A Komati can claim his maternal uncle's daughter in marriage, in accordance with the custom of menarikam. The rigidity with which this right is exercised is testified by the sacred book of the caste--the Kanyaka Purana. On their descent from heaven, it is said, the Komatis settled in eighteen towns (ashta dasapuramulu), which had been built by Visvakarma under the orders of Siva. These towns are said to be situated in a tract of country sixty-four yojanas in extent, and bounded on the east by the Gautami (Godavari), on the south by the sea, on the west by the Gostani, and on the north by the Ganges. Of these, Penukonda, in the modern Godavari district, was the capital. In it are the temples of Nagariswaraswami (dedicated to Siva), and Janardhanaswami (dedicated to Vishnu). Its Pedda Setti was Kusama Sreshti, and his wife was Kusamamba. He performed Putra Kameshti sacrifice, and was blessed with a son and daughter. The former was named Virupaksha, and the latter Vasavambika (Vasavakanya, Kanyakamma, or Kanyaka Parameswari). The girl was possessed of indescribable beauty. Vishnu Vardhana, the son of Vijayarka of the lineage of the moon, who had his capital at Rajamundry, while on a pleasure tour round his dominions, halted at Penugonda, on learning that it was ruled by Setti Rajas, who paid no tribute to him. Being informed of his arrival by their boys, the caste elders, headed by Kusuma Setti, welcomed him, and took him in procession through the town. Then the women of the place waved arathi before him. Among them was the beautiful Vasavambika, with whom the king instantly fell in love. He proposed to her father that he should give her in marriage to himself, and in return obtain the gift of half of his kingdom. Kusuma Sreshti protested, and said that the sastras were against such a union. The king, through his minister, threatened that he would plunder his town, take him prisoner, and, with the riches of the place, carry off his daughter, and marry her. The Setti chief and his compatriots prayed for time to think over the matter, and retired. The chief then called a meeting of the castemen, at which it was decided that they should make a false promise to the king that they would give the girl in marriage to him, and send him off with a dinner, to return to Penugonda for the marriage after the lapse of a couple of months. Meanwhile, the boys of the town assembled, and resolved that the dinner ought not to be given. They informed their elders of this resolution, and were commissioned to induce the king to leave the town without it. This they did, with the ambiguous promise that, if they did not give the girl in marriage to him, they would kill themselves. On this, the king went off towards his capital, and Kusuma Setti called a caste meeting of the eighteen towns, at which various proposals were made. One proposed that the girl should not be given in marriage, and that, if the king came to claim her hand, he should be driven off.