Portions of the Madura and Tanjore districts are divided into areas known as nadus, a name which, as observed by Mr. Nelson, is specially applicable to Kallan tracts. In each nadu a certain caste, called the Nattan, is the predominant factor in the settlement of social questions which arise among the various castes living within the nadu. Round about Devakotta in the Sivaganga zamindari there are fourteen nadus, representatives of which meet once a year at Kandadevi, to arrange for the annual festival at the temple dedicated to Swarnamurthi Swami. The four nadus Unjanai, Sembonmari, Iravaseri, and Tennilai in the same zamindari constitute a group, of which the last is considered the chief nadu, whereat caste questions must come up for settlement. For marriage purposes these four nadus constitute an endogamous section, which is sub-divided into septs or karais. Among the Vallambans these karais are exogamous, and run in the male line. But, among the Kallans, the karai is recognised only in connection with property. A certain tract of land is the property of a particular karai, and the legal owners thereof are members of the same karai. When the land has to be disposed of, this can only be effected with the consent of representatives of the karai. The Nattar Kallans of Sivaganga have exogamous septs called kilai or branches, which, as among the Maravans, run in the female line, i.e., a child belongs to the mother's, not the father's, sept. In some castes, and even among Brahmans, though contrary to strict rule, it is permissible for a man to marry his sister's daughter. This is not possible among the Kallans who have kilais such as those referred to, because the maternal uncle of a girl, the girl, and her mother all belong to the same sept. But the children of a brother and sister may marry, because they belong to different kilais, i.e., those of their respective mothers. Subban = Pachchai (Kurivili kilai). | (Arasiya kilai). +====================|======================+ | | Karuppan, son Ellamma, daughter (Arasiya kilai) (Arasiya kilai) | | | | Raman Minachi (Pesadan kilai) (Arasiya kilai) Example of allowable cousin-marriages. In the above example, the girl Minachi may not marry Karuppan, as both are members of the same kilai. But she ought, though he be a mere boy, to marry Raman, who belongs to a different sept.