Kayasth.--Kayasth or Kayastha is the writer-caste of Bengal. See Risley, Tribes and Castes of Bengal.
Kayerthannaya (Strychnos Nux-vomica sept).--An exogamous sept of the Bants and Shivalli Brahmans in South Canara.
Kayila (unripe fruit).--An exogamous sept of Orugunta Kapu.
Keimal (kei, hand, as an emblem of power).--A sub-division of Nayar.
Kela.--A small class of Oriya jugglers and mountebanks, whose women, like the Dommara females, are often prostitutes. The name is derived from keli, dancing, or khel to play.
Kelasi.--For the following account of the Kelasi or barber caste of South Canara, I am indebted to a note on the barbers of Tuluva by Mr. M. Bapu Rao. [129] The caste name is derived from kelasa, work. In like manner, the Canarese barbers of Bellary and Dharwar call themselves Kashta Madovaru, or those who perform the difficult task.
The barbers of South Canara are of different castes or sub-castes according to the language they speak, or the people for whom they operate. Thus there are (1) the Tulu Kelsi (Kutchidaye, man of the hair) or Bhandari; (2) the Konkani Kelsi or Mhallo, who must have migrated from the north; (3) the Hindustani Kelsi or Hajams; (4) the Lingayat Kelsi or Hadapavada (man of the wallet); (5) the Mappilla (Moplah) barber Vasa; (6) the Malayali barber Kavudiyan; and even Telugu and Tamil barbers imported by the sepoy regiments until recently stationed at Mangalore. Naturally the Tulus form the bulk of the class in Tuluva. There is among them a section known as Maddele, employed by palm-tappers, and hence considered socially inferior to the Bhandari, who is employed by the higher classes. [The Billava barbers are called Parel Madiali or Parel Madivala.] If a high caste barber operates for a man of lower caste, he loses his caste thereby, and has to pay a fine, or in some other way expiate his offence before he gains re-admission into his community. Pariahs in these parts have no separate caste of barbers, but anyone among themselves may try his skill on any head. Mappilla barbers are employed only by the Muhammadans. Even in their own community, however, they do not live in commensality with other Mappillas though gradations of caste are not recognised by their religion.