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NATTUKOTTAI CHETTI
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.*[1] In villages where their main temples are situated, the temple manager is obliged to
- ↑ * Indian Law Reports, Madras Series, XXIX, 1906.
