Page:Castes and tribes of southern India, Volume 5.djvu/285

Rh Velangkudi. At the present day, the Nāttukōttai Chettis are divided into the following divisions (kōvils or temples) and exogamous sub-divisions: —


 * 1. Ilayaththūkudi kōvil —
 * Okkurūdaiyar.
 * Pattanasāmiar.
 * Perumaruthurudaiyar,
 * Kazhanivasakkudaiyar.
 * Kinkinikkudaiyar.
 * Perasendurudaiyar.
 * Sirusēththurudaiyar.


 * 2. Maththūr kōvil —
 * Uraiyūr.
 * Arumbakūr.
 * Manalūr,
 * Mannūr.
 * Kannūr.
 * Karuppūr.
 * Kulaththūr.


 * 3. Vairavan kōvil —
 * Sirukulaththūr.
 * Kazhanivāsal.
 * Marudendrapūram.


 * 4. Iraniyūr kōvil.
 * 5. Pillayarpatti kōvil.
 * 6. Nēmam kōvil.
 * 7. Iluppaikudi kōvil.
 * 8. Suraikudi kōvil.
 * 9. Velāngkudi kōvil.

When Nāttukōttai Chettis adopt children, they must belong to the same temple division. An adopted son is called Manjanir Puthiran, or turmeric-water son, because, at the ceremony of adoption, the lad has to drink turmeric-water.* In villages where their main temples are situated, the temple manager is obliged to