During the life-time of the late Maharaja, they were divided into two factions in consequence of the refusal of thirteen families headed by the Dalavayi (the chief of the female branch) to pay respect to an illegitimate son of His Highness. The other eighteen families consented to the Rajah's wishes, and treat the illegitimate branch, called Komarapatta, as equals. The two divisions intermarry and eat together, and the family quarrel, though serious at the time, is not likely to be permanent. They are employed chiefly under Government and in agriculture, most of the former being engaged in the palace at Mysore. Rajpindes are both Vishnavites and Sivites, and their priests are both Brahmans and Lingayat Waders."
In the Madras Census Report, 1891, Arasu (= Raja or king) is given as a sub-division of the Tamil Pallis and Paraiyans. Urs appears as a contracted form of Arasu in the names of the Mysore royal family, e.g., Kantaraj Urs.
Arathi.--The name, indicating a wave offering to avert the evil eye, of an exogamous sept of Kuruba.
Arati (plantain tree).--An exogamous sept of Chenchu.
Arava.--Arava, signifying Tamil, has been recorded as a sub-division of some Telugu classes, e.g., Golla and Velama. The name, however, refers to Tamil Idaiyans and Vellalas, who have settled in the Telugu country, and are known respectively as Arava Golla and Arava Velama. In some places in the Telugu country, Tamil Paraiyans, employed as servants under Europeans, horse-keepers, etc., are known as Arava Malalu (Malas). The Irulas of the North Arcot district are, in like manner, sometimes called Arava Yanadis. Arava also occurs as a division of Tigalas, said to be a section of the Tamil Pallis, who have settled in Mysore. An ingenious suggestion has been made that Arava is derived from ara, half, vayi, mouthed, in reference to the defective Tamil alphabet, or to the termination of the words being mostly in consonants.
Aravan.--Recorded, in the Travancore Census Report, 1901, as a sub-division of Nayar.
Archaka.--Archaka, or Umai Archaka, is a title of Occhans, who are priests at temples of Grama Devatas (village deities).