rsync excluded file syntax errors

[Rahul Nabar]

I cannot figure out where I am going wrong with my excluded files
syntax! rsync backups up those folders I'm trying to exclude.

rsync -av --exclude-from=/etc/rsync_excluded.conf  --delete
root at polaris::polhome /pol_home_bkup


cat /etc/rsync_excluded.conf
- /home/agokhale
- /home/anand
- /home/asalazar
etc.

These are all top level folders with the same names.

On the rsync server rsyncd.conf:
[snip]
[polhome]
   path = /home

I'm stumped!

-- 
Rahul